In 2006 the Government published a report of the expert group on mental health policy. This report is called A Vision for Change. One of the recommendations of this report is that mental health services for children should be provided by multidisciplinary teams. In effect this means that each team is made up of clinicians from different disciplines who all work together to provide a range of therapeutic interventions for each child. Usually a Multidisciplinary Team is made up of the clinicians in the following areas:
1. Consultant Psychiatrist
2. Psychiatrist in training.
3. Nurse
4. Psychologist
5. Social Worker
6. Occupational Therapist
7. Speech and Language Therapist
8. Social Care Worker.
Click on the links to read more information about each discipline in Lucena Clinic.
You can also read the full text of A Vision for Change
Growing up can be fun but tricky. Sometimes people need to talk to a grown up to help figure out a problem. It’s good to talk about worrying things so we can better understand our feelings and how we act.
Adolescence is an important time of physical, social, emotional and educational development. It can be exciting but confusing. Sometimes it can feel like we don't have any control over what we think or how we feel. But by making simple changes to our lives, we can make a real difference.
Lucena was the name of the house and the first hospital which St. John of God opened in 1537 in the city of Granada, Spain. To honour the 5th centenary of the birth of St. John of God in 1495, the Order renamed its Child and Adolescent Mental Health services as Lucena Clinic Services.
The Order wishes to extend the same hospitality shown by John to everyone who came seeking help, healing or shelter at his house on Lucena Street, to every child and family coming to any of the clinics at Rathgar; Tallaght; Dun Laoghaire, Bray and Wickow.
Lucena Clinic Services is the Child and Adolescent Mental Health service of St. John of God Community Services Limited. Lucena Clinic Services is a registered charity and has been providing a mental health service to children and adolescents and their families for over 50 years.
The Lucena Clinic services are delivered via our 5 clinics in
Rathgar - tel : (01) 492 3596
Tallaght - tel : (01) 452 6333
Dun Laoghaire - tel; (01) 280 9809
Bray - tel : (01) 286 6886
Wicklow - tel : 0404 25591
If you are trying to contact ST. PETER'S SCHOOL please visit their website. St. Peter's School or
ring their DIRECT LINE : 01 4999300 Please do not ring Lucena Clinic as we cannot transfer your call.
We all get frightened or worried from time to time. Usually fear is a good thing as it keeps us from getting too close to danger. Sometimes though, we can feel frightened or worry about things 'too much' and this can get in the way of enjoying life. This sort of fear or worry is called anxiety.
Anxiety is one of the common mental health problems. Nearly 300 thousand young people in Britain have an anxiety disorder. So you are not alone. Lots of people however, suffer in silence. It is important to recognise your problems and seek help especially when it starts affecting your everyday life.
When we feel we are in danger, our brains tell our bodies to get ready to run away quickly. This means that if you have anxiety you may feel this in your mind, as well physically in your body.
The symptoms of anxiety include:
In your body or physically you may feel:
In your mind you may:
We do not really know what causes this illness. However, sometimes you may find the problems started after upsetting or frightening experiences in your life (like being bullied at school, having an illness, loss of a loved one or parents separating).
You may be able to manage one thing, but when lots of things happen at once, like parents separating, moving house and changing school, it can become much more difficult.
Anxiety tends to run in families, so if someone in your family is known to worry a lot, you may be more likely to worry as well. Some of this will be passed on in the genes, but you may also ‘learn’ anxious behaviour from being around anxious people. If your family or friends are anxious or harsh, it can make your anxiety worse. In this case it may help to talk to them about it.
Books for parents
“Helping Your Anxious Child: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents”, Ronald Rapee, Ph.D., Susan H. Spence, Ph.D., Vanessa Cobham, Ph.D. and Ann Wignall
New Harbinger Publications, Inc. 2000
“Keys to Parenting Your Anxious Child” by Katherine Manassis. M.D. Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. 1996
“Worried No More: Help and Hope for Anxious Children” by Aureen Pinto Wagner. Lighthouse Press, Inc. 2002
“Monsters Under the Bed and Other Childhood Fears: Helping Your Child Overcome Anxieties, Fears, and Phobias” by SW Garber and RF Spitzman, Villard Books 1993
“Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents” Tracy Morris and John S March, Guildford Press, 2004
Internet resources
Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK) http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/expertadvice/parentsandyouthinfo/youngpeople/worriesandanxieties.aspx (leaflet for young people)
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/expertadvice/parentsandyouthinfo/parentscarers/worriesandanxieties.aspx (leaflet for parents, carers and anyone working with young people)
Anxiety UK (user-led charity website)
http://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/about-anxiety/young-people-and-anxiety/
Anxiety Disorders Association of America (USA)
http://www.adaa.org/understanding-anxiety
http://www.adaa.org/living-with-anxiety/children
National Institute of Mental Health (USA)
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml
The Child Anxiety Network (USA)
http://www.childanxiety.net/index.htm
Mental Health Foundation (Booklet for parents and carers)
http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/the-anxious-child
About Our Kids – Child Study Center of New York University
http://www.aboutourkids.org/families/disorders_treatments/az_disorder_guide/anxiety
AnxietyBC – Complete Home Toolkit http://www.anxietybc.com/parent/complete_home_tool_kit.php
AnxietyBC – Home Management Strategies for Separation Anxiety Disorder http://www.anxietybc.com/sites/default/files/hmseparation.pdf
Headspace – Australian website covering wide range of mental health issues
http://www.headspace.org.au/what-works/research-information/anxiety
National Health Service (UK)
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/anxiety/pages/introduction.aspx
Reachout (Inspire Ireland Foundation)
http://ie.reachout.com/inform-yourself/anxiety-panic-and-shyness/
Reachout (Inspire Ireland Foundation)