Working life: Dr Rosarie Crowley, psychologist

8.30am

I then review my to-do list and prepare for upcoming appointments. I work with people with mild to moderate difficulties, such as anxiety and depression, from the age of 18 up. On a typical morning, I see two or three clients and spend about an hour with each.

10am

I see clients four days a week, using mostly cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). It helps them identify unhelpful thoughts and patterns of behaviour and the impact they have on their emotions.

Some of the people I see have suffered a bereavement, or gone through a recent traumatic event. One morning a week, I run courses: for example, a six-week stress-control programme. This course runs across the year, with Mayfield Health Action Zone, and it’s always full.

Last year, we teamed up with the GAA, as part of the Cork Beats Stress Programme and there was great demand for this award-winning programme. The programme is currently being run with Youghal GAA.

We also run a four-week course called ‘Upskill your Coping Skills’, which deals with relationships and communication.

1pm

I have lunch with colleagues in the centre. Monthly, I’m in Mallow for a meeting on Infant mental health, where I work with a group of health professionals with training in this area.

2pm

Occasionally, I meet with other psychologists working with adults in primary care to share resources and prepare research to submit to conferences.

Or, I may have to prepare for a library talk, as part of our ‘Your Good Self Programme’.

We launched this ‘bibliotherapy’ programme with Cork County and City libraries last year. It’s an extensive list of recommended books and other resources, compiled and reviewed by HSE psychologists, that anyone can access in our public libraries.

The idea is to get the message out that it’s important to look after your emotional well-being in the same way as we look after our physical health.

The programme has been short-listed for an Irish Healthcare Centre Award this year.

4.30pm

I have some paperwork to do before heading home. Evenings are taken up with book club, yoga, or walks with my husband or friends.

* Dr Rosarie Crowley is a clinical psychologist with HSE South, Cork North, primary care