ABOUT US
CONTEXT: A TIME FOR CHANGE.
“Adverse trends in the health of the community and the population impact on the whole of society.”
Department of Health and Children
The Department of Health and Children published Healthy Ireland: A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025 in 2013 and Connecting for Life: Ireland’s National Strategy to Reduce Suicide 2015-2020 in 2015. Both policies aim to improve health and wellbeing outcomes at both a general population level and specific target group levels.
Within the framework of these policies there is considerable scope for a universal intervention programme aimed at promoting mental wellbeing and developing resilience.
Health, both mental and physical, impacts greatly on overall wellbeing, particularly in light of the socioeconomic consequences of poor health. Not only is the individual’s immediate support network impacted by poor health, “adverse trends in the health of the community and the population impact on the whole of society.” (Department of Health and Children, 2013, p. 6)
Many people have misconceptions about mental health problems. (WHO, 2005, p. 13)
Examples of misconceptions include:
• The belief that mental health problems cannot be treated.
• The belief that personal deficiencies can lead to mental health problems.
• The belief that people diagnosed with mental health disorders are unable to run their own lives or make decisions pertaining to their lives (WHO, 2005).
The improving levels of employment in Ireland provide considerable scope for the delivery of a universal intervention programme aimed at promoting mental wellbeing via the workplace, particularly considering that “the failure to prevent, recognise and treat mental health problems in the workplace has an impact on employers, employees and their families, and the community generally.”
(WHO, 2005, p. 19; tradingeconomics.com, 2015)
PSYCHED STEERING GROUP
Aoife Ni Chonchuir
Health Promotion Officer, Psyched Co-ordinator, Health & Wellbeing, HSE
Prof. Daniel Flynn B.A., M.A., P.s.S.I D.P.P. (Clin) C.Clin.Psycholo.,P.s.S.I
Daniel Flynn is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist with the Psychological Society of Ireland and Principal Psychology Manager co-ordinating Adult and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Psychology Services in the Health Service Executive (HSE) across counties Cork and Kerry, Ireland. He is an Adjunct Professor at the School of Applied Psychology University College Cork (UCC), Ireland. He has accumulated over 20 years experience of working in mental health services. His clinical interests are in working with individuals who struggle to regulate emotions and engage in high risk self harm behaviours and considering the impact of these behaviours on families and systems. In recent years he has focused on considering not only intervention but prevention of mental health distress, looking at both mental health and school based populations. He is the originator of the PSYCHED Initiative working with Cork Health Cities and partner agencies to promote mental health and wellbeing in workplaces and communities across the city and county.
Denise Cahill
Healthy Cities Co-ordinator, Health & Wellbeing, HSE
Jim O Donovan
Chairperson, Cork Healthy Cities
Dr Birgit A. Greiner
Birgit Greiner is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Public Health in University College Cork. She an expert in occupational stress and health with over 30 years of experience in teaching and research. She is well known for her research on the impact of the psychosocial work environment on mental health and wellbeing and work-related musculoskeletal disorders. She is the founder of the MSc in Occupational Health courses at UCC. In this role, she is dedicated to training students in the systematic assessment and management of psychosocial workplace risks to enable them to create physically and psychologically healthy workplaces in their roles as occupational health & safety professionals, HR experts or health promotion experts in organisations. Birgit lectured and researched in Germany, the USA, the United Kingdom and Ireland and favours multi-disciplinarity, which she brings in with her academic training in work psychology, public health and epidemiology. Currently she is co-leading the European-wide MENTUPP project (mentuppproject.eu) with the aim to develop and evaluate a workplace mental health promotion programme for SMEs in the construction, healthcare and the information and communication technology sectors.
Stephen Murphy
Social Inclusion Development Worker, Cork City Council
Justina Hurley
Associate Lecturer - Health Communications School of Public Health, UCC. Owner - SuccessSkillsCoaching.com
Niall O Callagahan
Healthy Ireland Coordinator, Cork County Council
Dr. Coleen Cormack
Senior Clinical Psychologist, HSE
