Education

What is a Clinical Psychologist?

A Clinical Psychologist is a mental health professional that uses evidence based psychological interventions to treat emotional difficulties and enhance and promote psychological wellbeing.

Why is there a Clinical Psychologist working as part of the CF team?

It is now considered a standard part of CF care for patients to have access to a Clinical Psychologist. Like all of the CF team members, the CF Psychologist aims to help improve wellbeing and health outcomes. Due to the challenging nature of CF, a significant proportion of people with CF (PwCF) understandably struggle with low mood, anxiety and other difficult emotions. The CF Psychologist has an understanding of the challenges CF and its treatment bring.

What types of problems can the CF Psychologist help with?

The CF Psychology service assesses patients and provides treatment to support them with a range of psychological issues related to having CF. This could include helping you with:

• Depression, low mood and anxiety relating to CF
• Difficulties managing aspects of your CF treatment
• Anxiety and worries about being in hospital, having procedures and the future
• Decisions about transplant and coping with the transplant process
• Relationship difficulties in the context of CF
• Decisions about having children and parenting
• Psychological support for your family if they are struggling with challenges relating to CF

What will happen in the psychology session?

Psychology sessions are typically 50 -60 minutes in duration. At the first appointment the CF Psychologist will ask you questions about your difficulties and you may be asked to fill in questionnaires. This is known as an assessment. The assessment aims to help you better understand your difficulties from a psychological perspective. The CF Psychologist will work with you to establish goals and together you will identify and plan what might be the most suitable psychological intervention for you, which may include onward referrals to other teams if necessary.
How often you see the CF Psychologist will depend on your needs and progress. However, sessions will be time limited.

Who is the service for?

This service is available to all adults with CF who are under the care of the Cork University Hospital adult CF service. It may be that some of your difficulties are not related to your experience of CF, and if so, we can help you to access another source of support to better meet these issues.

How do I access the CF Psychologist?

You can access the CF Psychologist in the following ways:

• As recommended by the National Clinical Programme for CF, all people with CF will be screened for anxiety, depression and any other psychological difficulties by the CF Clinical Psychologist at your annual review.
• After your annual review screening with the CF Psychologist, you may be asked if you’d like to be referred to CF psychology for a more detailed assessment of your difficulties, to make a plan about how best to meet your needs.
• You can request that you are referred to the CF Psychologist if you are experiencing psychological difficulties related to CF.
• The CF team may notice you have particular psychological needs which may benefit from psychological input and, with your consent, refer you to the CF Psychologist.

Where will I see the CF Psychologist?

The CF Psychologist sees people in the Adult CF Day Care Centre, Cork University Hospital. There may also be the option of support via telephone or video conferencing. Sometimes the CF Psychologist may see you while you are receiving treatment as an inpatient.

How will the CF Psychologist help me?

The CF Psychologist will help you make sense of your difficulties. Together you will work out why you developed the difficulties and what are the factors making them worse or blocking you from moving forward. You will also be encouraged to see what strengths you have and how these can be built on. The CF Psychologist will help you identify goals for therapy and together you will agree an intervention plan specifically tailored to your needs.

Change can be difficult and unfortunately there are no quick fixes. It may feel uncomfortable looking at your difficulties and implementing change. The CF Psychologists is trained to recognize this and support you throughout the process.

How do I cancel or rearrange an appointment?

If you need to cancel or rearrange an appointment, please let your Psychologist know as soon as you can. Early cancellation can enable your CF Psychologist to facilitate other people during this time.

If you need to cancel or rearrange an appointment please contact the number below: (021) 492 2152