Nollaig McSweeney DBT Therapist

10/11/2025

Amazing opportunity for TY Students.

Atticus Education is based in Skibbereen and provides a wide range of online learning opportunities.

https://atticusedu.com/TY2026/?fbclid=IwY2xjawN-d-tleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR5LP4PKEIRaPdS1M6c1Cc8FPn9L5fB2yJsqbs-MrVC9CAcO5aTKBB7Rs_fLGw_aem_J6FnIxLFIwBMA25HDmywow

Future Leaders of Screen is an online programme for TY students with Oscar-winning film producer Lord David Puttnam. Students with an interest in the screen sector will join David in small-group seminars to learn more about filmmaking, storytelling, creativity, and social responsibility.

09/11/2025

Does your teen struggle with anxiety, sensory issues, or other learning needs, then the RACE scheme can make exams fairer. Discuss with your teens School. Deadlines below 👇

Reasonable Accommodations at Certificate Examinations (RACE)

🎒 The RACE scheme helps students who have special educational needs sit their state exams without being disadvantaged. This is done by giving you reasonable accommodations, or special arrangements, that make the exam environment fair for you based on your needs.

For example, if you break your arm, you’ll get a scribe to write down your answers.

🏫 Your school applies for reasonable accommodations on your behalf, unless you are an external candidate.

📅 Schools can apply for the RACE scheme from October 2025 for students sitting the Leaving Cert and Junior Cycle exams in 2026.

Applications will close for:

📍 Leaving Certificate on 21 November 2025
📍 Junior Cycle on 12 December 2025

⚠️ Late applications for all students are open from February 2026 until 3 April 2026.

ℹ️ Your school can make an emergency application for unexpected situations in case you get sick or injured. Emergency applications are open from May to June 2026.

03/11/2025

Yesterday I joined Gemma at Cara Holistics and a circle of wonderful women for a Samhain retreat at Cara’s Cabin.

We celebrated the ancient magic unique to this time of year, the scent of woodsmoke and earth, the quiet hum of the land, the wisdom of our ancestors. 🌙

We shared food and laughter, silence and reflection.

There’s something deeply regulating about gathering like that. Sharing space, stories, and stillness. It reminds us that community, ritual and rhythm aren’t luxuries; they’re how we stay grounded, connected, and well.💚

My heart is full. ❤️

Thank you, Gemma, and to all who sat in that circle 🙏

A beautiful beginning to the darker months ahead.

31/10/2025

💬 Things I said in sessions this week…

Several parents raised concerns about their child’s angry outbursts.

Here’s something I regularly say:
👉 Anger is often a bodyguard.
It steps in to protect from feelings that feel too raw, too painful or too embarrassing, like jealousy, sadness, shame, fear...

If we pause and look beneath the anger, there is usually a child who feels left out, embarrassed, powerless, or hurt.

That doesn’t mean we excuse any aggressive behaviour, far from it! Parents regularly hear me say:
“We can explain, but not excuse.”

🤔It is helpful to be curious about the explanation.

It starts with language. Instead of saying “He was being bold again”, try a factual, judgement free description of the behaviour, for example:
🗣️ “He shouted when his brother got to go first.”

That shift, from judgement to observation opens space for understanding, not shame.

💡Takeaway for parents:
Behaviour is communication. The next time your child has an outburst, try asking yourself:
“What might this anger be protecting?”
"What else might be going on?"

It’s not soft, it’s strategic.

20/10/2025

Have you ever noticed how differently children learn and shine? One might spend hours building Lego cities or taking things apart just to see how they work.
Another comes alive through stories, drawing, or music. Some seem to read the emotions in a room better than most adults.

I recently came across the work of Psychologist Howard Gardner who suggests that there isn’t just one kind of intelligence, but many ways of being smart.
He spoke about things like musical, spatial, bodily, interpersonal, and naturalistic intelligence.

His theory isn’t hard science, more of an invitation to look beyond academic abilities and test results.

It reminds us that every child has their own way of understanding the world and their own kind of genius waiting to be nurtured.

When we notice those natural aptitudes, we can help children build confidence, motivation, and a sense of belonging, the real roots of learning.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on what you notice about your child’s natural strengths:

💬 Tell me, which of these best describes your child right now?
1️⃣ Curious about how things work
2️⃣ Loves stories, reading or words
3️⃣ Constantly moving, building or creating
4️⃣ Tunes into people’s moods easily
5️⃣ Loves nature/outdoors

Answer by putting the number (or mix!) in the comments ⬇️

19/10/2025

The Social Determinants of Mental Health

This image by Dr Juliet Young .clinical.psychologist says so much.

Mental health doesn’t exist in a vacuum, it is deeply shaped by the world around us. 🧩

When there are protective factors like social support, a safe place to live, inclusion, financial security, and responsive services, wellbeing has room to grow. 🌤️

But when life is marked by adverse conditions, poor housing, violence, food insecurity, discrimination, loneliness then the scales tip heavily against people. ⚖️

This is why compassion matters, and why context matters.

So often, what looks like a “personal problem” is really a reflection of the systems, supports, and stresses surrounding a person.

We need communities where the protective factors are strong and where health and wellbeing doesnt depend on luck or circumstance.

14/10/2025

🗣 Have your say on the standards of CAMHS!

A public consultation has just been launched to set and review standards for CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services).

👉 Why it matters
- Gives voice to those who’ve used (or want to use) the services
- Helps policy makers understand what works, and what needs improving

✍️ How to contribute
Check out the consultation (link below) and share your experiences, ideas, or concerns. It won’t take long and your input could make a difference.

https://easy-feedback.de/s/2035250/8NKeiGB

Please share this post and encourage others to get involved.

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08/10/2025

The view from my window this morning 🪟

There’s something so beautiful about crisp autumn light 🍂 The trees are changing colour, getting ready to let go...

This time of year can feel bittersweet, endings and beginnings woven together. In therapy, that’s often what we sit with too: the letting go and the becoming.

If today feels uncertain or heavy, maybe pause and look out your own window look at the light, the colour, the quiet moments that say you’re still here, still growing.

06/10/2025

Shaping the Future Together 💚

Over the weekend, I found myself deeply moved by the tributes to Manchán Magan.There was a passion in his voice, a love of Ireland that felt ancient and forward-looking all at once.

He once said:
“We must shed our skins of victimhood and oppression.”

That line struck me. Because while we must never forget the pain and injustice inflicted by the institutions of the past, we also need to ask: what will we fill the space with now?

The collapse of the Church left a deep gap in Irish life, not just in belief, but in belonging. The rituals, the music, the gathering of community, the sense of purpose (for better and worse) shaped generations. In their absence, young people are searching for new forms of meaning, new tribes, new ways to connect.

There are sparks of hope everywhere:

💚Parents raising children with compassion and curiosity.
🤍Teachers who nurture self-belief.
💛Therapists, artists, activists, and neighbours creating new spaces for community and care.

We face painful realities, emigration, loneliness, su***de. But there are also so many helpers. So many people building quietly, bravely, toward something better.

Our stories can shrink us, or they can expand us and it begins in every home, every classroom, every conversation.

Let’s raise a generation who feel connected, capable, and hopeful.

Le Grá ❤️

✨ Inspired by the life and legacy of Manchán Magan (1970–2025)

03/10/2025

💔Sad News this morning.

I was very sorry to read about the passing of broadcaster and writer Manchán Magan. He had such a gift for bringing Irish culture and language alive, sharing knowledge with passion and depth. Rest in Peace Manchán 🥀

Recently in my work with young people, I’ve been meeting many who are grieving. Loss can feel overwhelming, and as Manchán so often reminded us through story and place, we can find strength in connection to each other, to our culture, and to the world around us.

If your child or teenager is struggling with grief, know that their feelings are valid and that with support, they can begin to carry it in a way that allows for healing and hope 🌻

We grieve because we love ❤️

When the initial storm of grief settles the return to 'normal' can feel unsettling for people of all ages. There are no time frames for grief, it's as individual as the person.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

01/10/2025

Roblox has been in the news again recently, and not for the best reasons. Stories like these can be worrying for parents, and they remind us how important it is to keep conversations about online safety open and ongoing.

But alongside the risks, platforms like Roblox are being used in creative and positive ways.

In a session this week, a young person told me how she uses 'role play' within Roblox. She chooses characters with strengths and abilities she doesn’t yet feel she has in real life; braver, bolder, more confident versions of herself. For her, it’s a safe way to try on qualities she wishes for in the real world.

This really struck me. It shows how role play, whether online or offline, can be a powerful tool for growth. Children and teens are constantly experimenting with identity, testing out “What if I could…?” scenarios. When done with support and awareness, this kind of imaginative play can actually be a step toward building those qualities in daily life.

✅ Three key takeaways for parents:

⚠️Keep the safety conversations alive. Boundaries, privacy, and knowing when to log off are always important.

🔶️Stay curious. Sometimes, behind the screen, your child may be rehearsing the very strengths they’re trying to grow.

🟢Learn more about the games they are playing online. Find out what your child likes/enjoys about those games.

29/09/2025

Dr Jason and the team at West Cork Rapid Response do amazing work in educating young people on what to do in an emergency 🚨. I've seen first hand the positive outcomes of their work with primary school students👏. A wonderful opportunity for all Secondary Schools in West Cork. Check if your school is signed up ✔️

Calling all secondary schools…