Dr Kerry Sweeney

Consultants

Profile

Dr Kerry Sweeney worked for 20 years in the NHS as a Clinical Psychologist with Children, Adolescents & Families, thirteen of which were as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist/Lead for Therapeutic Services for Looked After & Adopted Children who have experienced developmental trauma and neglect.

Prior to this Dr Sweeney has worked in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and Schools’ Multidisciplinary team. As well as assessment, consultations throughout the network and training, she directly provided therapeutic support to children, adolescents and families using a range direct therapeutic approaches such as, Theraplay, Systemic/Narrative approaches, EMDR, other Trauma based models.

However Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy has been the most influential model in her career and she became a Certified DDP Practitioner in 2016. DDP is used throughout her practice influencing the system, therapeutic parenting and DDP therapy with children and young people.

Dr Sweeney has also been providing expert witness assessment for family court since 2017 in relation to care proceedings including freeing orders.

SERVICES OFFERED

Psychological Therapy & Parent Consultation

Psychological Therapies can offer a safe place with a highly qualified Child Psychologist to explore some concerns that may be around but also how we can work together to reach some resolutions. Psychological Therapies will be provided following an initial assessment for children/ teenagers and their families. Dr Sweeney can offer a wide range of therapeutic support such as DDP (see below), Theraplay, sensory based therapy, Systemic/Narrative approaches, family therapy, EMDR and other Trauma based models.

Parent Consultation

Dr Sweeney will meet with parents/carers for an initial assessment and then will include them in the support offered to their child. She can also offer parent only consultation in order to support the emotional and behavioural well-being of their children.

DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy)

Dr Sweeney can now offer DDP therapeutic parenting, DDP therapy through Kingsbridge.

Dr Sweeney holds clinics at our Maypole Clinic in Holywood on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12- 4pm

Dr Sweeney recently joined us to discuss all things Stress Buckets, PACE Parenting and more in our HealthStyle Podcast. Check it out below:

Qualifications

BSC (Hons.) Psychology University of Glasgow 1998

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology QUB 2002

Additional Training

Foundation level Systemic Therapies

Level 1-3 DDP. First professional in NI certified Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) Practitioner

Theraplay Level One Training

Self-Regulation Therapy

Attachment Style Interview Training, to include Adolescents

Level 1 Sensory Attachment Training & Just Right State

Level 1 Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics

Child and Adult EMDR Training

Professional bodies (Positions held in last 3 years)

The British Psychological Society

Division of Clinical Psychology

Faculty of Children & Young People, Special Interest Group

Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Institute

Treatment Areas

Treatments and areas of interest

(Children aged 0-18 & families)
Adoption Therapeutic Support
DDP (Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy)
Anxiety related issues e.g panic attacks, OCD, separation anxiety, school anxiety
Low mood and Depression self-esteem/confidence concerns
Self-esteem and confidence concerns
ADHD & Attention difficulties
Bereavement and loss
Trauma - Acute and complex
Attachment concerns
Relationship issues
Family difficulties
Other emotional and behavioural concerns
Parent support available as well as direct therapy with children/teenagers.