
Lorraine O.B. Madden
C. Psychol., Ps.S.I. M6672 M.A. B. Ed. Psych. Ad.Dip.
Clinical Director of EPT Clinic
Chartered Educational Psychologist with the Psychological Society of Ireland.
Lorraine’s career spans 15 years, working with children and families with complex neurodevelopmental and mental health profiles. Alongside working as a Psychologist and Clinical Director, Lorraine is a published academic research author and lecturer in University College Dublin. Lorraine lectures at Doctorate level in the areas of attachment, trauma infant mental health and private practice. She specialises in the areas of child development, infant mental health, attachment, trauma and early intervention. Lorraine and the clinic’s highly qualified team of healthcare professionals believe in helping all children reach their full potential in life.
Lorraine begun her career working as a home tutorin 2004 with children who presented with autism while she studied in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. She then worked as a primary school teacher with the Department of Education and Skills (permanent post), before returning to university in 2012 to complete the professional Masters in Educational Psychology. After qualifying with a First Class Honours Masters, she initially worked as a psychologist with the HSE in both Early Intervention and School Aged Services. After some time working with the HSE, Lorraine set up her own clinical practice, The EPT Clinic in January 2019. The practice now comprises of over 15 team members, specialising in excellence in paediatric healthcare. Lorraine and her team provide consultancy services to the HSE/Tusla around the country as well as providing supports and assessments to private clients.
Published Work:
- Published works (abstract) in The Irish Psychologist, 2008, Mary Immaculate College, and in the National Educational Psychological Service’s (NEPS) February Research Brief (2014), titled: “A Review of ‘An Investigation into the Effectiveness of Paired Reading on the Reading of Children with Dyslexia, From REACH Journal of Special Needs Education in Ireland, 27(1), 2013, 3-17’”).
- Published research author in the UK’s peer reviewed journal Social, Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties (2017).
Professional Affiliations:
- Chartered Member of the Psychological Society of Ireland
- Member of the Division of Educational Psychologists, PSI
- Chairperson of the Kilkenny/Carlow Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Steering Group (0-3 yrs)
- Member of the Irish Association for Infant Mental Health
- Board Member of the Autism Special Interest Group, PSI
- Lorraine spent two terms on the Committee of the Division of Educational Psychologists, PSI and she is currently on a national working group with the PSI who are revising and rewriting the Best Practice Guidelines for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism in children and adolescents (birth to 18 years)
Summary of Career Background:
- 15 year career working with children and families with complex neurodevelopmental profiles.
- Began career as an applied behavioural analysis tutor working with children with autism and complex behavioural and learning needs (2004 – 2008). This work was carried out while studying to become a primary school teacher.
- Worked as a primary school teacher with the Department of Education and Skills (2008-2012).
- Worked as a psychologist in training with the National Educational Psychological Service, Brothers of Charity and the HSE from 2012 to 2014.
- Upon graduating with a first class honours Masters, I worked as a psychologist in the HSE in both Early Intervention and School Aged Services (2014-2018).
- Founded the Education, Psychology and Therapy Clinic in 2019, building a successful multi-disciplinary psychology, mental health, and disability service.
- Recognised as a Chartered Member of the Psychological Society of Ireland, serving on the Division of Educational Psychology Committee as Membership Secretary (2015-2017) and on the Committee of the Special Interest Group in Autism (2018- current).
- Private Consultant Psychologist with the HSE and Tusla (2015- current).
- Current Chairperson and Founding Member of the South-eastern Infant Mental Health Group (2016- current).
- Lecturer in University College Dublin in the Doctorate in Educational Psychology in the areas of attachment, infant mental health, and trauma (2019- current).
Lorraine’s University Qualifications:
- M.A. in Educational Psychology (First Class Honours) 2012-2014, University College Dublin. Modules included Child Development, Counselling Psychology, Inclusive Education, Frameworks in Psychology, Professional Practice, Psychometric & Dynamic Assessment, Behavioural Assessment and Positive Behaviour Support, Ethics in Psychology.
- B.Ed. in Education and Psychology (First Class Honours) 2004-2008, Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick. Specialised in “Educational Disadvantage”, receiving an A1 in the module. Received an A1 in senior and final year teaching practice.
- Advanced Diploma in Prof. Development & Inclusive Ed. 2011-2012, (First Class Honours), Queen’s University of Belfast. Specialised in Autism and Dyslexia.
- Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Distinction) 2017, City Colleges, PSI CPD Approved. Modules included cognitive formulation of disorders in CBT: core beliefs, assumptions, and negative automatic thoughts. Cognitive and behavioural interventions in CBT, assessment, and formulation in CBT – planning the treatment with clients, CBT, and complex disorders.
- Diploma in Traumatology and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Distinction) 2021, City Colleges, PSI CPD Approved.
Specialist Training and Qualifications:
Certificated Attachment Story Stems administrator and coder with the Anna Freud Centre, UK (2021).
Introduction to Understanding and Assessing Attachment in School Years: The Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families, UK, 2021
Certificate in Somatotopies (Somatic Psychology) – JFK University: 2020
Certificate in Attachment Based Prevention Intervention for Young Mothers and their Babies At Risk. The German STEEP-Project, PSI CPD: 2016
Extensive training in attachment and child development, including Masterclasses in Infant Mental Health (2014 and 2016), and training with the Squiggle Foundation and the NSPCC on Why Babyhood Matters – Pregnancy, birth and the first eighteen months of life: 2017
Infant Mental Health and Educational Psychology: Relationships Matter, PSI CPD: 2016
Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Level 1 from the Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy Network: 2015
Certificate in Battlefield Birth? Working therapeutically with birth trauma, tokophobia and perinatal PTSD, PSI: 2019
Certificate in Therapeutic Work with Children, The Power of Play: The Children’s Therapy Centre, Eileen Prenderville: 2016
Certificate in Assessment of Children’s Behavioural, Social, and Clinical Functioning: Presented by Jerome Sattler, Ph.D.: 2015
Certificate Babies in Mind: Why the Parent’s Mind Matters – University of Warwick. Modules covered attachment, infant mental health, and perinatal mental health topics: 2016
ADOS-2 Clinical Training, December, Trinity College Dublin. The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) is utilised as part of an Autism assessment. Clinical training instructed in the administration and scoring of the ADOS-2, and its application during diagnostic assessment: 2013
Mental Health Programme Certificate: The Chairman and Board of Directors of Mental Health Ireland: 2005