For parents in Mansfield & Ashfield
Child psychologist in Mansfield: anxiety, OCD and school refusal
I am a clinical psychologist working with children, teenagers and parents on anxiety, OCD and school refusal, based near Ravenshead, a short drive from Mansfield. In person locally and online across the UK.
Where I am
I am based near Ravenshead, a short drive from Mansfield. Families I see in person come from Mansfield, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Blidworth, Hucknall, Southwell, Newark and Nottingham. I also work online across the UK, weekdays 9am to 9pm.
What tends to bring parents here
Rarely a diagnosis. Usually a wearing pattern the family has reorganised itself around.
- Mornings that have become a stand-off, with a child genuinely unwell with fear.
- Attendance that has slipped from the odd day to most of a term.
- Questions that need answering again, in the same words, however often you answer.
- Bedtimes with extra steps, long stretches in the bathroom, homework redone.
- A teenager who has stopped going out, or stopped eating certain foods.
- A child who cannot be left with anyone.
Most of this falls into childhood anxiety, OCD, separation anxiety, social anxiety, phobias or school refusal. Working out which one is most of what the first appointment is for.
What is available locally, said fairly
Nottinghamshire has NHS children’s mental health services and NHS Talking Therapies, and some schools have mental health support teams. These are free and for many children the right answer. If your child has not been referred, your GP or the school’s pastoral lead is a sensible first move.
The difficulty is at the front door. CAMHS thresholds are high, because the service prioritises the most severe presentations, so a child can be plainly struggling, and plainly treatable, and still not meet criteria. That is not a criticism of clinicians with more referrals than capacity.
Private is faster and more specialised, not automatically better
Paying for private work gets you quicker access and a clinician chosen for a particular specialism. It does not get you a better psychologist than the NHS employs. If your child will be seen locally within a timeframe you can live with, wait.
The case for going private is strongest when the wait is longer than the problem can sit.
What the work involves
The treatments I use are structured and active: ERP for OCD, CBT built around graded exposure for anxiety, and SPACE where the child will not attend, plus parent training where behaviour is involved.
Parents are part of the treatment rather than observers. Almost all of the change happens between sessions, so much of what I do is coaching you: what to say when the question comes for the fourth time, and how to hold a boundary calmly. Accommodation is not a parenting failure. It is what any reasonable adult does when their child is frightened.
Why most of my work with local families is online
Local families are often surprised when I suggest video rather than a drive. There are two reasons.
The first is friction: a weekly appointment needing a drive after school, in traffic, with a sibling in the back, gets cancelled by February. The second, which matters more, is that anxiety and OCD are attached to places. Exposure work in a consulting room is a rehearsal; in the actual kitchen it is the real thing.
In person if that suits you better
Some children settle better in a room. In-person appointments are available, and we can decide on the introductory call.
Who I am
I am Dr Daniel O’Rourke, an HCPC-registered Clinical Psychologist (registration PYL043844), a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society, and board certified in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology by the ABPP. My PhD is from the University of Washington, and my postdoctoral fellowship was at the Evidence-Based Treatment Centers of Seattle, where I became Assistant Director of its Child Anxiety Center.
Practical details and how to start
- Every session is £120 and runs 50 to 60 minutes, including the first one.
- A small number of reduced-fee places, so please ask.
- Recognised by BUPA, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality and WPA.
- No GP referral needed, though your insurer may ask.
- Weekdays, 9am to 9pm.
Start with a free 30-minute call. If the answer is to wait for the NHS, I will say that. Get in touch here, or read about how I work and working with parents.
Common questions
What if my child refuses to come to therapy?
This is common, particularly with teenagers, and not the end of the road. SPACE is a parent-based treatment in which the parents attend and the young person does not have to. It works by changing how you respond and reducing the accommodations built up around the anxiety.
How much does it cost and do you take insurance?
Every session is £120, including the first one, and there is nothing to pay before it. I keep a small number of reduced-fee places, so please ask. I am recognised by BUPA, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality and WPA.
What ages do you work with?
Children and teenagers, and their parents. With a younger child the work is playful and parent-led, externalising the anxiety as something to be beaten rather than a flaw. With an older teenager it looks much more like adult treatment.
Related pages
Free 30-minute call
Not sure whether this is the right fit?
Start with a free 30-minute call. We talk through what is going on, and I tell you honestly whether I think I can help. If I cannot, I will try to point you to someone who can. No obligation, no charge.
Weekdays, 9am to 9pm. No GP referral needed.