At a time when youth anxiety and school-related distress are rising in communities across Dublin, a former CAMHS clinician is bringing calm, clear and practical mental-health support straight into family homes through a weekly local radio segment.
James Callaghan, a former Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) clinician and cognitive behavioural therapist, has launched a weekly 15-minute radio segment on Phoenix FM dedicated to supporting children, adolescents, and their families with accessible, evidence-based mental-health guidance.
Now entering its third week, the show, which is a part of D15 Today and live at 11.20 am every Friday, provides parents and young people with practical CBT-based strategies grounded in child psychology, covering topics such as anxiety, OCD, panic attacks, and emotion-based school avoidance (school refusal).
Upcoming episodes will also feature specialist guests including clinicians with CAMHS experience offering insights into ADHD, autism, behaviour, neurodiversity, and emotional regulation.
Callaghan has contributed to national discussions on youth mental health through recent interviews on Newstalk and The Pat Kenny Show, where he discussed emotion-based school avoidance and provided guidance for parents supporting children struggling with school-related distress.
After leaving his CAMHS role, Callaghan founded two mental-health initiatives:
- Capital Psychotherapy – providing CBT and EMDR therapy for adults, adolescents, and children
- Minds in Schools – delivering CBT-informed workshops and resources for teachers, SNAs, parents, and students
Speaking about the launch of the new radio segment, Callaghan said:
“Many young people don’t reach mental-health services until difficulties are well established. My aim is to make support more accessible by giving families practical tools earlier. The radio segment and podcast were created to help bridge that gap.”
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Callaghan is the author of Leo Roars: A Brave Lion’s Guide to Beating Panic Attacks, the first title in the Brave Minds: CBT Stories for Children series. To ensure clinical accuracy, he submitted the manuscript to Dr Judith Beck, President of the Beck Institute (USA) and one of the world’s leading authorities in CBT, for independent clinical evaluation.
Dr Beck fully endorsed the book, describing it as:
“A wonderful book for children who experience intense anxiety and panic… it equips them with the tools they need to reduce their anxiety and thrive.”
The Brave Minds series supports children aged 8–12 and their parents with engaging story-based learning integrated with CBT strategies.
Callaghan is currently writing the second book in the series.
He also contributes to a HSE CNME Podcast, providing accessible mental-health education for families, teachers, and professionals nationwide.
Through his work in broadcasting, clinical practice, writing, lecturing, and school-based training, Callaghan is developing an accessible early-support pathway for families navigating youth mental-health challenges.