Terry Lynch

Dr Terry Lynch qualified as a medical doctor in 1982. Separated from his parents at four years old, Terry lost his confidence in his teen years, becoming quite anxious, lonely and scared. Terry’s personal experience of mental and emotional distress has perhaps given him some insight into the pain of others. For over ten years, he worked as a General Practitioner. During this time, he become increasingly concerned about fundamental issues such as the quality of medical training in mental health, the excessive reliance on medication to treat mental health problems, and the pervasive influence of the pharmaceutical industry on medical practice. In 1997, Dr Lynch undertook to expand his understanding of mental health problems beyond the narrow medical approach to mental health, culminating in the completion of an MA in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy in 2002 at the University of Limerick. Fully registered with the Irish Medical Council, Terry Lynch has for many years determined to adjust and improve his working practices with the aim of maximising the quality of the service he could offer to people experiencing mental health difficulties. In 2003, he was appointed by the Irish Ministry for Health to the government-appointed Expert Group on Mental Health Policy; the remit of this group is to shape the direction of mental health policy in Ireland over the next two decades.Since the publication of his book Dr Lynch has made numerous primetime television and radio appearances, and has been widely quoted in the press.