Top psychologist flies in to boost Grenfell fire victims
THREE months after the Grenfell Tower tragedy, many of its victims are still suffering severe psychological damage.
But tomorrow evening, under the shadow of the burned-out block in west London, top psychologist Derek O’Neill will be hosting a mental health workshop to help traumatised locals come to terms with the horrors they witnessed.
It follows a similar session he hosted last month, in which several dozen of those affected by the fire were taught techniques to help them cope with the continuing mental anguish of the events of June 14.
Traumas
Derek, 53, said after that event: “There was lots of raw emotion.
“There were people crying and hitting the traumas but I was able to watch their body language and expressions to see if they were going too deep.
“And if they were you heard me say ‘how are you doing’ so that it breaks the emotion and it doesn’t rise and I can control it under better conditions.”
The psychologist splits his time between his native Dublin, New York and Los Angeles where he has helped many A-list celebrities, as well as victims of the September 11 attacks.
And after watching the Grenfell tragedy unfold, he said he felt an irresistible affected.
When friends, including TV presenter Lizzie Cundy and Joy Desmond, wife of Daily Express owner Richard Desmond, also suggested he might be able to share his expertise with the victims, Derek did not hesitate to get involved.
He said: “They called me and said this is happening, we know you helped people after 9/11.
“We put together an operation where I went into Grenfell with an open workshop where people could go and see what I had to offer.”
After the success of that first workshop Derek says there is still more to be done.
He will return to west London tomorrow for a second session with those affected by the fire.
The event will be held at Notting Hill Methodist Church from 6pm until 7.30pm.
He has also announced plans to extend the workshops nationwide, under the banner #MindYourselfBritain.
He added: “I’m doing this for the community.
“I’m not coming for any political issues.
“Of course I don’t know truly how it must feel to go through something so horrific as that – but I do know if those people don’t get some help soon they’ll never recover.” urge to help those