Low cost counselling available to ease the burden of mental health crisis
The burden of mental health has increased during the Covid-19 era, but two local counsellors are offering a low cost service to help people through the crisis.
Local mental health advocate, Carmel O’Gorman, said that people are finding it hard to access low cost counselling.
But Carmel, from Mitchelstown, said two local counsellors are available, at low cost, to help people with talk therapy at this difficult time for all. Ger Sheehan of New Square, Mitchelstown and Jim Bartley Jnr of Fermoy, have made their services available.
“I am receiving calls from people looking for low cost counselling, there has been a huge increase in mental health problems during Covid. I am finding that most of the problems are for parents with teenagers and the elderly and the theme seems to be the difficulty dealing with isolation,” Carmel told TheAvondhu.
“It goes across the spectrum of ages, it is particularly teenagers, but also elderly people contacting me at the moment. The issue of isolation is made worse that they don’t have someone to reach out to. There is also the problem of the prolonged doubt and confusion of how long this will last.
“It is difficult for people in a mental health crisis to see the bigger picture, there is no reassurance or certainty for people and this is causing problems with anxiety being caused,” she said.
CONFIDENTIAL CHATS ARE CRITICAL
Carmel is planning to study counselling via an online college course in September, but she says in her own experience of mental health that the confidential chats with a counsellor are the most critical way to deal with the illness.
“A lot of people are in crisis, it is huge at the moment. These people need to find help. There are a lot of services out there but the counselling is critical and low cost counselling is also hugely important.
“I will be setting up the Silver Lining Support Group in Mitchelstown once the restrictions allow it - that will be of benefit for people.
“Counselling is not just one session, it takes a lot of sessions. You can’t just go to it once. It will take time for people to get the benefit of it and this is stopping people going to counsellors, because it is costing a lot of money.
“There are alternatives and lower cost options there,” she added.
Carmel informed TheA vondhu that there are two lower cost options currently in this area. Ger Sheehan, Counselling and Psychotherapy, based at New Square, Mitchelstown can be contacted on 086-0341009. He is seeing clients in person and by phone. Jim Bartley Jnr, Fermoy Counselling Services, is also seeing clients one to one as well. Carmel said she can also be contacted on 085-7778375 for advice and help.
SIGNIFICANT INCREASE
It comes as Ella Arensman, Ireland’s first Professor of Public Mental Health, has said that demand for public mental health and suicide prevention has been greater than ever due to Covid-19 pandemic.
Prof Arensman made the comment upon her appointment to the position of Professor of Public Mental Health within University College Cork’s School of Public Health.
“Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic last year, the attention for public mental health and suicide prevention has been greater than ever. My colleagues and I in the National Suicide Research Foundation and School of Public Health have seen a significant increase in requests for policy briefings and research collaborations over the past year,” she said.
“For example, the requests for real-time suicide and self-harm data to inform mental health promotion and suicide prevention programmes during Covid19 have increased over the past year.
“Requests for mental health expertise in interdisciplinary research consortia focusing on intervention and prevention measures for infectious diseases and other public health emergencies have also increased. Therefore, this position is timely and will contribute to strengthen suicide prevention research and public mental health in the NSRF, School of Public Health, UCC and at national and international level,” she added.
For those suffering at present the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123, day or night. While Pieta House can be called on freephone 1800 247 247, text on 51444 or call to make an appointment with a therapist on 0818 111126.