Bealach Nua – peer support for families

FAMILY PEER SUPPORT

IN MENTAL HEALTH

Bealach Nua, which in Irish means ‘new way’, is the suitably titled name of an innovative service for families/ friends of people with mental health difficulties. It has been in operation since 2015 and was originally funded by Genio and is now currently funded by the Service Reform Fund and co-managed by Mental Health Ireland and the Mayo Mental Health Services, Community Healthcare West.

This individualised recovery and person-centred support service provides family members and carers of adults with a mental health diagnosis ongoing emotional support, directing them towards community supports that may help families cope positively with the challenges they face. The service also concentrates on social support meaning it gives family members opportunities to meet up, build an informal network of support and share experiences with each other.

It hopes to increase awareness in the mental health services around the challenges families face when a loved one has a mental health difficulty and aims to build resources for family members so they themselves can go on and support others or get involved in organisational change if they so wish.

It has two Family Peer Supporters who availed of support and are now employed by the service itself. Bealach Nua has now been extended to the greater Community Healthcare West area covering Roscommon and Galway under the supervision of principal social worker Mary G Killion, and senior social workers Paula Street and Helen Kilgannon, having employed four new family peers, Sinead McDermott and Colette Downey from Roscommon, and Catherine Rice and Jess Hurrell, who are based in Galway.

For the past five years, Bealach Nua has worked with almost 400 families in Mayo and its longest serving family peer supporter, Maria McGoldrick among others has been involved in successfully supporting families from the beginning.

Maria has recently moved into a new role as Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement and Recovery and said of her time working with Bealach Nua, “Working as a family peer supporter with Bealach Nua over the past five years, has been an absolute privilege and honour. There is no better medicine than having a cup of tea with someone who has had similar life experiences and teasing out the best path forward together, without fear of judgement or hidden agendas. The natural therapeutic relationship that peer support provides and that I have experienced over the last five years has greatly improved my recovery journey and I hope the recovery journeys of the families I have supported in the county.”

Family members of people with mental ill health tend to focus on their family member's needs and are slow in getting support for themselves. When family members are supported and encouraged to focus on their own self-care, their family member with mental health difficulties also benefit.

One family member stated, “At first I didn’t realise how much I needed help. I had all these feelings from sadness to anger, grief, loss, anxiety and shame and finally I had someone I could talk to. My family peer support worker was a wonderful lady that made me realise it was ok to have all those feelings. It was when she shared some of her personal experiences and how she overcame them that I began to feel hope again. After some great support, encouragement, guidance and friendship I found myself again. I learned how important self- care was for my own mental health, when I looked after myself I was in a better position to support my family.”

As the role expands, Bealach Nua is delighted to welcome four new Family Peer Supporters who are currently providing this support service throughout Mayo. They are Fran MacKeever, Noel Hoare, Mary O’Connell Gannon, and Dymphna Folliard and are supervised in Mayo by Veronica Burke, senior social worker.

If you would like more information on the Bealach Nua Service, please contact Veronica Burke, Senior Social Worker on 0868533801.