Introducing the IRD Duhallow Listening Service: A Safe Space to Share and Be Heard

By SHANE MCHALE North Cork Rural Community Health Worker

A problem shared is a problem halved. It may be old wisdom but it still applies today. With advances in technology and communications, there has never been more means by which we can connect with others. As a society, we are also more aware of our need to reach out to others for the sake of our own wellbeing. Much of the stigma of attending a Doctor or Counsellor has left us, and support groups of many kinds are thriving all around us.

For some people however, attending a counsellor or support group is a step that can seem daunting. For others, what is troubling them may not require the intervention of traditional medical services, rather they may simply need to get something off their chest.

There’s a whole host of reasons why we may not feel comfortable speaking to our usual supports about a problem, our family, our friends etc. Perhaps they are part of the problem at times! Sometimes, it is easier to say these things to a stranger in a safe setting and that is what the IRD Duhallow Listening Service is here for.

The Listening Service offers once-off sessions, free of charge, for a duration up to an hour. In that hour, visitors will be given the time to talk, to share, to think out loud in an environment that is private and non-judgemental. This is not a counselling service. We don’t promise answers or solutions to all of life’s problems. We simply hold space for visitors to share whatever it is that is troubling them, and troubles come in all shapes and sizes.

I often remind people that “our story is messy enough for us”. Meaning that we don’t need to belittle or play down our own troubles because they may not seem as big or dramatic as what someone else is going through. It’s not a competition, and we are all worthy of being heard.

Following a session, people may feel much better after getting something off their chest, however, if further support is required, we will signpost relevant groups and services operating in the area and explore the steps required to connect with these. Also, if they wish, visitors can be referred to the IRD Duhallow Counselling and Emotional Support service.

The Listening Service launches on the 16th of June and is available Mondays, from 9am to 1pm, at the James O’Keefe Institute Newmarket. For privacy, a slot can be booked by call or text to 086 811 7526, and the service is available to anyone in the community who wishes to attend.