CHRISTIAN RESOURCES: COUNSELLING SERVICES: Hope Counselling Longford, Athlone and Roscommon Phone: 09064 89839/087 0568925 www.hopecounselling.ie Oasis Counselling Service Ballyfermot, Dublin Phone: 01 626 8519 www.oasiscounselling.net Open Arms Counselling Centre 13 Newbridge Industrial Estate, Newbridge, Kildare. Telephone: 045 436990 www.openarms.ie Irish Association of Christian Counsellors www.iacc.ie
“Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering towards slaughter”. Proverbs 24:11
Other resources available from Choose Life www.chooselife.ie DVDs: Choose Life and Life Matters. Book: Journey to Wellness« Courses Plus a range of online articles and information
COMMUNITY RESOURCES: HELPLINES AND SUPPORT GROUPS/ ORGANISATIONS:
Life was a lonely, desolate straight away. Deep down, I didn’t place for me. I was tired of hiding want to die. I just wanted the pain behind a smile while inside I was to stop. experiencing gut wrenching pain. A gentle voice talked to me on No words can explain the sense of the phone and I knew he understood utter despair, desolation, failure and how I was feeling. I made it through unhappiness that grips the core of that day and the following day I your being and strangles you from went to see him. I came away feeling the inside out. different. I had a strange sense that I was worn out and I couldn’t something huge had happened fight anymore. I thought of just inside me. God had answered when leaving this world behind. The pain I called out to Him. inside was growing more intense and I met with the counsellor once I thought about it more and more a week for six weeks and each time as a release. felt better. I felt I felt dying God’s love for me was my only more and more way out. DEEP DOWN, I DIDN’T WANT TO DIE. every day. God I cried away my pain I JUST WANTED THE PAIN TO STOP. took out, "Oh! and emptiness God, I can’t and filled me with take this a comfort and anymore, peace I had never please take this pain away". I stood experienced before. up to walk out the door and go to There are still days that I find the sea to end it all, when a text hard, but they are few and, with message arrived, "Hi, thinking about God’s help, I get through. Do I still you, how are you"? want to die? No, a thousand times I had nothing left to lose so I No! responded, “I’m battling with the will to live". My friend responded Excerpt from Journey to Wellness immediately and gave me the phone produced by Choose Life (www. number of a counsellor. I rang him chooselife.ie). Used with permission.
Image: Krista Burns - www.thecrimsonclover.net
KAREN’S STORY
The Samaritans provide a 24/7 phoneline where you can talk to someone anonymously, day or night. 1850 60 90 90 (IRL) or email jo@samaritans.org AWARE groups provide support for people suffering from depression (www.aware.ie) GROW is a Mental Health Organisation which helps people who have suffered, or are suffering, from mental health problems (www.grow.ie )
SPECIALIST HELP AND COUNSELLING SERVICES: Specialist help for those who are suicidal or self-harming: Pieta House, Lucan Phone 01 601 0000 www.pieta.ie General Counselling Services from www.irish-counselling.ie
TRAINING: ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) a two-day interactive workshop in suicide first aid. Details available from the National Office for Suicide Prevention (www.nosp.ie)« Support for those bereaved by suicide Console Helpline: 1800 201 89 (www.console. ie) or Living Links (www.livinglinks.ie)
« HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY THE
VOX MAGAZINE TEAM APR - JUN 2012 VOX
15