Counselling centres in need of vital funding

FIRSTLY I wish to compliment the editor and journalist on highlighting the rise of suicides amongst elderly people.

SouthWest Counselling Centre based in Killarney provides low-cost counselling for a range of issues, such as depression, anxiety, abuse, bereavement and separation, suicide and self harm, relationship and family problems.

At our centre we are meeting more and more people in distress. Figures for 2010 show an increase of 250 hours of one-to-one counselling provided in 2010 over 2009. We currently provide this professional service on a very tight budget and operate a waiting list.

Now, more than ever, we are appealing to our incoming government and all politicians to put the financial support in place to address the problem of suicide. Counselling can be an important preventative measure. At SouthWest Counselling Centre we have the professional skills and resources to provide this counselling service throughout Co Kerry.

With adequate funding SouthWest Counselling Centre could attend to the mental health and wellbeing of our older adults before it’s too late.

Geraldine Sheedy

SouthWest Counselling Centre Ltd

Killarney

Co Kerry