Centre Manager at Pieta House in Letterkenny, Dominick Gallagher.
TWO additional therapists were employed at Pieta House in Letterkenny within a month of it opening to meet the high demand of need.
In just three short months since the suicide and self harm crisis centre opened its doors, over 100 people have accessed counselling or family support services, with the majority of those being through self referral.
The charity offers free of charge and freely accessible therapy to those experiencing suicidal ideation, those who have been bereaved by suicide and those who are engaging in self harm. A doctor’s referral is not required.
Speaking to the Donegal News, centre manager, Dominick Gallagher, said uptake on services offered at the centre has demonstrated the vast need in the north west.
“Absolutely, there has been a great uptake of the service,” he said.
“We have had over 100 people come through our doors for face to face counselling or family support. Most of those who have accessed our service have done so for counselling. Although difficult to collate, we have also taken many phone calls from concerned family and friends.
“The majority of people we have seen have been through self referrals. We have had GPs making referrals and referrals from nurses, but largely, those who have come to us have done so through self referrals. That speaks of the real need that was out there for something like this.”
Mr Gallagher, who is also one of the therapists at the centre, said such has been the response to the service staff numbers could increase again.
“People came in so fast as soon as we opened our doors in May. I know from talking to other managers of other Pieta House centres that when they opened uptake was very slow, but here we had people coming in the first day and they had appointments the very next day. It was surprising in so far as it was so quick.
“I grew up in Donegal and I had thought people would be reluctant to come. The help here has been so good for people and we haven’t even gone for a media wide campaign yet.
“Two extra therapists started within a month of us opening and that was to meet the demand. There are five therapists here at the moment, and if numbers rise we will expand to meet them.”
Staff also include a clinical support team and a suicide bereavement liaison officer.
Pieta House is located on the third floor, Grand Central Building, Canal Road, Letterkenny. Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. The free 24-hour helpline is 1800 247 247.
Meanwhile, people are being encouraged to saddle up for Pieta 100 Donegal, which is part of a nationwide fundraiser.
The Pieta 100 Cycle 2017 is now in its third year, and will take place in six locations across Ireland on World Suicide Prevention Day – Sunday, September 10.
Since 2015, over 2,800 participants have taken on the Pieta 100 Cycle Challenge, riding 50km or 100km to help raise vital funds for life-saving services of Pieta House. There are six locations in the cycle, of which the North West is one.
Danny Devlin, Action for Hope – which was established in 2015 to coordinate and promote awareness of the services and to coordinate fundraising events for Pieta House in the North West – has called on as many local people as possible to sign up to the cycle, which is the only one happening north of the Galway-Dublin line.
Anyone wishing to register can do so via www.pieta100cycle.com or e-mail pieta100cycle@gmail.com
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