By Caoimhe Hegarty
caoimhe@derrypost.com
After five years of working within the local community to raise awareness about suicide and mental health, Draperstown-based charity, S.T.E.P.S (Suicide, Talking, Education Prevention and Support) is now, for the first time, in a position to offer a public counselling service.
The charity, which offers weekly classes such as yoga, Zumba, physio led Pilates, horticulture and netball as well as a ‘drop-in’ service, was established back in May 2012.
Over the years, the charity has grown from strength to strength and is now one of the leading mental health charities in the south Derry area.
As part of Health and Social Care Board for Northern Ireland (HSCBNI) Annual Accounts report, figures revealed that at the end of March, there were 5,243 people waiting for a mental health assessment - 21 per cent of which, were waiting longer than the target nine weeks.
The report also stated that “it is unlikely that without additional investment or a reduction in demand that the position will improve
Over the past number of months, S.T.E.P.S had been working in conjunction with Draperstown Surgery to help reduce the waiting list for counselling.
Now that the waiting list has been somewhat reduced, S.T.E.P.S are now able to offer this much-needed service from their base on Tobermore Road to anyone from the age of post-primary.
Speaking of her delight, Karen McGuigan from S.T.E.P.S said: “S.T.E.P.S was first established to address the stigma of suicide and mental health as well as helping the local community to become equipped to deal with issues surrounding their mental health. We are absolutely delighted that we are now able to launch this service publically for the first time.”
Karen continued: “The aim of counselling is to offer our service to people the opportunity to explore problematic feelings, thoughts and behaviours in a confidential, non-judgemental environment.
“Our professionally trained counsellors will not offer advice, rather they will provide an attentive listening space, in a safe and supportive setting. They will support you to identify choices that affect our ability to cope with daily life and support you make changes in your life, so that you may manage your problems more effectively.
“At certain times in our lives many of us experience emotional difficulties that affect our ability to cope with daily life or the quality of our life and relationships. These feelings are extremely common and nothing to be scared or ashamed of. Some people believe that having counselling is a sign of weakness and that you should be able to cope on your own. Seeing a counsellor doesn’t mean you are weak, self-indulgent or going crazy. Please don’t let these sort of prejudices stop you trying it. Some people can feel they are not worthy of help as they believe there are people with worse problems than them but it takes real strength to be prepared to look at yourself and your situation.”
Concluding, Karen said: “We hope that that by providing this new counselling services, people will know who to turn to if they have concerns about their own mental or that of their family members, friends or work colleagues.”
S.T.E.P.S. counselling is a free service (subject to funding and fundraising) and can be arranged by emailing counsellingsteps@gmail.com or by ringing 07904564218. This service will be separate from the main S.T.E.P.S. activities with a separate email address which can only be accessed by the qualified counsellors as to ensure your confidentiality.
At present the service will only be available on Tuesday (during the day) Tuesday evening and Friday morning. The service is open to anyone from post primary up. In the case of no appointments being available you will go on a waiting list and be contacted as soon as an appointment becomes available.
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