Mission: Helplink Mental Health’s (formally Helplink Support Services) mission is to provide accessible, free or low cost mental health services; locally (West of Ireland), nationally and internationally, 7 days a week and out–of–hours. The three types of mental health services that Helplink provides are: Counselling, Information Provision and Education.
Vision: Helplink Mental Health’s vision is to be Ireland’s leading provider of accessible mental health services locally (West of Ireland), nationally and internationally. We aim to achieve this vision through partnership with other organisations and by providing our services accessibly through the utilisation of traditional face-to-face service provision structures in the West of Ireland, coupled with online technologies for service provision nationally and internationally.
Helplink’s qualified, insured and Garda vetted counsellors are available for appointments 7 days a week and out–of–hours from 9 am to 9 pm Monday to Friday and 12 to 6 pm Saturday and Sunday; for free or at low set costs.
Since its inception, our Counsellors and Therapists have provided over 8000 appointments to clients online nationally and also face–to–face in Galway and Mayo (Roscommon in 2020)!
We provide:
Employee Counselling Service: we provide a national staff (EAP) counselling service that is available 7 days a week by phone and online nationwide. This is a pay-as-you-go service; which is perfect for companies small, medium and large.
Irish Abroad Counselling Service: within our international service we provide our unique free, online Irish abroad counselling service for Irish citizens living abroad. The service is available to current Irish passport holders globally (time zone dependent). In 2019 Helplink expanded this service to support returning Irish emigrants as well, through self referral directly to us or through our referral partners Crosscare Migrant Project, Safe Home Ireland and the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas (ICPO).
Alcohol Dependency Service for Tusla: Since 2017 Helplink has been providing a alcohol dependency counselling service to clients over 18 referred to Helplink by Tusla – this service is available across Galway City and County.
National Gambling Counselling Service: Helplink provides a free gambling problem counselling service, nationally by phone and online (video consultations); 7 days a week and out-of-ours; funded by the Gambling Awareness Trust.
Mind Hacks.ie: Mind Hacks is an online platform that provides video and podcast content, from national and international sources, around the topics of Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing.
It also provides information provision services such as live Webinars (currently under construction), where the public and professionals can learn useful information about the topics of Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing.
Furthermore, we have Continuing Professional Development (CPD) based training programmes (currently under construction) for healthcare workers, teachers, counsellors/therapists, social care workers / social workers, community workers and more!
School/Student Services (in person): Beyond Mind Hacks, Helplink provides a suite of educational workshops to primary, post-primary and third level students called. Over the past two academic years we have providing these evidence based workshops to 1000+ students across Galway City and County; with over 95% teacher and student satisfaction rates.
Employee/Leader Workshops: Helplink also provides ‘wellbeing workshops for leaders and employees‘ on topics such as: safe communication, building resilience, stress and anxiety management and mindfulness at work.
The Helplink Show: we provide an award winning (GOLD winner for ‘Social Benefit’ at the CRAOL Community Radio Awards 2019) monthly radio show and podcast that is hosted live on seven local, national and international community radio stations:
Show topics: mental health, emotional wellbeing and community
Listen back on:
Our YouTube Channel CLICK HERE
Our Spotify Podcasts CLICK HERE
Our new info & education platform Mindhacks.ie CLICK HERE
Lochlann Scott Lochlann holds a degree and two post graduate diplomas in Psychology and Health Psychology. He worked in Social Care and Social Work departments for many years in the HSE West in residential and long-term family support. Previous to his time with the HSE he held multiple management roles in the retail and hospitality sectors. Lochlann founded Helplink Mental Health in 2012 as he saw there was a need to be more innovative in how we provide accessible mental health and conflict resolution services to our communities both at home and abroad. Furthermore, Lochlann is also a voluntary Board Director/Member with Mental Health Reform (Ireland) and he was the winner of the ‘One to Watch’ Social Entrepreneur award at the SCCUL Awards in 2011 and the 2016 runner-up in the Social Entrepreneur of year category.
Greg McMenamin is Helplink’s Office Administrator, previous to joining Helplink in January 2016 he was an administrator with Maoin Cheoil na Gaillimhe. Greg holds a B.A. in English Studies and Sociology and Politics from NUI Galway; he is also the organisation’s GDPR Officer and has completed the ASSIT programme.
Gilles Varette: Product Support Manager Americas – EMEA CSG International (Chair of Helplink Board)
Sam O’Neill: Marketing Executive and former President of GMIT Student’s Union
Tamar Scott: Counselling Psychologist and Clinical Supervisor
Brenda Fallon: HR Specialist. HR business partner at NUI Galway
Cliodhna McGuire: Consultant Solicitor at O’Connor Johnson Solicitors
Gerry Mackey: Mentor – Investor and Financing Readiness
Helplink’s CRA Number 20143237 
Helplink’s Revenue CHY Number 21366
Click here for Helplink‘s Children’s Safeguarding Statement
Click here for Helplink‘s Complaints Policy
Click here for Helplink‘s Privacy Statement
Click here for Helplink‘s Data Protection Policy
Click here for Helplink‘s Fundraising Policy
Click here for Helplink‘s Annual Report 2019
Please email helplinksupport@helplink.ie to access our publicly available certified annual accounts
Delighted to be featured on Volunteer Galway #community podcast, where we chat about our 8 years of experience providing online and phone mental health/counselling services and also our additional/free COVID-19 counselling services 😀
On The Helplink Show this month we chat with Suicide or Survive about their work and we also chat with one of Helplink's Play Therapists about supporting parents and their kids during this time!
We also mention the #VisionForChange publication (see Mental Health Reform) and also the increase in calls to ISPCC Childline in Ireland.
Listen live on our partner stations:
Flirt FM 101.3, Athlone Community Radio, Connemara Community Radio, CRCfm, Irish Radio Canada, RosFM 94.6, CharityRadio
or listen back any time to the podcast on mindhacks.ie
or on our Spotify Channel (open.spotify.com/show/0uxYwIMEaZUJbVCUeFimY2?si=UHwKU2LdRdCqllQqJ-w0kw)
or our YouTube (www.youtube.com/c/helplinksupportservices)!
#mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealth #suicide #mentalhealthawareness #endthestigma #suicideprevention
"For me, despite wanting so badly to be Buddhist Monk esque when it comes to mindfulness, I struggle to keep my thoughts under control, or to ever stay focussed on any one thing. Except when I run..."
#Helplink #Mindfulness
bfitz.blog
I wanted to start this blog by talking about the paradox of running. However, as someone who failed English in the Junior Cert, the first thing I needed to do was double-check that paradox was inde...Listen back to these newly uploaded episodes (1 & 2) of The Problem Gambling podcasts (from Problem Gambling Ireland's Barry Grant & Tony O'Reilly (MACI)) on our new information and education platform's podcast library @ mindhacks.ie!
#mentalhealth #gambling
We are reopening for in-person counselling services on the 8th of June; in our Galway & Mayo offices!
All services (except play therapy, for now) will be available at usual times 7 days a week and out-of-hours.
Staggered appointment times and additional health and safety measures will be in place, for the safety of our clients and staff: see image for some of these measures.
National & International Online Services Remain Open!
#Galway #Mayo #mentalhealth
We were delighted to collaborate with @HelplinkSupport @irishmigrantsb @IrlEmbCanada @SabineNolke on zoom info session yesterday. Thank you Austin at @irishradioca for organizing 🇨🇦 🇮🇪
Not sure what our CEO @karensligo was at for the screenshot 😳😫 https://twitter.com/SabineNolke/status/1268836156721987587
Pleased to participate in @irishradioca's informative session on resources for 🇮🇪 nationals returning from 🇨🇦 during the Covid19 crisis. I learned a lot from my very impressive fellow panellists! @IrlEmbCanada @canadaireland
Research tells us for every #problemgambler there are 8-10 affected others. Help is available for those impacted by a partner / friend / family member’s #gambling Contact @Dunlewey2 1800936725 @HelplinkSupport 0818998880 or @ProblemGamIrl 0892415401 http://www.gamblingcare.ie https://twitter.com/allbetsareoff_/status/1268578275443585024
.@Exgambler4Wife reveals some of the behaviours her partner exhibited in active gambling addiction. Everything from the very believable and tangible stories told to the elaborate ones and the extended toilet breaks mobile phone in hand & much more...
http://www.allbetsareoff.co.uk/podcast
📢 We welcome this important step towards better mental health services 📢
What is needed now is for the new mental health policy to be immediately published and fed into Government formation talks.
It must be properly prioritised and resourced by any future Government.
