Who can use this counselling service?
This service is available for all Irish citizens (passport holders) living abroad or returning home from living abroad, that are in need of some culturally sensitive, emotional support. Each person can avail of 6 free online appointments.
Our Counsellors have already been helping the Irish abroad for many years with mental health issues such as:
feeling unhappy, feeling low, being constantly worried, not sleeping, feeling stressed out and/or anxious, behaviour problems, anger issues, feeling sad, difficulty dealing with a death, being bullied/cyber bullied, feeling confused, not feeling good about yourself, lacking in confidence and more!
How does it work?
The Irish Abroad Counselling service provides short-term culturally sensitive counselling (6 sessions). This service is available free of charge to Irish citizens living abroad and those returning to Ireland after living abroad who are experiencing mild to moderate emotional distress.
Before referring you to an Irish Abroad counsellor, we need to assess whether counselling via the Irish Abroad service can meet your needs via a short screening process.
The information you provide to the Intake Team can also help us match you with the best counsellor for you as an individual.
Our counsellors have varying levels of experience in a range of different issues – please make sure the information you provide at the screening process is as accurate as possible to ensure you are matched with a counsellor accurately.
Please Note:
Helplink’ Irish Abroad Online Counselling Service is NOT a crisis service
If you or someone you know is seriously contemplating suicide or in need of immediate help you/they should:
Click here to see a list of helplines across Australia or you/they should go to their local A&E; or Dial ‘000’ for emergency assistance in Australia.
Click here to see a list of crisis centres and contact numbers across Canada or you/they should go to their local A&E; or Dial ‘911’ for emergency assistance in Canada.
Click here to see a list of crisis centres and contact numbers across the U.S.A or you/they should go to their local A&E; or Dial ‘911’ for emergency assistance in the U.S.A.
Rest of the world:
Click here for a list of individual countries’ crisis hotlines.
Click here for a list of individual countries’ crisis services.
Or if you/they would like to contact the Irish Samaritans click here as their email contact system works worldwide.
If you believe you are eligible for an appointment you can use our CONTACT FORM or email helplinksupport@helplink.ie.
Our administration staff will then send you to our screening team who will assess whether counselling via the Irish Abroad service can meet your needs.
You will then receive an email providing you with all the details you need to know about how to start your first appointment.
When are the appointments available?
We provide appointments at the following Irish time:
- Monday to Friday – 9 am to 9 pm
To accommodate for time zone differences, our screening team will contact you at intake and ask you for your preferred time. We will endeavour to book you in at your preferred time but please note, with the time zone differences there may be some wait time.
We are closed Irish bank holidays and Christmas/New Years Eve.
I don’t have enough data / access to WiFi / a smartphone / a computer to have my appointments?
We are afraid we can only facilitate appointments if you have access to a reasonable broadband service and a smartphone or laptop/computer.
However, you may want to ask your local Irish support agency to help you – as they may have some facilities (private space) you could use and/or free WiFi.
Click here to see Crosscare Migrant Project’s list of the non-government support agencies around the world that may be able to help.