Since 2016 our Irish based, Garda vetted Counsellors have been providing culturally sensitive support to the Irish abroad, that have been experiencing the following: bullying, depression, loneliness, transitional stress and anxiety, displacement, self-esteem issues; etc.
We have supported Irish citizens in 40+ countries (65+ cities) globally!
From listening to the needs of our clients’ through their stories and analysing current and previous research, we have found that Diaspora (emigrants) are very unlikely to make use of counselling services in their adopted country of residence. Those who attempt to engage report barriers experienced with culturally unaware counsellors making the counselling process more difficult among other aspects.
This is a free service for Irish citizens living abroad and now, since 2019, Irish citizens can also avail of the service when they are returning to Ireland. For Irish returning emigrants they can self-refer directly to us or they can also go through our referral partners Crosscare Migrant Project, Safe Home Ireland and the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas
Want to book an appointment?
You can self refer using our CONTACT FORM or email helplinksupport@helplink.ie.
You can also be referred through any Irish support organisation, Irish Embassy and/or Consulate.
If you want to know more about booking and this service, click here to go to our ‘Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page‘
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.
Testimonials
The sessions were very well formulated and made me feel very comfortable to express myself from start to finish.
I really enjoyed the conversation and direction from the counsellor. I think it's a really great tool for people who are needing a third party to discuss a topic with or just a space to vent and feel heard. I learnt a lot about myself and really took the time in the sessions to understand my feelings and emotional reaction to specific situations. I would highly recommend this service.
Ciara helped me through a lot of difficult times when I had no one else to talk to.
She also helped me through a very difficult Christmas being all alone abroad and very lonely as I have lost my family and this is a very difficult sad time for me.
I really don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t have her to speak to online to get me through the difficult times as I had some hope because I knew I had her to unpack to and sometimes cry each week.
This really kept me going for a long time and though these the difficult days.
I really appreciate her and appreciate her support and that you can do this for people abroad as it really helps when you are so far from everyone and everything that is familiar.
From the bottom of my heart thank you Ciara for everything you helped me out with.
Mark was an excellent counsellor and very professional.
He always accommodated my schedule and was polite. His sessions really helped me see and think cleary and
helped me to focus on the positives. He also managed to help me break down my problems and find solutions.
The worksheets and tools he gave me really helped with my decision-making and
thinking skills. Thanks so much, Mark! I am sure he will continue to do great work in this field 🙂
Thank you so much for organizing the Irish Abroad counselling sessions with Mark. I am incredibly grateful!
These sessions have been so instrumental in helping me deal with the isolation and struggles of living abroad as well as with life in general.
Mark is such a great listener and I feel that he really cares. He has been helping me to see that I have the tools to help myself. It means so much just feeling though my thoughts and feelings heard and validated.
While there are still some very tough times, I’m getting more hopeful that life will get better, no, is getting better!
This service is a lifeline.
Please note: this is NOT a crisis support 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.
There are also Irish Support groups in Australia, please click here and scroll to the heading ‘Support groups for Irish in Australia’ for more information. - 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.