Nurture appoints counsellor for Westmeath
Nurture, a charity that specialises in maternal mental health, has appointed a counsellor in Westmeath for the first time.
Her name is June Clyne and she is trained to work with women (and men) who are going through pre- or post-natal depression, to support couples going through IVF, offer services to couples who have had a miscarriage or stillbirth, or infertility challenges.
Nurture was established by Irene Lowry (now CEO) in 2011 and its message is ‘You Are Not Alone’.
Ms Lowry says: “Maternal mental health in Ireland is stigmatised and taboo, so our message is that it is okay to talk about it.”
Some 67,500 babies were born in Ireland last year; some 15,000 women experienced miscarriages and approximately 1,000 experienced failed IVF. More than 40,000 women experience some form of depression or anxiety every year in Ireland and one in nine men experience post-natal depression.
Those who turn to Nurture in need of help will secure a counselling appointment within two weeks of contacting the charity.
Nurture also offers support within 24/48 hours for women who are feeling suicidal or not coping. It also runs eight-week support groups for women and their babies who may be experiencing post natal depression, traumatic birth or grief.
The Westmeath counsellor, June Clyne, advises any woman who feels she is struggling to contact her GP or public health nurse as well as Nurture.
A qualified psychotherapist/ counsellor who specialised in psychosexual and relationship therapy, June works part-time in a counselling centre in Dublin, and is now also working in partnership with Nurture.
“I am trained by Nurture in their specific area of women’s maternal mental health,” she says. “We probably all know someone who has been affected directly or indirectly by loss, miscarriage, infertility or post-natal depression. The effects these issues can have on a couple (or an individual) can be devastating.
“Please call Nurture if you need support.”
Nurture offers a ‘no wait’ policy and a fee of €40 per session (which can be subsidised by the charity).
The areas of maternal mental health that Nurture work with are not linked to class or social status. Issues relating to maternal mental health affect women, partners and family members as these illnesses affect all the family.
“We work alongside GPs, health professionals, maternity hospitals, HSE primary care teams, adult mental health services, public health nurses and child services,” said June.
“We also work in conjunction with community groups and other charity organisations in our specific area of mental health.”
Appointments are made via Nurture’s head office on 01 8430930.
• nurturecharity.org
• info@nurturecharity.org