Forty years of positive impact

A Cork city counselling charity is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year starting with the graduation of 14 more professionally qualified counsellors.

Cork Counselling Services (CCS) on Fr Mathew St has been providing therapy on a self-referral and equal access basis in the community since 1982.

The longstanding not-for-profit charity also provides professional counselling training for students, thus reinvesting the profits into its counselling work. With clients and students combined, the charity estimates it has impacted almost 26,000 lives since it was established.

A spokesperson for the charity said: “In 1982, Irish mental health was highly medicalised and centralised very much within the hospital system. From its foundation CCS has endeavoured to widen understanding of mental health so we acknowledge its role in all of our lives and promote a successful community-based model for mental health emphasising the ability to deal with and cope with mental health issues while continuing to live our lives as part of the community and at a fraction of the cost.”

In 2020, CCS provided continuous counselling and professional training throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

In 2022, the charity said it is seeing a post-pandemic surge in client self-referrals. Although funding is still a struggle, CCS said fundraisers are being sought and the organisation is engaged.

The service has recently launched its 2024 strategic plan, in which it plans to become Ireland’s first applied centre of excellence integrating counselling practice, training and applied research.

Throughout this time, CCS plans to continue to expand its positive impact on mental health in the community.

CCS’ 40th anniversary is to be further celebrated when it participates in Joy in the Park on 17 July in Fitzgerald’s Park.

Another celebration is for the evening of 26 August.

For more information on CCS, visit corkcounsellingservices.ie.