Mental health charity Olive Branch to open in Coleraine

Formed in 2017 by Alan Mulholland and Leone Paul, The Olive Branch began with a vision to offer a free of charge, self-referral, no-appointment necessary professional counselling service.

The Olive Branch’s new Coleraine office will be opening its doors on Brook Street (above Fairley’s Wines) on Wednesday July 22, with three qualified counsellors on hand to provide professional support.

Leone Paul, Vice Chairwoman of The Olive Branch, said: “We are delighted to be in the position to bring our services to Coleraine.

“We offer support for anything that is causing the individual to feel low including depression, anxiety, addiction, grief and clients experiencing suicidal thoughts.

“We want to really try to break the stigma surrounding mental health and get the message out there that it really is okay not to be okay. Our mental health professionals are passionate and dedicated to positively impacting the mental health of the Coleraine community.”

The Olive Branch is a self-funded organisation, funded by sponsorship and by the funds raised through events, competitions and individual personal challenges.

Receiving no government funding, Leone and Alan always welcome new avenues of funding.

The charity was proud to be the chosen charity of this year’s North West 200, until Covid-19 changed the landscape of all local events.

Alan said: “We thought a professional service that could be accessed at the exact point of need, without a long waiting time and referral process, would impact more greatly due to the delicate stage the client is at when reaching out for help. We also know that private counselling is out of most people’s reach.”

The Olive Branch is always busy and has many success stories known though client testimonials. Providing its services to a huge age range, from 11 years to 70.

Leone added: “With all the amazing work done by the NHS, there are still gaps in mental health services provided by the health service. This means The Olive Branch has never been more important and valued, to provide the services people may be missing out on. Anxiety is the number one issue we help people with, followed closely by depression.

“However, we have seen many suicidal patients, one notably who had gone into a state of psychosis and medical intervention had to be sought.

“The Olive Branch are totally committed to helping every patient no matter what the issue back onto their path of mental wellness. Our new Coleraine office will offer an unbiased, confidential, and professional service in a safe environment, free of charge.”

With the uncertainty and confusion following the Covid-19 virus the need for mental health support has never been more important.

Employment, financial and isolation worries associated with the recent lockdown may cause mental health problems and The Olive Branch is there to help.

Northern Ireland has the highest suicide rate in the UK as well as the highest rate of mental illness, despite this, questions remain regarding funding being pledged in government spending.

Co-founder Alan Mulholland explained that this very reason is what drives him and Leoné to continuously fundraise to assist in with Northern Ireland’s mental health crisis. The ambitious charity aims to eventually have a presence in every county in Northern Ireland.

Leone concluded: “When we started on this venture Alan and I always thought if we could save one life we would be rewarded for our effort. We will continue to work to save lives and will keep moving the charity forward as long as our supporters allow.”

The Olive Branch will be launching in Coleraine on Wednesday July 22 at 10 Brook Street. The office will be open from 9am-5pm.

If you or someone you know need mental health support do not hesitate to contact The Olive Branch.

For further information call The Olive Branch Magherafelt office on 028 7963 3688, or email Leone at [email protected] For further information and for up to date news on the charity follow The Olive Branch on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Do you have what it takes to extend the Olive Branch?

If you think you have the experience and drive to help people in need then The Olive Branch would love to hear from you.

The Olive Branch are seeking qualified counsellors and front of house staff on a voluntary basis for roles in Coleraine and other areas.

If you need any further information on these roles, please contact The Olive Branch. If you are interested, you can send your CV to Leone - [email protected]

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