Wexford Mental Health counselling service sees surge in numbers

Wexford charity Futures In Mind has seen a dramatic increase in the number of young girls presenting with active suicide ideation and self-harm…

The Gorey-based mental health organisation, which recently rebranded from Talk To Tom, is now supporting a record 95 people per week through its counselling services.

Futures In Mind reports that its child and adolescent services are under the greatest pressure, with child and adolescent psychotherapist Molly Redmond citing mobile phone and tablet use, and social media, as key contributing factors.

“We’re seeing a huge rise in the number of young girls presenting after writing suicide notes, and similarly, a notable increase in those self-harming — often cutting their arms or legs.Apps like Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram are having a deeply damaging effect. They’re addictive, overstimulating dopamine responses, and disrupting emotional regulation. We’re seeing direct links to poor body image, cyberbullying, and isolation. Sleep disruption is rampant too — many children are online into the early hours and then too tired to go to school or function properly during the day.”

Ms Redmond also warned that some children are using threats of suicide to stop parents restricting screen time.

“When parents try to intervene, they often hear things like: ‘If you take my phone, I’ll kill myself.’ That puts families in an unbearable position. These threats must always be taken seriously — and in some cases, they reflect a very real and immediate risk. These situations are frightening, but getting professional advice early can really help.”

Futures In Mind’s Volunteer CEO, Ray Cullen, echoed these concerns:

“Parents assume if their child is in their room, they are safe. But in reality, many are forming unhealthy dependencies on devices. Even online games can be harmful — many use mechanics that mimic gambling, like paying for randomised items or extra lives. These trigger reward-seeking behaviours in developing brains. They’re essentially scratch cards for kids and should be regulated as such.”

Speaking to Wexford Weekly, Ray Cullen stressed the urgency:

“We are at a turning point in youth mental health. Just this month, we supported two teenagers experiencing very violent ideation — at risk of harming themselves and others. One had been turned away by CAMHS for not being ‘bad enough’. That child lost the chance at early intervention, and their condition worsened. We cannot keep failing our young people like this,” Ray said.

As a result of the surge in numbers and other factors, Futures In Mind is now urgently appealing for government support.

“We’ve had a 60% rent increase at our Gorey centre. We’ve already faced homelessness once before. We’ve now identified a potential permanent home — but we need €350,000 to secure it. This would allow us to provide long-term stability and never again risk uprooting vulnerable service users. For the first time, we are openly asking the Government for help. We believe our work has already saved the State millions. We also regularly receive direct referrals from state bodies such as Tusla, Home School Liaisons, schools directly and have a working relationship with CAMHS. With support, we can continue — and give our clients the safety and security they deserve.”

ABOUT FUTURES IN MIND

Futures In Mind provides free Child and Adolescent Therapy at centres in Gorey and Arklow. Entirely volunteer-led, the organisation is funded mainly by donations and two charity shops — the lifeblood of its services.

The team is grateful to the volunteers who run these shops. Thanks to their work, thousands of hours of free counselling have been delivered in times of crisis.

Futures In Mind also delivers vital mental health training like QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer), which helps people recognise suicide warning signs and take effective action. The programme was recently delivered to Wexford Fire Service and ESB staff.

All therapists are accredited with bodies such as the IACP. The organisation also supports student therapists through supervised placements. Molly Redmond holds an M.Sc. in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy.

Advertise on Wexford Weekly