TEA AND EMPATHY 
At Alethea Holistic and Healing Services, we’ve been talking about what we can do to support people experiencing loss through suicide for a while now.
All of us, directly or indirectly, have experienced suicide. It’s devastating and we feel helpless in this situation. It’s on the increase, we gotta do something.
We opened an affordable counselling service in April 2017. It’s working well and we’re growing from strength to strength. We began with two therapists, now we have 5, and growing, so a huge well done and gratitude to those who have worked tirelessly to make this happen. We try to facilitate people who are experiencing this loss as quickly as possible, most times we manage to do that within 24 hours for emergencies, and under a week in other circumstances.
As we sat around the table earlier in the year, we felt we wanted to offer more services. So as a result of that, we’re now opening “Tea and Empathy”. An opportunity for people to drop into our services 2 evenings a week just to sit and chat. This service is run by volunteers. Ordinary people with extraordinary hearts. Volunteers who have walked the walk and open their hearts and ears over a cup of tea to share experiences together.
They all have done extensive work in finding acceptance and self-awareness and growth in their own lives. Knowing these guys, I feel there’ll be a lot of love, support, and togetherness. Even some laughs. Just a little space for you to meet up with like-minded souls. Most people who experience a close one’s suicide were not in therapy before the loss, and don’t feel they need that now.
They just need a friendly face and the opportunity to share. If they decide somewhere along the line that they do need therapy, we’ll help them to access that, but this service isn’t about that. It’s about people coming together. A place to share. A place to see a friendly face. A place to be heard. We have to start talking. There are too many people carrying this loss alone. It’s too big to carry.
We don’t know what the solutions are, but maybe together we can come up with some insight. We’ll work together to see what we can do to help and try to deliver anything that would be helpful. You tell us. You know best what’s needed. Alone we can do nothing, but together we can do a lot. Drop in and say hello to us. The kettle will be on.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 4 to 6 pm. We start Tuesday the 27th of November 2018. We only ask that you wash ur cup when you’re finished. Don’t be alone!
If you wish to contact us, please call 016204111 or 0838218499.
