Two prestigious awards for child and adolescent counsellor Liam Cannon

The national Carl Berkeley Memorial Award honours a member of the IACP who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of the counselling profession by creating or influencing counselling projects or counselling development work at local and national level.The IACP Regional Award recognises an IACP member who makes a notable contribution to the profession of counselling and psychotherapy in their local community and region.

Liam was instrumental in helping to set up Hughie’s Corner Child and Adolescent Therapeutic Centre. which was launched in Inishowen in memory of eight-year-old Hugh Simpson-Callaghan, who passed away in 2011.

Before this, he was overseeing counselling services under the Pastoral Centre in Letterkenny, which Hughie’s Corner is also currently linked with. Due to demand, there are now services in Carndonagh, Buncrana, Stranorlar, Donegal Town/Ballyshannon. Dunfanaghey and Dungloe. In the near future, the service will move away from its link with the church and become an independent company, with its own identity – Tir Chonaill Counselling and Psychotherapy. This move will hopefully ensure better access to funding, something Liam told the Journal is vital to secure the in-demand service’s future.

Since 2015, the service has facilitated nearly 7,000 counselling sessions for children and adolescents in the county. There are currently 12 therapists, working with around 120 young people a week and there is also a substantial waiting list in every area. The service is operating with very limited funding and relies very much on the support of fundraisers in order to provide increasingly vital supports for young people across Donegal.

Liam was ‘absolutely delighted’ to receive the awards, particularly as they recognise the ongoing work within the county to provide vital support.

"It’s the first time it has come to Donegal and it comes because of developments and influencing the provision of counselling and psychotherapy throughout the county and country. Nationally, it’s a model other counties may replicate from seeing what we did here in Donegal.”

Liam has been running his own practice – New Dawn Counselling Services - for over 20 years and went to the Pastoral Centre 12 years ago ‘to cover for six months’..

"That went well,” he quipped.

In 2015, he was approached by Hugh Simpson-Callaghan’s mother, Leanne, about the lack of counselling services for children in Inishowen. She fundraised and Hughie’s Corner was set up in November 2016. Within four weeks, they had 48 children on the waiting list and trained five counsellors. There is now a team of 12 child and adolescent counsellors across Donegal.

Liam said there could and should be many more, but they don’t have the proper funding to expand.

“We have delivered over 7000 sessions to children and adolescents in Donegal, working from a small budget and every one of those areas has a waiting list. We can only pay the counsellors for ‘x’ amount of hours per week. If we had proper funding, we could have counsellors in every one of these areas in full-time work.”

The service very much recognises the importance of community counselling supports and are now running a pilot scheme with CAHMS, which have been referring young people to them.

“For me, it’s about making services available that should be available, which I don’t mind,” said Liam.

“What I do mind is that we don’t get sufficient supports for our clients who are needing it.”

The service works on a donation basis and while child and adolescent counselling receives limited funding, there is no funding at all in place for adult services.

"We’re the longest established counselling service in the county – 30 years in operation and still, there is zero money for adult counselling.”

The donations go straight back into providing more sessions. The funding they do receive has to go towards counselling alone, which means there is no money for services such as administration.

Liam outlined how there is a strong lean towards the biomedical model – and this receives the most funding – but his model looks at ‘early intervention.’

“If a child or young person is struggling, the longer it goes on, the harder it is to reverse. Plus, you’re not saving long term, as the person needs twice as much work.”

Funding is also very limited for services connected with the church, which is one of the reasons why the Donegal service is setting itself up as an independent company, It is hoped this will increase the funding given to it and secure counsellors in their roles.

Liam added: “I’m very proud that, as a community around Donegal, that we are able to do that. But, you also have to ask why we’re having to do this as a community? Why are we developing and delivering a mental health service, one which is a huge need and we don’t get the money for it?”

Liam praised the fundraisers who have supported the local service over the years and told how every single cent helps secure the service, going forward.

While he and his team are working on a ‘shoestring,’ he is not deterred and told how it will not inhibit their plans for the service.

"We always work it out. No-one should ever have to stop coming to counselling because they can’t afford it.”

IACP Chief Executive Officer Lisa Molloy offered her congratulations to Liam ‘on his remarkable achievements’.

"Liam has made outstanding contributions to the counselling and psychotherapy profession and he is a very worthy recipient of the prestigious Carl Berkeley Memorial Award.”