Positive mental health event to take place in Athlone this evening

An information evening on Positive Mental Health and Suicide Prevention will be held today, Wednesday April 10, in Athlone's Luan Gallery. 

Information stands will be on view from 6.30pm and guest speakers will be Joan Freeman (Pieta House) and Jacinta Kitt (Trinity College).

Presentations will be made by the HSE, Mental Health Ireland and other organisations including the IINM (Irish Institute of Naturopathic Medicine) Suicide Prevention team.

The director of the IINM, Maureen Mulligan and her team will be available for a meet and greet afterwards in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel at 8pm where refreshments will be served.

The IINM, a voluntary organisation, was set up in Ireland by Ms Mulligan in 1999 after she returned from the UK having worked there for 14 years with prisoners in high security prisons.

The programme focuses on improving mental health by natural means. Ms Mulligan uses cranial structural alignment to help her clients. In 2009 Maureen Mulligan MBRCP won an Institute for Complementary and Natural Medicine award for Overall Complementary Practitioner.

Research on the IINM Suicide Prevention Programme was commissioned by the UK Home Office and research and evaluated by the Centre of Crime and Justice Studies in 1998. The findings were that the programme is 'unique’ and 'effective’ and recommends its implementation for young offenders and women throughout the prison system.

The IINM Crisis Intervention Programme is currently provided by a team of volunteers with clinics in Mayo, Dublin and Wicklow. Ms Mulligan explained their approach focuses on nourishing self leadership and self responsibility. Clients from all over the country use the IINM programme including many in Athlone and Ms Mulligan explained how the local community in Athlone have encouraged this meet and greet.

One Athlone woman who attended the IINM centre after having tried counselling and medication for her long term anxiety said she felt an instant improvement after a session with Maureen.

“My condition has been caught,” she said. She explained the treatment as hands on therapy that works with the energy fields. “I trust Maureen’s work beyond anything,” she said.

Members of the public are welcome to attend the information evening in the Luan Gallery from 6.30pm to view the information stands before talks begin at 7pm.