)
Pieta saved my son's life. Paul's story.
Pieta saved my son’s life. If it wasn’t for the therapy that our son received from Pieta, I don’t think that he would be here right now.
Mark was just 17 when a teacher from his school rang to say she was very worried about him. When I asked her why, she just told me, “I think you should ring Pieta.”
That was the moment that changed everything for us. I just sat there and cried. The tears just flowed thinking of my beautiful son being in so much pain and being unable to share it.
When we rang Pieta’s 24-Hour Crisis Helpline the therapist calmly told us all about the services Pieta offers that could help Mark and us.
That night, Mark confided to us that he had been self-harming. He told us how he had been struggling. But he couldn’t really say why.
Our hearts were breaking but we just listened and then asked him to reach out to Pieta because we knew that Pieta specialised in counselling for people who were engaging in self-harm.
After an initial assessment, Mark started going to counselling once a week. That changed everything.
And one day, after one of Mark’s sessions, Mark told us that he had actually been thinking of ending his life.
There is no way to describe to you what it’s like to hear your child say that they are thinking of suicide.
We knew the most important thing to do was just to listen and tell him that we loved him. We knew he had to make his own decisions and find his own way out of this.
But, with the help of Pieta, Mark got through all of that. Pieta gave him the tools to cope. Now, if he’s feeling low or finding negative thoughts filling his mind, he knows the steps to take. He knows how to manage that more effectively.
Mark doesn’t need his Pieta therapist now. He is thriving and is in such a good place.
But he still has bad days. And it is such a comfort for him – and for us – to know that Pieta will always be there if he needs them, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
But that’s only possible because people continue to donate to Pieta as often and as generously as they do.
As a family, we were always aware of Pieta. And whenever we were asked, we would make a donation. But I had no idea just how important those donations really are. Not until our son told us that he was thinking of suicide.
I know now that everyone who makes a donation to Pieta is helping to save lives.
Paul
Pieta’s Crisis Helpline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Fully qualified therapists who specialise in suicide and self-harm answer all calls and deliver therapy.
)