When family, friends and those closest are unable to help with the enormity of the aftermath of the homicide and the process of mourning, considering homicide bereavement counselling would have the following benefits:

• Helps to get the homicide into perspective for the bereaved and to accept the reality of their loss

• Helps the bereaved to deal with many of the family problems created by the homicide
• Helps the bereaved to work through the pain and grief
• Helps to improve the self worth of those receiving counselling
• Creates a space where the bereaved feel safe to talk about the events surrounding the homicide, the homicide itself and most especially their deepest feelings around these.
• Helps people to understand why they are reacting in a certain way to the homicide and enable them to adjust their reactions where necessary.
• Provides information, reassurance, sharing and acceptance to the bereaved by being supportive and educational
• Helps the bereaved to feel empowered to seek more information, if needed about the homicide and its aftermath and to adjust to an environment in which their loved one is missing

Since 2007 ADVIC runs a Subsidised Counselling service for families and friends of homicide victims

All counsellors involved in the service have received specialised homicide trauma training

AdVIC refers people bereaved by homicide to one of those counsellors

For more details about this service, please go to the service section of this website

If the AdVIC subsidised counselling service did not provide you with the help you were looking for, we have collated a range of information on other organisations involved in providing counselling.

Private Counsellors and Psychotherapists:

The Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy provides a nationwide directory of accredited counsellors and are also a referral database for Counsellors. They act as a link between those who are looking for counselling and those who provide counselling.

On contacting them on their telephone referral helpline, they will provide you with the details of the counselling service that is provided by their accredited counsellors nearest to you.

 The Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy
21 Dublin Road, Bray,
County Wicklow

Tel. 00 353 1 2723427

Fax. 00 353 1 2869933

Email. iacp@iacp.ie

Website: www.irish-counselling.ie

• Barnardos

 Barnardos provides Bereavement counselling for children
For further information, please contact:
Barnardos
Hyde Square
654 South Circular Road
Dublin 8.
Tel: (01) 473 2110
Open Mon - Fri 10am - 12 noon
Fax: (01) 453 0300

Email: bereavement@barnardos.ie
www.barnardos.ie       

• Family Resources Centres

Over 80 Family Resources Centres are located nationwide, a lot of them providing counselling services.
Please use the following website where you will be able to locate the one nearest to you using the map centres tool:
www.frcnf.com
 

• Family support Agency

 The department of Social & Family Affairs provides funding to many Local Voluntary and Community groups throughout the country.
A lot of them provide counselling services.
 “Support for Families” a directory of voluntary organisations providing marriage, child and bereavement counselling” is a comprehensive guide with almost 400 entries detailing voluntary and community groups providing marriage, child and bereavement counselling and support.
The guide can be obtained from the department of Social &family Affairs at:

Family Affairs Unit
Department of Social and Family Affairs
Aras Mhic Dhiarmada
Dublin 1
Phone: 01 7043000