Help families who have lost a loved one to alcohol and drugs access professional counselling across Scotland, breaking down barriers that may exist to getting help.
‘This is the first time I have felt heard. I felt like I couldn’t really talk about my son cause of the looks I got. Having someone to talk to without judgement has helped me build my life back.’
The announcement of 2529 lives lost to drugs and alcohol in 2020 reflects another year of heartbreak for families. Behind these numbers are families who have lost someone they love; a parent, son, daughter, brother, sister, aunt, uncle or friend.
Scottish Families runs a unique Bereavement Support Service providing free professional counselling to anyone who has lost a loved one to substance use at any time wherever they live in Scotland.
We are one of the few places that families can get the support they need.
Last year we provided 466 hours of bereavement counselling.
Please consider donating to our appeal and help us reach our goal of £1000 so more families can access bereavement support.
- £13 could pay for an hour of helpline support, where families get information and can be referred to counselling.
- £18 could pay for a one to one session where we can prepare a family member, letting them know what to expect from counselling and give advice on how to look after themselves after a session.
- £40 could pay for a one to one session of professional counselling.
We receive 20% of our core funding from the Scottish Government, the rest we must raise through grants, trusts and donations. By donating to our Bereavement Support Service, you will help family members access the specialist support that they need. Your donations will make a big difference to what we can provide.
Thank you.
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Margaret Livingstone who is one of our counsellors has put together this short video on counselling and why it’s so important to be able to offer this to people who are bereaved through alcohol or drugs.