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Clon wants to Beat Stress

February 14th, 2017 9:00 AM

By Southern Star Team

At the launch of the HSE/GAA ‘Cork Beats Stress' course to be held at Clonakilty GAA Complex from Thursday, March 2nd were, from left, Noel O'Callaghan, childrens officer Cork County Board; Tom Lyons, Carbery Board vice-chairman; Timmy Anglin, Clonakilty GAA Complex manager; Paudie Palmer, broadcast

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HSE and the GAA join forces to crack down on stress

HSE and the GAA join forces to crack down on stress

 

AN initiative to beat stress is underway in Cork as part of the award-winning GAA/HSE  ‘Cork Beats Stress’ project. 

HSE Primary Care Psychology Services Cork, Cork County Board, Carbery GAA Board, Clonakilty GAA Club and Sarsfields GAA Club have joined forces in the initiative to tackle stress in society. 

A free course, stretching over six weeks and open to all members of the public, will take place at the Clonakilty GAA Complex and the Sarsfields’ Hurling Complex, Glanmire between March 2nd and April 6th.

‘Cork Beats Stress’ was the first initiative of its kind to ever deliver a psychology service through a large sporting organisation. It has already been delivered to over 1,000 people in Cork through Midleton GAA Club, St Finbarr’s GAA Club and Youghal GAA Club and has made a strong, positive impact on people’s emotional wellbeing. 

Participants reported feeling better able to connect with others, better able to manage stress in their lives and better able to improve the quality of their lives.

The ‘Cork Beats Stress’ initiative won the prestigious National Health Management Institute Award for 2014.  

The course, run over six Thursday mornings from 11am to 12.30pm, is open to anybody over the age of 18 who may be suffering from stress or who wishes to build up the skills to avoid stress in modern society. Partners and friends suffering from stress are also welcome.

The classes are very easy to follow and booklets will be distributed to the participants at the end of each class on how to control stress, to be read at your own pace. Each class is a lecture format and participants will not be asked to talk about their problems or to answer personal questions.

Organisers want to get word out to everybody over 18 years in Cork city and county that this course is available, free and open to everybody whether they are GAA members or not. 

Sinead Crowley of Clonakilty GAA Club stated that ‘sometimes life isn’t straight forward or easy. People can encounter and have to deal with all sorts of stressful challenges such as illness, financial problems, stress at work, day to day hassles, family problems, exams, bereavement and so on. Sometimes people are stressed but they might not know why. 

‘This course is designed to teach people practical skills that they can use to reduce the stress, to improve quality of life and to be in a better position to deal with life’s challenges. 

‘We are delighted that the GAA community and the HSE can bring this to our community.’

Intending participants are asked to register through email at [email protected] or by ringing the ‘Cork Beats Stress’ team at 086-7871016.

Course details: Clonakilty GAA Club, Ahamilla, Clonakilty, Thursdays, March 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th and April 6th, 2017, from 11am to 12.30pm; Sarsfields Hurling Club, Glanmire, Thursdays, March 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th, and April 6th, from 11am to 12.30pm.

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