Jigsaw Cork
Cork
Meet the team and find out all the details you need to get in touch with the Jigsaw service in Cork, for youth mental health support.
Getting Started
Telephone: 021 245 2500
Email:cork@jigsaw.ie
Location
Address: Unit 8
South Bank,
Crosses Green
Wandesford Quay
Cork
T12 P982
Opening Hours
- Monday 9am – 5.30pm
- Tuesday 9am - 7.30pm
- Wednesday 9am – 5.30pm
- Thursday 9am – 7.30pm
- Friday 9am – 5pm
- Saturday - Closed
- Sunday - Closed
Closed: The Mondays of Bank Holidays
Jigsaw Cork is a free, non-judgemental and confidential mental health support service for young people aged 12 – 25 living, working or studying in Cork. We provide guidance and support for young people who are going through a difficult or distressing time. We also provide advice and guidance for anyone who is concerned about a young person in their life.
Direct support for young people
We provide a welcoming space for young people to get information or have a chat with a support worker. If a young person wants support, our staff are there to listen, without making judgements, and to provide guidance. We also provide information and advice to anyone who is worried about a friend or young person in their life.
Working with young people
At Jigsaw, we believe it is vital to make sure young people’s voices are heard. Our Youth Advocates represent us and take part in decision-making at every level.
Working with the community
As well as directly helping young people in tough times, we work towards a community that is supportive of mental health and wellbeing. Presentations and talks in schools, workplaces, and community groups open up discussions on mental health and raise people’s awareness of the support that Jigsaw Cork can offer.
Tell us about your experience
At Jigsaw, we care passionately about what we do and strive to give young people the best possible support for their mental health. If you are happy, or unhappy, with our service in any way, let us know by completing our online feedback form.
Please select the option best suited to you:
Meet the Jigsaw Cork team
Thelma Kuria
My role as a Jigsaw Clinician allows me to work in partnership with young people from all walks of life. I provide a safe space in the hope that young people feel comfortable enough to explore what is going on for them. The goal is to support young people in identifying coping strategies and their own strengths that facilitate personal growth to enhance their overall well-being.
Study and work
My role as a Jigsaw Clinician allows me to work in partnership with young people from all walks of life. I provide a safe space in the hope that young people feel comfortable enough to explore what is going on for them. The goal is to support young people in identifying coping strategies and their own strengths that facilitate personal growth to enhance their overall well-being.
I completed a Bachelor of Social Work (Hons) Degree from University College Cork. Before joining jigsaw, I worked as a Child Protection Social Worker in Tusla. I am currently completing a Master’s Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy with a focus on Family Therapy.
I enjoy walking, reading, singing and visiting new places.
Thelma Kuria
My role as a Jigsaw Clinician allows me to work in partnership with young people from all walks of life. I provide a safe space in the hope that young people feel comfortable enough to explore what is going on for them. The goal is to support young people in identifying coping strategies and their own strengths that facilitate personal growth to enhance their overall well-being.
Study and work
My role as a Jigsaw Clinician allows me to work in partnership with young people from all walks of life. I provide a safe space in the hope that young people feel comfortable enough to explore what is going on for them. The goal is to support young people in identifying coping strategies and their own strengths that facilitate personal growth to enhance their overall well-being.
I completed a Bachelor of Social Work (Hons) Degree from University College Cork. Before joining jigsaw, I worked as a Child Protection Social Worker in Tusla. I am currently completing a Master’s Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy with a focus on Family Therapy.
I enjoy walking, reading, singing and visiting new places.
Annie Sheehan
My role as a Jigsaw Clinician involves providing a safe space for young people to discuss any challenges that they may be experiencing in relation to their mental health and wellbeing. In collaboration with young people, I support them in exploring what their current needs are and aid them in identifying ways in which they can overcome their challenges and then help them work towards achieving their individual goals.
Study and Work
I completed a BA Hons in Social Science and a Masters in Social Work both at University College Cork.
Before joining Jigsaw, I worked in the areas of homelessness, adult mental health, child protection and family violence. I have always kept core social work values at the center of my work, those being: social justice, dignity and worth of people, integrity, competence and validating the importance of human relationships.
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I love to run, swim, socialise, bake and travel!
Deborah Donovan
As a Jigsaw clinician, I meet with young people to offer them a safe space to talk about their challenges and support them to make positive changes to feel better in themselves. I work from a strengths-based approach and enjoy helping young people build upon skills and strengths they already have before introducing new tools. Building a trusting professional relationship to be able to do this is very important to me and I enjoy meeting new young people and hearing their stories.
Study and work:
I am a CORU registered Social Worker. I completed a degree in Social Science and a Masters’ in Social Work in UCC, graduating in 2010. Before joining Jigsaw, I spent over 5 years working in a family support service where I worked 1-1 with young people but also closely with their parents, schools and other services. I also spent two years working with vulnerable young people that were at risk of coming into foster care. Building strong relationships with the families was a key part in these roles.
I love animals, especially dogs and enjoy having a latte and a chat with close friends and going for long walks.
Orla Hughes
My role as a Jigsaw Clinician involves providing a supportive environment for young people to explore their mental health and identify strengths and goals. We work together to enable the young person to build on coping strategies, manage life's challenges, and maximise participation in activities and roles meaningful to them.
Work and Study
I qualified as an Occupational therapist from University of Ulster, Jordanstown in 2008. I have worked in a variety of settings including care homes, occupational health and hospice care – in Ireland and Canada.
I love hiking, canoeing and camping, and when I make the time I love to swing dance!
Louise Holland
I have been working with Jigsaw since 2017. My role has a lot of different aspects but one of my favorites is meeting with young people to make sense of the difficulties they experience.
Study and work
I am a registered Mental Health Nurse with a degree in Psychiatric Nursing from NUIG. Prior to working in Jigsaw, I worked in a variety of mental health settings for adults and children in Ireland and abroad since 2009.
In my free time I love to read, swim and travel. I am always looking for recommendations for places to visit.
Una O’Farrell
As a Clinician in Jigsaw, I support Young People with any mental health difficulties they may be experiencing. I collaborate with Young People to identify their strengths and supports and we work together to find solutions to any problems they may have.
Work and study:
I’m a CORU-registered Occupational Therapist with a degree in Occupational Therapy from University College Cork. I’ve worked in the area of Youth Mental Health for over a decade. I’m currently completing a Masters in Mindfulness Based Wellbeing.
I Some of my hobbies include walking/hiking, Cooking, baking, singing along (poorly) to whatever songs come on the radio.
Maeve O’Leary
My role as a clinician in Jigsaw Cork involves providing a space for young people to discuss any challenges they may be experiencing in relation to their mental health, and most importantly exploring individual strengths and building on these. In collaboration with the young person I support them in exploring what their current needs are and help them in identifying ways to overcome these challenges and work towards achieving their goals.
Work and study
I completed a BA in Social science and then a masters in social work in UCC. Before joining Jigsaw I worked in Immigration and also disability services both in Ireland and Perth, Australia.
In my free time I enjoy meeting friends for a coffee, listening to music and travelling.
Grace O’Connell
As a Service Administrator I am proud to welcome young people to the Jigsaw Cork hub when they arrive. I enjoy being the first point of contact for young people and parents over the phone or email when they first get in touch with the service. It’s been a joy to see the growth of the Cork hub over the past 5 years since I joined the team and seeing the real-life positive impact of the service that Jigsaw provides to the young people of Cork.
Work and study
I have a BSc in International Development & Food Policy and a Foundation in Counselling Skills certificate. My background is in child welfare having worked in this sector during my time in Toronto, Canada.
I love connecting with people, brisk walks, hot yoga, reading and being near or in the sea.
Jennie Deering
I am a CORU-registered Occupational Therapist with a degree in Occupational Therapy from Trinity College Dublin. I am also a BABCP Accredited Cognitive Psychotherapist, graduating with a post-graduate diploma in Cognitive Psychotherapy from Queens University Belfast.
Work and Study
Prior to joining Jigsaw in 2021, I worked in a variety of mental health settings with adults in community, day hospital and in-patient services both within Ireland and abroad.
I enjoy reading, yoga and chatting over a cup of coffee with some chocolate.
Kevin O’Connor
My role is to ensure the service runs smoothly. I happily joined Jigsaw in April 2022, thrilled to contribute to a course I deeply care about. As a service manager, my goal is to make sure everything runs smoothly and that our services reach everyone who could benefit from them. It's a role I'm truly passionate about, and I'm excited about the positive impact we can make together.
Work and Study
I graduated with a degree in business and marketing from South East Technological University – Waterford. Over the years, I’ve explored various fields before discovering my true passion in mental health. I’ve dedicated almost a decade to this field, and my heart lies in youth mental health.
I love watching football (soccer) and am a life-long Liverpool fan. I also like to hike in nature.
Sinéad Barrett
My role involves promoting Youth Mental Health in various settings in the community and engaging with and supporting our Youth Advocate volunteers.
Work and Study
I trained and worked for ten years as a primary teacher before moving to community work and raising awareness for mental health.
I have a big imagination, love cats and spending time with family and friends.
Eryk Weiss
As a Service Administrator, it is my pleasure to be the first person that a young person, or their guardians meet while coming into our hub, or if you were to email or call us.
Study and Work
I graduated from UCC with an Honours Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science. Before starting with Jigsaw, I was volunteering in the community and working with young people.
In my free time, I enjoy swimming, reading, and walking my dog.
Lucy Forrest
My role as a Jigsaw Clinician is working with young people who may be experiencing challenges in relation to their mental health and wellbeing. I offer a safe space to explore presenting concerns and any challenging life experiences. I work with young people to identify strengths, supports and identify coping skills to promote resilience and self-sufficiency in relation to positive mental health.
Study and Work
I completed a BA (Hons) in Social Care in CIT and a Masters in Social Work in UCD. Before joining the Jigsaw team in Cork, I worked as a Social Worker on an MDT within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Prior to this I worked within a number of Housing and Homeless organisations.
I enjoy walking on the beach, yoga and most importantly chocolate!
Ashwini Rao
I support young people and their families by helping them flourish in their environments, through exploring the fit between person and environment, and in helping them fulfil their potential.
Work and study
After qualifying as an Occupational Therapist (BS Hons) in India, my career began in Ireland in 2005. My clinical experience has been primarily in regional autism services: both in intervention and diagnostics. I enjoyed working for over a decade creating therapeutic services in newly funded early intervention settings and autism special preschools. I have worked abroad, including a brief stint in India and Bangladesh as a private clinician on UNICEF-funded projects for high-risk infants. When living in Warsaw, Poland, I worked to support students at International Schools in Europe as part of a Global Learning Support agency. I returned to Ireland in the summer of 2023 to work with Jigsaw in Cork.
Research informs my practice, and I enjoy life-long learning. Previously, I completed a PG Diploma in Evidence-Based Practice at UCC, and a Diploma in Executive Coaching at the Irish Management Institute. I am on the pathway (at Sheffield Hallam University) to becoming a specialist sensory integration practitioner. I am passionate about empowering teachers and caregivers through workshops on research-informed interventions. I recently contributed to a book chapter on Occupational Therapy in Paediatrics for medical undergraduates.
At the weekends you will also find me sketching, working with polymer clay and learning Polish.
Eiméar Kealey
My role as a Jigsaw Clinician is to work collaboratively with young people to achieve their goals. We work together to address any mental health challenges you may be experiencing that affect your day-to-day life. I take a strengths-based approach and empower you to manage your mental health and improve your quality of life with helpful coping mechanisms, hopefully with some laughs along the intervention journey.
Work and study
I qualified as an Occupational Therapist from Trinity College Dublin in 2014. I have worked in a variety of settings – Hospitals, nursing homes and most recently in a hospice in New Zealand. I feel privileged to work with people at such important times in their lives, and my main interest in these roles has been mental well-being and enabling people to reach their potential.
To nourish my own body and mind I teach yoga and love sea swimming, journaling, reading, cooking, and catch-ups over coffee.