Joan Freeman | |
---|---|
Senator | |
Assumed office 27 May 2016 | |
Constituency | Nominated by the Taoiseach |
Personal details | |
Born | Dublin, Ireland | 2 April 1958
Political party | Independent |
Spouse | Patrick Freeman (m. 1982) |
Alma mater | Open University |
Website | joanfreeman.org |
Joan Freeman (born 2 April 1958) is an Irish psychologist, mental health activist and politician who has served as a Senator since May 2016, after being nominated by the Taoiseach. She is founder of Pieta House, a national charity that provides mental health services free of charge across Ireland.
Pieta House
Freeman is the founder of Pieta House, a suicide intervention charity established in 2006 in Lucan, County Dublin. Since 2006, Pieta House has established twelve additional centres across Ireland and has provided free therapeutic services to over 30,000 men, women and children[1]. Pieta House has grown to almost 270 therapists and administration staff, and continues to provide free one-to-one therapeutic services for people in suicidal distress or engaging in self-harm.[1] The service relies heavily on the support of volunteers and friends of Pieta, with 90% of its income coming from fundraising events.[1] Freeman founded the fund-raising event Darkness into Light in aid of Pieta House. The event began with 400 participants in 2008 and has since grown with approximately 200,000 people participating in the most recent iteration of the event, held on 12 May 2018[2][3]. The 5km walk took place across 180 venues worldwide. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was among the 15,000 people who undertook the walk in Dublin's Phoenix Park.[3]
Political career
Freeman is a qualified psychologist and in 2016 was nominated, by then Taoiseach Enda Kenny, as a member of Seanad Éireann. She helped form, and now chairs, Ireland's first Committee on the Future of Mental Healthcare.[4] She is also a member of the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs. She is a former member of the Council for Justice and Peace of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference,[5] at one time speaking to raise awareness on suicide prevention training programmes provided by Pieta House[6].
Freeman is currently seeking nomination for the Irish presidential election to be held in October 2018.[7] The incumbent President Michael D. Higgins is running for re-election[7][8] but Freeman could be "on the ballot if enough anti-abortion Fianna Fáil councillors defy party wishes to support President Higgins' return," according to The Times.[9] In this context, family links to Catholic campaigners and the anti-abortion movement have been suggested as potential assets for her campaign.[9][10] Freeman has said that she voted No in the 2018 abortion referendum, but has also stated that she would be happy to carry the voice of the people and sign resulting legislation into law as president.[11]
Personal life
Freeman is a native of Dublin. She holds an undergraduate degree and MA in psychology. In June 2018, Freeman received the Trailblazer Award from the Women's Executive Network, Ireland.[12] In 2015 she founded the suicide prevention centre Solace House in New York. The service was initially created to serve the Irish diaspora in New York but has since supported and counselled people from many different nationalities.[13]
References
- ^ a b c "About Pieta House". Pieta House. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- ^ Russell, Cliodhna. "In photos: Stunning summer morning as 200,000 walk from Darkness into Light".
- ^ a b "Over 200,000 dawn walkers take part in 'Darkness into Light' in venues across Ireland and worldwide". 12 May 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- ^ "Committee on Future of Mental Health Care". www.oireachtas.ie. 13 July 2018.
- ^ "Council for Justice and Peace of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference". Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. Archived from the original on 8 May 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2018."Council for Justice and Peace of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference". Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. Archived from the original on 15 May 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- ^ Rooney, Nicola (April 2013). "A Pastoral Response to Suicide". Intercom. Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. pp. 10–11.
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: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ a b Doyle, Kevin (18 July 2018). "Pieta House founder Joan Freeman seeks nomination for Aras election". Irish Independent. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- ^ Kelly, Fiach (18 July 2018). "Senator Joan Freeman seeks presidential nomination from councils". The Irish Times. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- ^ a b "How the main contenders line up". The Times. 11 July 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
- ^ McCarthy, Justine (8 July 2018). "Catholic support for Joan Freeman tackling the presidency". The Times.
- ^ Larkin, Laura (31 July 2018). "Senator Joan Freeman 'happy to sign abortion bill into law' if elected as president, despite No vote in referendum". Irish Independent. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
- ^ "Ireland's Most Powerful Women: Top 25 Award Winners for 2018 - WXN - Women's Executive Network - At WXN we inspire smart women to lead". WXN. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
- ^ "Solace House – Suicide Prevention Center". solacehouseinc.com. Solace House. Retrieved 18 July 2018.