Psykiatrifonden's counseling is Denmark's largest anonymous and free service for people with mental illness and their relatives. Alone in 2023, the counseling received 49,000 inquiries, but only just under half could be answered.

– Our main focus is to ensure that more people get the help they need, says Liza Marie Johnson, who is the head of Psykiatrifonden's Counseling.

Many seek support in the evening and at night, when it can be difficult to find help elsewhere. With this donation, it will be possible to extend the phone counseling hours until 2 AM.

Experiences from Psykiatrifonden's chat counseling show that one in four conversations between midnight and 2 AM is about suicidal thoughts or attempts. Particularly young people under 30 use the chat.

– Many inquiries are about self-harming behavior and anxiety. The need to talk to someone is often great in the evening and at night, and therefore it is important that we are available at those times, says Liza Marie Johnson.

In addition to extending the phone hours, the foundation's funds will be used to recruit and train more volunteer counselors, who are the counseling's most important resource. Today, there are about 160 professionally trained counselors associated – including doctors, psychologists, school teachers, and nurses.

– We set high standards for our counselors and ensure thorough training so they can handle the many different inquiries, says Lisa Marie Johnson, who has been the head of counseling for 11 years.

Psykiatrifonden's counseling is primarily run by donations and support from private individuals. The inquiries cover a wide range – including from relatives, where about 20 percent are from concerned parents.

– This could be parents who have a child showing signs of an eating disorder, or a child with anxiety who does not want to go to school. In a pressured psychiatry, our counseling is an important service that guarantees anonymity and high professionalism and is available 72 hours a week, says Liza Marie Johnson.

Important effort

At Fonden Sol og Strand, represented by Margit and Kjeld, it is part of the foundation's purpose to support charitable initiatives that make a positive difference for people in vulnerable situations.

– Mental illness can affect us all, and it is crucial that there is a helping hand for those who need it. We are therefore pleased that we can support Psykiatrifonden's important work, says the foundation's co-founder and board member, Margit Andersen.