About Us
Our mission is to provide dedicated services at Music Festivals and Music Events, where high risk drug use is common; to provide one-to-one peer support, psychological first aid and crisis mental health intervention to service users in need. PsyCare Ireland provides a peaceful, friendly and safe space in the heart of the busy world of the festival.
The type of services that we provide would ideally be positioned at a central location in any music festival or dance music event. Ideally, we would be positioned next to or close to the medics to work in tandem with medics and security staff as done in other countries and we would be linked into the festival radio system.
Our specialised multidisciplinary team has experience in the behaviours and risks that affect the service users, and offer intervention to prevent escalation to traumatic or high-risk situations which may involve medical or police intervention. In addition to this, our service offers a safe space to create a festival-wide atmosphere of responsibility and awareness around drug taking and the potential ill effects. Our service offers non-judgemental healthcare advice around harm reduction and risk minimisation in drug use.
PsyCare Ireland Services are open 24 hours a day for the duration of the event. From providing support for those undergoing an intense Psychedelic Experience, to those who just need to have a quick chat/sit down, PsyCare Ireland aims to be there to tend to the wellbeing of all the patrons of the event who need psychological support.
At PsyCare, we provide:
1. A point of harm reduction information about drugs where patrons of the festival could be provided with literature and advice about the risk of drug combinations, abstinence and restraint.
2. A place for those who were having a difficult time to come to receive support from a trained volunteer who could chat with them and support them through any emotional difficulties that they might be experiencing. Furthermore, we would be able to assist in cases of emotional distress that other festival services would not be able to prioritise.
3. Specialist psychological crisis intervention to those who might be experiencing the acute effects of a crisis induced by a psychoactive substance and or alcohol.
Why We Believe in PsyCare at Festivals
Although most drug use at music events is recreational, some drug experiences can cause a person to be physically and mentally vulnerable; to experience feelings of fear, loss of control, overwhelm, which could trigger panic or even psychosis; creating the potential for people to be a danger to themselves and others. Psychedelic drugs are some of the most prevalent types of drugs at many music festivals and require specialist intervention due to the mental crises and altered states of consciousness they can induce. People on a strong psychedelic “trip” can be very volatile and also vulnerable to psychological trauma due to their intensified experiences.
Current emergency and paramedical services at major festivals are often inundated with medical needs of festival attendees, especially alcohol intoxication where there may be requirements to monitor airways and consciousness over time. Many clientele under the influence of psychoactive drugs may act bizarrely and erratically, but have no acute medical concerns. Garda, security and emergency services regularly need to intervene in clients behaviours to prevent escalation, which could lead to arrest, convictions or mental health detentions.
Our multidisciplinary team are highly trained in handling intense and often traumatic psychological experiences, as can be induced in these settings. We offer the expertise needed to work closely with security and emergency care, to reduce overall risk, particularly by reducing the need for medical, psychiatric or police involvement.
Our team provides the gold standard of care that is offered by world-leading services, demonstrating the type of engaged, empathic care that can help to move a person from a place of crisis to a calmer and potentially constructive perspective.
Vision Statement
Our vision is of an Ireland where all music festivals and live events have safe spaces for people who may be experiencing psychological/emotional crisis. We envision a society where all individuals have access to harm reduction information about psychoactive substances, including alcohol; and feel empowered to support their peers with a compassionate and non-judgemental approach.