Stories

He told us that his girlfriend had left him after a two-year relationship complicated by financial difficulties. The seafarer had been unemployed for a long time while he tried to find a job in the maritime industry, but even though he eventually found one, it did not save his relationship. After he returned from sea, his girlfriend left him and he was left having to repay a loan they had taken out.

During the chat session, we listened while the seafarer talked through his worries and encouraged him to focus on his own needs and wellbeing. Our helpline team is trained in counselling skills and providing emotional support.

From being desperate and hopeless, the seafarer started to sound more positive as the conversation progressed. He said that he was trying his best to keep calm, and planned to renew his certificate of competency in order to have a fresh start.

The seafarer thanked us for being a listening ear, writing: ‘Thanks for being there and listening to me. I really appreciate [it]…these were the things stuffed in my heart which I couldn’t share with anyone’.