Counselling for carers
We know that caring for a person living with motor neuron disease (MND) can be extremely hard and have a significant impact on your mental health and wellbeing.
To help you, we offer a free Counselling Service that gives carers the opportunity to access up to 8 one-to-one counselling sessions with a qualified therapist.
Apply to use our free Counselling Service
Right now, you may have worries and pressures you’re struggling to cope with and feel stressed and anxious. You may also be experiencing difficult issues, such as changes to the health of the person you’re caring for or the anticipation of losing a loved one.
Talking to someone outside your family or circle of friends may help you better understand your feelings and manage your difficult circumstances.
Our free Counselling Service is available to you if you’re aged over
18, live in Scotland and:
Provide unpaid care to a person living with motor neuron disease
or
Are an immediate family member of someone living with MND, e.g. spouse, partner, son, daughter, parent
Is the person you’re caring for struggling emotionally? If you feel it’s appropriate, please tell them about our free specialist counselling for people living with MND.
Everyone’s experience of MND is different, and so is the kind of support that feels right.
You might want to explore your emotions on your own at first, get information online, or speak with a trained counsellor.
The options below can help you decide what kind of support best meets your needs.
If you’re not ready to talk to someone yet, or just want to understand more about how you’re feeling, our self-help guides can be a good place to start.
They include information and practical exercises to help you:
- Understand and manage feelings such as anxiety, stress or sadness.
- Learn coping strategies to support your emotional wellbeing.
- Find small steps to build resilience day to day.
You can access guides any time — privately and at your own pace.
Sometimes you may just need to ask a question, get advice, or find information without booking a session.
Online chat and information service offers:
- A confidential space to speak with someone.
- Emotional support, information, or signposting to other services.
- Quick access to guidance if you’re not sure what kind of help you need.
This can be a good first step if you’re exploring your options or finding it hard to reach out in person.
Living with or caring for someone with MND can be emotionally demanding. Our counselling service offers a safe and confidential space to talk through what’s happening, how you’re feeling, and how you can cope.
You might find counselling helpful if you:
- Feel overwhelmed, anxious, or low.
- Are struggling to balance caring responsibilities and your own wellbeing.
- Want to talk openly without worrying about burdening family or friends.
You can access counselling at any stage — it doesn’t have to be a crisis. Our counsellors understand the challenges that MND brings and can help you find ways to cope, build resilience, and maintain hope.
If you’re unsure whether it’s the right time, we can talk it through with you and help you decide what would be most supportive.
How our counselling could help you
Our Counselling Service could help you manage your situation by:
Allowing you to speak openly about the demands of your caring role
Making you feel better equipped to look after the person you care for
Providing personalised support that’s tailored to your circumstances
Increasing your confidence and motivation
Reducing the sense of fear, anxiety or depression you may be feeling
Giving you new ways to think and manage difficult feelings
“Counselling really helped me to come to terms with my husband’s diagnosis. It was an outlet to share my fears and anxieties with someone outside my own family, and it helped me deal with these head on.”
Vivian Laycock
How to access our Counselling Service
Need urgent help?
If you need to speak to someone right now about difficult emotions you’re experiencing, you can reach out to:
Samaritans
on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.orgBreathing Space
on 0800 83 85 87 or visit breathingspace.scotMessage ‘SHOUT’
to 85258 for 24/7 text supportWhat happens after you’re referred
If you’re referred to our Counselling Service, we’ll contact you to
identify your needs and make sure you're suitable for the service.
If you are suitable, you’ll be able to access up to 12 free one-to-one
counselling sessions. Each session usually lasts up to one hour and
takes place once a week. But we can be flexible to meet your needs
and availability.
Support Services Referral
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