Counselling for those supporting someone with MND
We know that providing unpaid care and support to 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 an online Counselling Service that gives carers the opportunity to access up to 8 one-to-one counselling sessions with a qualified therapist.
Is the person you are supporting struggling emotionally? If you feel it’s appropriate, please tell them about our specialist counselling available for people living with MND.
How our counselling service could help you
Our Counselling Service could help you manage your situation by:
- Allowing you to speak openly about the emotional impact of living with MND
- Helping you adjust to changes in your health, abilities and daily life
- Providing personalised support that’s tailored to your individual circumstances
- Supporting you to focus on what matters most to you, even as things change
- Reducing the sense of fear, anxiety or depression you may be feeling
- Helping you find ways to live alongside difficult thoughts and feelings, rather than be overwhelmed by them
“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.”
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.
Breahting Space’s 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.
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.org
Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87 or visit breathingspace.scot
Message SHOUT to 85258 for 24/7 text support
How to access our Counselling Service
To access our Counselling Service, please complete the referral form below. We’ll then review your application and respond to it within ten working days.
