Emotional Respite - Disability Counselling Service

Emotional Respite - Disability Counselling Service Disability-led Online Mental Health Service offering therapy across the UK. She has created a team of therapists with lived experience of disability.

Emotional Respite is a counselling service providing professional support to individuals with physical disabilities, their families and carers. It offers those affected by physical disabilities a unique opportunity to work with a physically disabled counsellor. Helen Rutherford has been a counsellor for over 14 years and has spinal muscular atrophy and uses an electric wheelchair. Her personal and professional experience gives her a deep understanding of the diversity of disability issues. Helen is aware of the challenges faced by people affected by physical disabilities and how this can impact on them emotionally. Sessions are conducted online. Sessions are £45 an hour but concessions are available for low incomes

How Chronic Stress Affects Both Your Body and Mind 🧍‍♀️🧠Stress doesn't just happen in your head.Your body feels it too.L...
17/09/2026

How Chronic Stress Affects Both Your Body and Mind 🧍‍♀️🧠

Stress doesn't just happen in your head.

Your body feels it too.

Long-term stress can affect things like sleep, concentration, mood, energy and your ability to cope.

And when you're already managing health challenges, constantly being "on alert" can be incredibly draining.

Sometimes the answer isn't:
"I need to push harder."
It's:
"I need to give my nervous system a chance to slow down."

That might mean reducing unnecessary demands.

Taking breaks.
Creating quiet.
Asking for support.

Rest isn't something you have to earn after you've completely exhausted yourself.

Pay attention to what your body is telling you before it has to shout.

Your mental wellbeing and physical wellbeing aren't separate.

Taking care of one supports the other.

emotionalrespite.co.uk
Appointments Available!

Managing Guilt On Days When You Can't Do As MuchHaving a low-capacity day doesn't mean you've failed.You may have planne...
15/09/2026

Managing Guilt On Days When You Can't Do As Much

Having a low-capacity day doesn't mean you've failed.

You may have planned to accomplish ten things.

Your body may only have allowed one.

And guilt can quickly turn:
"I couldn't do much today."
into:
"I'm not doing enough with my life."

Those aren't the same thing.
Your capacity changed.
Your worth didn't.

Try asking:
"What did I need today?"
rather than:
"Why didn't I do more?"

Maybe today, success was showering.
Eating.
Taking medication.
Answering one message.
Getting through the day.

Your definition of a successful day has to leave room for reality.

Some days are for achieving.
Some days are for surviving.
Both count.

emotionalrespite.co.uk
Appointments Available!

Reasons to Work with a Disabled TherapistReal Lived ExperienceThey bring firsthand insight and real-world understanding....
10/09/2026

Reasons to Work with a Disabled Therapist

Real Lived Experience
They bring firsthand insight and real-world understanding.

Greater Empathy
They understand accessibility, barriers and what it takes to thrive.

Unique Perspectives
They offer fresh, practical strategies and challenge one-size-fits-all thinking.

More Inclusive Care
They help create a space where you can be fully yourself.

A More Diverse Mental Health Field
Your support helps build a more inclusive future.

Different experiences. Better support. ♡

emotionalrespite.co.uk
Appointments Available!

Finding Purpose When Your Body Has Different PlansID: Three images of a woman in bed with symptoms such as headaches, ac...
07/09/2026

Finding Purpose When Your Body Has Different Plans

ID: Three images of a woman in bed with symptoms such as headaches, aches, pains and fatigue etc

What happens when your body changes the plans you had for your life?

You may have imagined purpose through work, achievement, travel, being physically active or simply being spontaneous.

Then your health changes.

And suddenly, the things you used to rely on for meaning aren't as accessible.

That can leave you asking:

"What am I supposed to do now?"

Purpose doesn't have to mean productivity.
It can be creativity.
Connection.
Learning.
Supporting someone.
Creating something.
Simply being present.

Your value doesn't disappear because your capacity changes.

Your purpose may need to evolve with you.

That's not failure.
That's adaptation.

You don't need to have your whole purpose figured out.

Find what feels meaningful today.

emotionalrespite.co.uk
Appointments Available!


The Emotional Cost of Masking Your Struggles "I'm fine."Sometimes those two words hide an enormous amount of pain.Maskin...
04/09/2026

The Emotional Cost of Masking Your Struggles

"I'm fine."

Sometimes those two words hide an enormous amount of pain.

Masking can mean pretending you're less tired, less in pain, less overwhelmed, or less affected than you really are.

Maybe you don't want to be seen as difficult.

Maybe you're tired of explaining.

Maybe you don't want people to treat you differently.

But constantly hiding what you're experiencing takes energy too.

And when your energy is already limited, that cost can be huge.

Your struggles are valid even when other people can't see them.

Start by letting one safe person see a little more of the truth.

You don't have to explain everything at once.

You are allowed to say:

"Actually, I'm struggling today."

"I need to take things slowly."

"I don't have the energy for that."

You don't have to perform and appear "okay" for everyone.
Being honest about what you need isn't weakness.

If you need a safe space to share how you are feeling, we are here for you!

emotionalrespite.co.uk
Appointments Available!

Learning to trust your body instead of fighting it every dayWhat if you stopped treating your body like an enemy?When yo...
02/09/2026

Learning to trust your body instead of fighting it every day

What if you stopped treating your body like an enemy?

When your body constantly limits you, frustration is understandable.

You may start feeling betrayed by it.

You push through.

Ignore the warning signs.

Promise yourself you'll rest later.

But constantly fighting your body's signals can leave you even more depleted.

Learning to listen doesn't mean giving up.

It means becoming curious:

"What is my body trying to tell me?"

Maybe the answer is rest.

Maybe it's food.

Maybe it's movement.

Maybe it's medical support.

Maybe it's simply doing less today.

Your body isn't deliberately making life difficult.

It's communicating with you, even when that communication is frustrating.

You don't have to love everything your body does.

But you can learn to work with it instead of against it. 🤍

emotionalrespite.co.uk
Appointments Available!

🌀Cognitive Distortions🌀 Living with a disability or chronic illness comes with challenges, not just physical but mental,...
29/08/2026

🌀Cognitive Distortions🌀

Living with a disability or chronic illness comes with challenges, not just physical but mental, too.
Our minds can trick us into thinking in ways that aren’t helpful. These are called cognitive distortions, and they can make life feel even harder.

🔹️"All-or-Nothing Thinking"
"I can't do this right, so I'm not going to try." Progress not perfection is what matters!

🔹️"Should Statements"
"I should be able to do this." No, you should be kind to yourself and honour your body’s needs.

🔹️"Catastrophising"
"If I feel bad today. I'll feel this way forever." Symptoms fluctuate. Bad Days don't mean bad forever.

🔹️"Discounting the positive"
"That was nothing anyone could have done it."
No! Celebrate every win, no matter how small.

🔹️"Personalisation"
"It's my fault I can’t keep up." Your worth isn't measured by productivity. Your body's limits aren't failures.

🔹️"Mind Reading"
"People must think I’m lazy." We assume the worst, but we can’t know others' thoughts. True friends understand.

🔹️"Overgeneralisation"
"I had to cancel plans again. I'll never have a social life." A bad day doesn’t define your future. Your friends love you, not just your presence at events.

🔹️"Emotional Reasoning"
"I feel useless, so I must be useless." Feelings are valid, but they don’t define the truth. You bring value just by being you.

Recognising these thoughts is the first step toward challenging them. You are more than your struggles. You are resilient, capable, and worthy of kindness, especially from yourself.

If you are struggling with cognitive distortions, get in touch! We are here to help.

emotionalrespite.co.uk
Appointments Available!

☘️Why Asking for Help is a Strength, not a WeaknessAsking for help isn't admitting defeat.It's recognising that you don'...
25/08/2026

☘️Why Asking for Help is a Strength, not a Weakness

Asking for help isn't admitting defeat.

It's recognising that you don't have to do everything alone.

Living with illness or disability can make everyday things take more energy than other people realise.

Sometimes accepting help means you have more energy left for the things that actually matter to you.

And needing help doesn't erase your independence.

You can be capable and need support.

Both can be true.

Try being specific:

"Could you carry this for me?"

"Can you drive today?"

"Could you give me some extra time?"

You don't have to wait until you're completely overwhelmed before asking.

Support can be preventative too.

The strongest thing you can sometimes do is recognise:

"I can't do this by myself today."

Needing help doesn't make you less capable.

It makes you human.

emotionalrespite.co.uk

✨️How Comparison Can Make Disability Feel Even HarderComparison can make an already difficult situation feel even heavie...
21/08/2026

✨️How Comparison Can Make Disability Feel Even Harder

Comparison can make an already difficult situation feel even heavier.

You see someone else doing what you used to do.

Or what you wish you could do.

And suddenly, your limitations feel impossible to ignore.

But you're comparing your reality with someone else's.

Their body.
Their circumstances.
Their resources.
Their abilities.

Even comparing yourself with your "old self" can hurt.

Because your old capacity isn't necessarily available to you now.

That doesn't mean you've failed.

It means your circumstances have changed.

Try asking:

"What does my body need today?"

instead of:

"Why can't I do what they can?"

Your progress doesn't have to look impressive to someone else to be meaningful to you.

You don't need to win someone else's race.

Your journey is allowed to be different.

emotionalrespite.co.uk

The Invisible Pressure to "Prove" You're CopingDo you ever feel like you have to prove you're coping?We can often feel p...
13/08/2026

The Invisible Pressure to "Prove" You're Coping

Do you ever feel like you have to prove you're coping?

We can often feel pressure to smile,
stay positive, and never let anyone see the hard days.

But pretending you're okay all the time is exhausting.

It can leave you feeling isolated.

You don't have to earn support by struggling in silence.

Being honest about your challenges doesn't make you weak.

It makes you human.

Who makes you feel safe enough to be your authentic self?

emotionalrespite.co.uk

Address

Newcastle Upon Tyne

Opening Hours

Monday 1pm - 8pm
Tuesday 1pm - 8pm
Wednesday 1pm - 8pm
Thursday 1pm - 8pm
Friday 1pm - 8pm

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