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

Loneliness isn't always about being alone.For many disabled people, loneliness can come from inaccessible spaces, being ...
16/06/2026

Loneliness isn't always about being alone.

For many disabled people, loneliness can come from inaccessible spaces, being left out of plans, feeling misunderstood, or facing barriers that make connection harder to reach.

During Loneliness Awareness Week, we want to shine a light on an experience that often goes unseen.

A simple message. An invitation. A conversation. Taking accessibility into account. These small acts can make a huge difference.

We are more than our disabilities. We are friends, colleagues, neighbours, family members, and members of our communities. We all deserve to feel seen, valued, and included.

This week, let's challenge assumptions, create more accessible spaces, and make room for everyone at the table.

Because connection changes everything. 💜

emotionalrespite.co.uk
Appointments Available!

15/06/2026

We're delighted to welcome Emotional Respite - Disability Counselling Service to our next Wellbeing Hub on 7 July.

Founded by Helen Rutherford, who lives with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Emotional Respite was created to provide counselling and emotional support for disabled people, people living with long-term health conditions, carers, and family members.

Join us to explore how we can look after our mental wellbeing while navigating the challenges of living with a progressive condition.

📅 7 July
📍 Online via Zoom

Booking details in the comments.

✨ Disability Affirmative Therapy: Therapy That Understands DisabilityAt Emotional Respite Disability Counselling Service...
13/06/2026

✨ Disability Affirmative Therapy: Therapy That Understands Disability

At Emotional Respite Disability Counselling Service, our therapists don't just work with disabled people, we are disabled people.

Our lived experience, alongside our professional expertise, allows us to offer therapy that truly understands the realities of navigating a world that is not always accessible, inclusive, or understanding.

Disability Affirmative Therapy recognises that disability is not something that needs to be fixed.

Instead, it:

💜 Affirms your identity and lived experience
⭐ Focuses on your strengths and resilience
🗣️ Supports your autonomy, choice, and self-determination
♿ Creates accessible, inclusive, and safe therapeutic spaces
🚧 Challenges ableism, stigma, and societal barriers

Many of the difficulties disabled people face arise not from disability itself, but from exclusion, discrimination, inaccessible environments, and a lack of understanding.

We believe therapy should be a place where you can show up as your authentic self without judgement, explanation, or apology.

You are the expert in your own life.

We are here to walk alongside you.

💜 Delivered by disabled therapists.
💜 Grounded in lived experience.
💜 Centred on your goals, strengths, and wellbeing.

emotionalrespite.co.uk
Appointments Available!

“Life is like a piano; the white keys represent happiness and the black show sadness. But as you go through life’s journ...
12/06/2026

“Life is like a piano; the white keys represent happiness and the black show sadness. But as you go through life’s journey, remember that the black keys also create music.” Ehssan

ID: A fluffy striped kitten with its white paw on the first key of a piano.

As someone who has always found deep connection through music, this quote really speaks to me. Music has been with me through every season of life, not just in joyful moments, but especially in the more difficult ones. It’s been a companion, a mirror, and sometimes a lifeline.

The way music can hold space for both light and shadow is something I’ve come to value more and more, both personally and in my work. The white keys, the joy, the ease, and the laughter are wonderful. But the black keys, the ones that echo with sadness, grief, anxiety, or pain, are just as essential in creating the full picture. They give depth. They give meaning. They help us express what words often can’t.

In mental health, we often strive for balance, for “feeling better.” But part of that process is allowing ourselves to feel the full spectrum of emotions, not just the pleasant ones. Healing doesn’t mean erasing the black keys. It means learning to play them with intention and compassion.

Music reminds me that all feelings are valid. That even in sadness, there is beauty. The music doesn’t stop, even when the notes feel heavy.

I wanted to share this today, in case someone else needs a reminder that the dark moments don’t define you. They are part of the music of your life. And that music is still yours to create.

Helen Rutherford MBACP Accredited
Founder of Emotional Respite Disability Counselling Service

emotionalrespite.co.uk

💧 Understanding Your Stress Bucket 💧We all have a stress bucket.Everyday pressures, worries, demands, conflict, poor sle...
06/06/2026

💧 Understanding Your Stress Bucket 💧

We all have a stress bucket.

Everyday pressures, worries, demands, conflict, poor sleep, sensory overload, and life's uncertainties gradually fill it up. When our bucket becomes too full, we can feel overwhelmed, irritable, anxious, exhausted, or emotionally drained.

The good news? We can't always control what fills our bucket, but we can choose what helps empty it.

🌱 Deep breathing
🌱 Time outside
🌱 Movement and exercise
🌱 Connection and support
🌱 Taking breaks
🌱 Rest and sleep
🌱 Creativity and hobbies
🌱 Setting healthy boundaries

Coping isn't about staying calm all the time. It's about noticing stress sooner, responding with compassion, and using tools that help us recover.

Take a moment today to ask yourself:

✨ What is filling my bucket right now?
✨ What helps empty it?
✨ What small act of self-care can I choose today?

Remember: small actions make a big difference. Your wellbeing matters.

❤️ You don't have to carry a full bucket alone.

emotionalrespite.co.uk
Appointments Available!

Breathe in 🌞sunshine.Breathe out 💨stress.Let every inhale fill you with light and every exhale release what no longer se...
30/05/2026

Breathe in 🌞
sunshine.
Breathe out 💨
stress.

Let every inhale fill you with light and every exhale release what no longer serves you. ✨

emotionalrespite.co.uk
Appointments Available!

Some disabilities are visible. Many are not.The invisible weight of disability is carried quietly:the exhaustion after d...
28/05/2026

Some disabilities are visible. Many are not.

The invisible weight of disability is carried quietly:
the exhaustion after doing “simple” tasks,
the pain hidden behind a smile, the mental calculations before every outing, the fear of being misunderstood, the energy spent trying to appear “fine.”

People often see the moment.
They don’t see the recovery afterward.

They may see someone walking one day,
but not the flare-up the next.
They may hear “you look well” while someone is fighting to hold themselves together internally.

Living with disability can mean constantly adapting, masking symptoms, advocating for yourself, and grieving versions of life others take for granted.

Kindness matters.
Patience matters.
Believing people matters.

Not every struggle is visible.
Not every burden is obvious.
And no one should have to prove their pain to deserve compassion.

Appointments Available!
emotionalrespite.co.uk

Heatwaves can be especially dangerous for disabled people and people living with chronic illness. ☀️Extreme heat can wor...
24/05/2026

Heatwaves can be especially dangerous for disabled people and people living with chronic illness. ☀️

Extreme heat can worsen fatigue, pain, dizziness, brain fog, breathing problems, and other symptoms, which is why pacing, hydration, cooling, and rest matter so much.

This is your reminder that you do not have to “push through” the heat. 💛

A few small things can help:
• drink water regularly
• use cooling aids early
• take more breaks
• keep medications & essentials nearby
• check in on vulnerable people
• know the warning signs of heat exhaustion

Your safety, comfort, and energy matter.

Save this post for later & share with someone who may need it this summer. 🌻

emotionalrespite.co.uk

Managing Your Mental Health in the Heat ☀️💛When You Have a Disability or Chronic IllnessHot weather can affect more than...
23/05/2026

Managing Your Mental Health in the Heat ☀️💛
When You Have a Disability or Chronic Illness

Hot weather can affect more than your body.
It can increase fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, pain, sensory overwhelm, and emotional burnout.

Here’s your reminder: surviving the heat is enough.

🌿 Save this for the next heatwave.

🧊 Create a Cool Zone
Keep one space as cool and comfortable as possible:
• close curtains during the day
• use fans or cooling packs
• keep water and essentials nearby
• rest during the hottest hours

🧠 Reduce the Mental Load
Heat makes executive functioning harder.

Give yourself permission to:
• eat easy meals
• repeat comfy outfits
• postpone non-urgent tasks
• use reminders for meds & hydration
• do less

Rest is productive in extreme heat.

😴 Protect Your Sleep
Try:
• cool showers before bed
• lightweight bedding
• frozen water bottle or ice pack
• hydrating throughout the day

Poor sleep can worsen pain, mood, and fatigue.

💬 Stay Connected
Heatwaves can feel isolating.

Even small connection counts:
• texting a friend
• voice notes
• online support spaces
• asking for help early

🎧 Sensory Overload Matters
If heat increases sensory stress:
• dim lights
• reduce noise
• wear loose breathable fabrics
• avoid crowded hot spaces

Your comfort is important.

🚨 Seek Help If Needed
Get medical advice if you experience:
• confusion
• fainting
• chest pain
• severe dehydration
• worsening symptoms

💛 You do not have to “push through” heat.
Adapting your routine is self-care.

A dopamine menu for disabled & chronically ill people 🌿Not everything has to be productive to be valuable.Some days surv...
18/05/2026

A dopamine menu for disabled & chronically ill people 🌿

Not everything has to be productive to be valuable.

Some days survival takes most of your energy. A dopamine menu is just a gentle list of things that bring comfort, stimulation, regulation, joy, or ease, especially on low-capacity days.

✨ “Starters” (tiny boosts)
• opening the window
• putting on lip balm
• listening to one favourite song
• petting an animal
• drinking something cold

🍲 “Mains” (more engaging)
• comfort TV
• colouring or crafts
• voice notes with a friend
• sitting outside for 10 minutes
• gaming, reading, audiobooks

🍰 “Desserts” (feel-good extras)
• fresh sheets
• takeaway coffee
• online shopping browse
• a long shower if accessible
• wearing your softest clothes

🧃 “Sides” (supports disguised as treats)
• mobility aids that reduce pain
• meal delivery
• pre-cut fruit
• medication reminders
• cancelling plans without guilt

Your dopamine menu does not need to look healthy, aesthetic, productive, or inspiring to anyone else.

Accessible joy still counts as joy. 💛

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Newcastle Upon Tyne

Opening Hours

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

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