Choice Wellbeing Service CIC

06/06/2026

🤔 A quick question for fellow CICs, charities, community groups and non-profit organisations…

Would your team benefit from learning practical counselling skills to support the people you work alongside?

We’re not talking about turning people into counsellors. We’re talking about the everyday skills that help people feel heard, understood and supported:

💬 Active listening
💬 Building trust and rapport
💬 Asking helpful questions
💬 Managing difficult conversations
💬 Understanding boundaries
💬 Responding with empathy rather than trying to “fix” everything

Many of us work with people who are navigating stress, crisis, uncertainty, grief, trauma, caring responsibilities, poverty, disability, mental health challenges and life-changing circumstances. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can offer isn’t an answer—it’s the ability to listen well.

We’re exploring the possibility of delivering counselling skills training specifically for the voluntary, community and charity sector and would love to know:

👉 Is this something your organisation would be interested in?
👉 What challenges do your staff or volunteers face when supporting people?
👉 What skills would you most like your team to develop?

Pop a comment below or send us a message. We’d love to hear your thoughts.

06/06/2026

Did you see our Hayley on ITV last night discussing the importance of the right provision for SEND children with our friends over at Sunningdale School?

If not, check it out here 😊

Sunderland headteacher to advise on changes to education for children with SEND
https://www.itv.com/watch/news/sunderland-headteacher-to-advise-on-changes-to-education-for-children-with-send/qcmk71r

04/06/2026

📘 IT’S HERE! 📘

Our brand-new Parent Carer’s Guide to Surviving (and Sometimes Enjoying!) the School Holidays has officially arrived!

Created by parent carers, for parent carers, this guide is packed with realistic tips, gentle reminders, practical ideas, and plenty of reassurance for those long six weeks that can feel anything but relaxing.

Because let’s be honest…

☀️ Not every day needs to be an adventure.
☀️ Packed lunches count as a meal.
☀️ Screen time can be a survival tool.
☀️ “Good enough” parenting is still good parenting.
☀️ Sometimes surviving the holidays is the achievement.

Whether you’re navigating sensory needs, medical appointments, disrupted routines, sibling squabbles, financial pressures, or simply the exhaustion that comes with caring, we hope this guide feels like having another parent carer beside you saying:

“You’re doing better than you think.”

We’re incredibly proud of this one because it comes straight from lived experience — the messy, beautiful, challenging reality of family life with additional needs.

Keep an eye out for where you can pick up a copy

💙 From our parent carers to yours,
Choice Wellbeing Service

04/06/2026

✨ Welcome to Choice HQ ✨

Created by parent carers, for parent carers.

When we started Choice, we knew we wanted more than just an office. We wanted to create a space that felt welcoming, accessible, comfortable and safe — somewhere people could walk through the door and instantly feel at ease.

Choice HQ is now home to our growing services, support sessions, training, workshops, counselling spaces, coffee mornings and community events. Every room has been designed with people in mind, creating a professional environment that still feels warm, relaxed and homely.

We're also excited to be able to offer our spaces for hire at affordable rates for community groups, organisations, practitioners, businesses and local services looking for somewhere welcoming to host their own meetings, workshops or events.

Whether you're joining us for support, attending a session, hiring a room, or simply popping in for a brew, we're proud to have created a space built around connection, understanding and community. 💙

Take a look around here:
https://www.choicewellbeingservice.org/choicehq

03/06/2026

Sometimes you don't need months of counselling.

Sometimes you just need someone to listen, help you untangle the chaos in your brain, and send you away with some practical tools to make things feel a little more manageable.

That's why we're introducing Single Session Therapy for parent carers.

A one-off therapeutic session where you can talk through what's going on, whether that's overwhelm, burnout, anxiety, advocacy fatigue, guilt, grief, loss of identity, or simply feeling like you're carrying more than you can handle.

Together we'll focus on what feels most important to you right now and help you leave with practical strategies, resources, and a plan for moving forward.

No pressure. No commitment to ongoing counselling. Just support when you need it.
Because we know that as parent carers, finding time for yourself can be difficult enough without adding another weekly appointment to the diary.

One conversation won't fix everything. But sometimes it can be enough to help you take the next step.

To access single session therapy, please use the holistic booking form where you will access these sessions first to determine suitability: https://www.choicewellbeingservice.org/services

03/06/2026

☀️ NEW RESOURCE: A Parent Carer's Guide to the Summer Holidays ☀️

For many families, the summer holidays are something to look forward to.

For parent carers, they can also bring a whole host of challenges.

Changes to routine, increased caring responsibilities, managing sibling needs, keeping everyone occupied, dealing with meltdowns, sensory challenges, financial pressures, and somehow trying to look after yourself at the same time.

As parent carers ourselves, we know that summer doesn't always look like the picture-perfect version we see online.

That's why we've created A Parent Carer's Guide to the Summer Holidays – a practical, supportive guide packed with tips, strategies, and gentle reminders to help you navigate the weeks ahead.

Inside you'll find:

🌈 Wellbeing tips for parent carers

🌈 Ideas for managing changes to routine

🌈 Visual support tools including Now & Next boards and PECS

🌈 Support for meltdowns and difficult days

🌈 Hot weather and sensory-friendly tips

🌈 Managing social media and comparison

🌈 Permission slips to let go of guilt

🌈 Realistic advice from people who truly understand

Most importantly, you'll find reassurance that you don't need to create a perfect summer.

You only need to create a summer that works for your family. ❤️

📥 Download your free copy here: www.choicewellbeingservice.org/schoolholidays

02/06/2026

Today we’ve had an amazing tour of Culture House Sunderland!

We were delighted to be invited to visit before it officially opened, to explore the space through an accessibility and inclusion lens.

At Choice Wellbeing Service, we know that accessibility isn't an afterthought – it's something that should be built in from the very beginning. We had the opportunity to share feedback and ideas to help ensure as many people as possible feel welcome, included and able to access everything the space has to offer.

Real inclusion happens when organisations are willing to listen, learn and make changes before barriers are created. That's exactly the kind of positive change we want to champion across our city.

A huge thank you to everyone involved for recognising the value of lived experience and for being open to conversations that help make Sunderland a more accessible place for all.

This is how change happens – one conversation, one building, and one community at a time

02/06/2026

Come along this morning between 10-11.30am and meet darla and luci!

Also get a cuppa and chat but that’s not as important as the puppies 🤣🥰

Held at Choice HQ

Unit 4,
Tower rd
Ne372sh

❤️

02/06/2026

☕💙 Surviving Socials 💙☕

Parent caring can be rewarding, exhausting, isolating, overwhelming, joyful, frustrating, and everything in between—sometimes all before 9am.

That's exactly why we created Surviving Socials.

📅 Today
🕙 10am
📍 Choice HQ

Join us for a relaxed, friendly coffee morning exclusively for parent carers. No pressure, no expectations, and no need to explain why you're running late, forgot the biscuits, or haven't replied to messages for three weeks.

Come along for:
☕ A cuppa and a chat
💙 Connection with people who genuinely understand
🌈 A chance to share experiences, tips, and support
😊 A space where you can be yourself without judgement
🤝 Friendship, laughter, and community
🏠 Check out our new building

Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, having a good week, or simply want to get out of the house for an hour or two, you're very welcome.

Because sometimes surviving is enough.
And sometimes the best support comes from sitting with people who just get it.

💙 We look forward to seeing you there.

☕🌈💙