Counselling Support
Whether you’re living with an incurable illness, supporting someone close to you, or grieving after a loss — please remember, you’re not alone.
Our compassionate Family Support Team provides a range of wellbeing support services to help you navigate difficult emotions and find comfort when you need it most. We offer:
- One-to-one counselling sessions with trained professionals
- Bereavement support for anyone experiencing loss
- A welcoming bereavement group, where you can connect with others who understand
- Access to practical wellbeing resources to support your emotional and mental health
For more information see our Support for Families and Carers page
Our team is available Monday to Friday, 8 am – 6 pm, offering a safe, confidential space to talk, listen, and heal.
We’re able offer counselling support to anybody over the age of 18 living in the Staffordshire area. Anyone can self-refer by contacting our project pathway team at the hospice and the referral process will be done over the phone.
For information on any of our services, please call our 24/7 advice line.
Contemplation Trail at Shugborough
Step into nature and take a quiet moment for yourself on our peaceful Contemplation Trail at the beautiful Shugborough Estate. This gentle, signposted walk offers space to pause, reflect, and reconnect with your thoughts in a calm and natural setting.
Whether you’re remembering a loved one, practising mindfulness, or simply enjoying the stillness of the outdoors, the trail is here to bring comfort and connection when you need it most.
Relaxation Sessions
Take a moment to unwind and focus on your wellbeing with our Relaxation Sessions, created by our Complementary Therapy and Outpatients teams.
We’ve put together a selection of online resources, including guided relaxation and gentle movement videos, designed for you to enjoy in the comfort of your own home. These sessions can help ease tension, calm the mind, and restore a sense of balance.
When you’re ready, explore more about how we support relaxation and self-care through our therapy services:
Complementary Therapy
Therapy and Wellbeing
Then, take a look at the follow-along videos and audio-guided relaxation sessions below — and relax with us.
Follow-along videos
Progressive muscle relaxation
Alternate nostril breath
Lengthening the outbreath
Audio-guided relaxation
Mindfulness
Breathing
Meditation
Visualisation
Body Scan
Nutrition Information
Palliative illness, cancer, and some cancer treatments can sometimes affect your appetite, digestion, or enjoyment of food. It’s completely normal for your eating habits to change when you’re feeling unwell — but it’s still important to try to eat regularly and stay hydrated.
Good nutrition can help maintain your strength, energy levels, and overall wellbeing during treatment or illness.
For practical tips and gentle guidance, explore our nutrition guide.
Welfare (financial) and support
Having an incurable illness can lead to concerns about managing finances, additional costs and income. We’re here to help, with welfare support available to patients and their families, friends or carers.
We can help you with advice on claiming government benefits and support with completing the necessary applications.
If you are a patient family member, friend or carer, you can also access the service to receive advice and support on what they may be able to claim to make your life easier whilst caring for your loved one.
Contact our Patient Pathway Team on 01785 270832.
Preventing falls
If you have an incurable illness or are receiving palliative care, the risk of falling might be higher than normal. Most falls do not cause serious injury but having a fall can affect a person’s confidence.
Read our guide on how to prevent falls.
Useful Links
Other websites to visit include:
MIND the mental health charity:
www.mind.org.uk/information-support
Every Mind Matters www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters
The Mental Health Foundation
https://mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus?bblinkid=213337963&bbemailid=203…
Local support groups
Mind North Staffordshire – counselling, parent support and advice.
Contact details: Telephone: 01782 262100 Email: reception@nsmind.org.uk
Changes – online recovery, wellbeing and peer support.
Contact details: Telephone: 0798 343 7747 Email: wellbeing.here4u@changes.org.uk
Men Unite – a support group for men who have been affected a number of issues including isolation and bereavement; find them on Facebook or visit their website and use the chat function
Andy’s Man Club – Talking group for men only, which offers support and reduce isolation – Andys Man Club Stafford – Home | Facebook
Befriending services at Staffordshire Connects.
Staying Mentally Strong
It is important for us to look at ways to look after ourselves and our loved ones wellbeing. There is some great information available online, please visit the links below for some helpful tips around our wellbeing
There is also important information on the NHS to make healthy choices around your health and wellbeing Live Well – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Get helpful Tips with a Quiz This quiz asks 5 simple questions and comes up with some tips just for you and is based on your answers. Tips could be around sleep, healthy eating or worrying.
How to deal with uncertainty an NHS page where there are links and discussions around anxiety as restrictions lift, managing worrying, tips for home working and sleep.