Your mental health
Our counselling service
Your mental health is important to us
That’s why we have an in-house spinal cord injury (SCI) specialist counselling service. Support is available on the phone or via video call, and we’re expanding our service to provide emotional support more quickly to everyone who needs it. Spinal Injury Association’s specialist counselling service offers mental health support, not only to the injured person but their family, friends and caregivers.
Uniquely all our therapists have lived experience of spinal cord injury (SCI) and are fully qualified, registered members of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or equivalent. The service operates within the BACP ethical framework, offering up to 10 sessions online or via the telephone, free of charge throughout the country.
We’re here to listen to your concerns and give you the support you need. We can also help you find other useful services. If you think you could benefit from talking therapy with someone who understands SCI talk to your local support coordinator in the first instance and they will pass your details onto us. Remember that you’re not alone.
Our free SCI specialist counselling service supported just under 100 people living with SCI in 2023/24
Our team
Living with a SCI can be tough – and that’s an understatement. Coming to terms with the physical health effects and all the life-changing consequences of injury can take its toll on our mental health. Our team of counsellors all have lived experience of SCI.
Hi, my name’s Ian and I’m the SIA counselling and wellbeing manager. I’ve been injured since June 1998 following an accident racing motocross, resulting in a C5 complete injury and am passionate about helping others come to terms with their, or their loved ones SCI.
Referrals
We are sorry but we are currently unable to accept self referrals to our counselling service.
If you are an existing member of SIA you can can also be referred to the service by your local support coordinator (please quote COUNSELLING in any communications you send to your support coordinator)
Find YOUR local SUPPORT COORDINATOR
For further help from SIA please contact [email protected] or call our freephone support line on 0800 980 0501.
Feedback
“Being able to talk to someone with a spinal injury means there is a real understanding of our struggles.”
“ It was so beneficial to be able to speak to somebody who understood exactly what I was going through and what I was feeling because they had gone through it themselves. It was reassuring to know that I was being understood.”
“Louisa was brilliant and I have taken on board her guidance with great success. The counselling service really has been invaluable to me.”
“The counselling was very helpful and I felt more positive afterwards than before.”
Additional support
If you need help for a mental health crisis or emergency, you should get immediate expert advice and assessment.
- Get advice from 111 or ask for an urgent GP appointment if you need urgent help for your mental health
- Call 999 or go to A&E now if someone’s life is at risk or you do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe. A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a physical one. You will not be wasting anyone’s time.
If feel you need to speak with someone urgently, you can talk to a Samaritan any time, day or night, by calling 116 123 or by emailing [email protected]
Shout is a free, confidential and 24/7 text messaging service for anyone in the UK who needs support. If you are struggling to cope and need to talk, our trained Shout Volunteers are here for you.
Text “SHOUT” to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line, or text “YM” if you’re under 19
The Mind support line is a safe space for you to talk about your mental health. Their advisors are trained to listen to you and help you find specialist support if you need it. Call 0300 102 1234 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (except bank holidays).