Wellbeing for Family Carers

Caring for Yourself While Caring for Others

Caring for someone can be deeply rewarding – but it can also be challenging, tiring, and emotionally demanding. That is why wellbeing of family carers is so important. This means paying attention not just to your physical health, but also to your emotional wellbeing – how you are feeling, coping, and managing day to day.

The kind of help that supports your emotional health is often referred to as emotional support.

How Are You?

Emotional support can take many forms. It might be as simple as having someone to talk to – someone who listens and understands what you are going through. It can also involve more focused conversations about your needs or the challenges you face in your caring role. Emotional support might include joining a support group, attending a workshop, or accessing therapies like counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). That’s why wellbeing for family carers is so important.

This page has lots of information about:

Supporting YOU to Support Others
Wellbeing Support for Carers
The 5-Steps to Wellbeing
Other Support Organisations
Mental Health and Wellbeing Helplines

It is Okay to Need Emotional Support Too

Looking after both your emotional and physical health is key to sustaining your caring role – if that is what you choose to continue. By building small strategies into your daily routine to care for yourself, you are not only better equipped to cope with the demands of caring, but many family carers tell us it helps them hold on to their own identity and sense of self.

Many family carers find it hard to prioritise their own wellbeing – and that is completely understandable. There are often many reasons for this, and it is common to hear carers say they feel guilty or selfish for focusing on their own needs.

But in our workshops, we talk about the importance of self-care with a simple reminder: you cannot pour from an empty cup. Taking care of yourself is not indulgent – it’s essential.

I’ve come to realise, looking after myself is not a luxury - it’s a necessity if I am to continue in my caring role.

Supporting YOU to Support Others

What do you need?

You might already know that some emotional support could help – or you might be wondering, “Would it really make a difference for me?” It is completely normal to feel unsure. Knowing what kind of support, you need, or what might work best, can take time – and it may change as your caring role evolves.

Finding what works best for you can feel overwhelming – and it may change over time as your caring role evolves. Emotional support comes in many forms, and what helps one person might not be right for another.

Whether it is talking to someone who understands, joining a group, or exploring therapies like counselling, the key is to find what feels supportive and sustainable for you. There’s no one-size-fits-all, and that is okay.

The important thing is to start by exploring what feels right for you.

You Matter Too: Wellbeing Support for Carers

Suffolk Family Carers offer a variety of services that can support your emotional wellbeing.

5 Steps to Wellbeing

Looking after your wellbeing as a family carers matters. The NHS highlights Five Ways to Wellbeing – Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning, and Give. We’ve adapted these principles for the unique challenges and experiences of family carers, offering gentle ideas to help you weave them into your everyday life.

Connect

Build and maintain supportive relationships.

Talking to someone who understands your caring role can make a big difference — whether it’s a friend, a support worker, or another carer. Join a carers’ group or an online community to share experiences and feel less alone. Even short, meaningful conversations can help you feel heard and supported.

Find a Carer's Group

Be Active

Move your body in ways that feel good for you.

Take short walks, stretch, or do gentle exercises at home — movement helps release stress, boost energy. Even a few minutes of fresh air can make a big difference, this can be walking the dog or just round the garden.

Take Notice

Pause and reflect on the present moment

Take a moment to notice how you’re feeling - emotionally and physically - and enjoy something small like a cup of tea, birdsong, or a quiet pause; practising mindfulness or jotting down your thoughts can help you feel grounded.

Keep Learning

Stimulate your mind and build confidence

Discover new coping strategies or explore helpful resources about caring, and make time for something just for you - whether it’s a hobby, a podcast, or an online course; learning doesn’t have to be formal, curiosity counts.

Give

Acts of kindness benefit others - and you.

Recognise and celebrate the care you already give, share your experiences with others who might benefit, and give yourself permission to rest - self-compassion is one of the greatest gifts you can offer.

Why not try volunteering?

More Ways to Get Help

Counselling and Therapy Options

If you feel you need extra support, there are services available to help. From counselling and CBT to other talking therapies, some options are free or subsidised for carers. Self-referring to Wellbeing is simple and can you can start getting more tailored support.

Social Prescribing

Is an approach that connects people to activities, groups, and services in their community to meet the practical, social, and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing.

Your GP might also have a social Prescribing service available.

Need to Talk? You're Not Alone.

Remember-Even if it is the middle of the night or everything feels overwhelming, there is always someone you can talk to. These helplines offer confidential emotional support, whenever you need it.