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Online Addiction Counselling · Newtownabbey
Online Addiction Counselling in Newtownabbey
Online addiction counselling for Newtownabbey, by secure video. From a base in Hove I work with people across Newtownabbey, from Glengormley and the centre to the streets around the Antrim hills, with the same BACP-registered, confidential support as an in-person session, and no journey.
BACP registered member25+ years of experienceLived experience
ConfidentialA safe, private space
Person-centredThe therapy fits you
In and around Newtownabbey
Addiction Counselling for Newtownabbey, at a glance
- Areas covered online
- All of Newtownabbey: from Glengormley and the centre to Rathcoole, Monkstown and Mossley
- Known for
- The Antrim hills, Belfast Lough and the shore road
- Region
- Northern Ireland (Northern Ireland)
- Local NHS / support route
- Local council drug & alcohol service (see below)
- Format
- Secure video, UK-wide. In-person also available on the Sussex coast.
Life in Newtownabbey
Why people in Newtownabbey reach out
Newtownabbey is a large town on Belfast's northern edge, closely tied to the city and shaped by the same history. Insecure work, the legacy of division and the pressures of commuter life all shape what people here carry.
Newtownabbey stretches along the northern shore of Belfast Lough, a cluster of communities from Glengormley up the Antrim hills to Rathcoole, Monkstown and Whiteabbey by the water. The Abbey Centre draws shoppers from across the area, the Theatre at the Mill keeps a stage close to home, and the loughshore path and Carnmoney Hill give room to breathe within sight of the city. Ulster University's Jordanstown side has long had a presence here, and the M2 and the shore road carry a steady flow of commuters into Belfast and back. It is a place woven tightly into the capital's life, close enough to share its pace yet spread across green edges where the hills meet the water.
When the week runs on the early train and the late return, an hour you take from home removes the very journey that stops many people starting.
Newtownabbey sits on Belfast's northern edge within the Antrim and Newtownabbey borough and is served by the Northern HSC Trust.
Areas covered
Neighbourhoods in and around Newtownabbey
GlengormleyRathcooleMonkstownMossleyCarnmoneyWhiteabbeyJordanstownBawnmoreHazelbank
Wherever you are in Newtownabbey, the work is the same, a calm, confidential space shaped around you.
The local picture
The local picture in Newtownabbey
These figures are local context from official sources, not a description of you, but they show the scale of what people in and around Newtownabbey are living with, and why local support matters.
There were 12 drug-related deaths registered in the Antrim and Newtownabbey council area in 2023, out of 169 across Northern Ireland (NI age-standardised rate 9.1 per 100,000). Source: NISRA - Drug-related and drug misuse deaths in Northern Ireland, 2023 (2023).
Local data last reviewed June 2026. Each figure shows the year and links to the official source it was read on.
The addiction counselling itself
Addiction counselling here treats the pain beneath the habit, not just the symptom, alcohol, drugs, gambling, food or behavioural, so recovery is something you grow into rather than force.
The approach is the same wherever you live, so rather than repeat it on every page you can read it in full, the methods, what each session covers and fees, on the main addiction counselling page and on how I work.
How online sessions work
Sessions run over a secure, encrypted video link held to the same strict BACP confidentiality as meeting in person. After a free fifteen-minute call to check we are a good fit, you join each session from any private space using a phone, tablet or laptop, no software to install, no waiting room and no journey at either end.
Reaching support from Newtownabbey does not mean heading into Belfast for an appointment. Sessions are held online, by secure video, right across Northern Ireland, so you can take part from home along the loughshore or up in Glengormley. The counsellor is based in Hove and works UK-wide by video rather than seeing people in person, which keeps things private and saves the trip into the city.
Book a free 15-minute callWhat I help with
How online addiction counselling in Newtownabbey can help
Drugs and substances
Compassionate, confidential help with substance use.
Gambling
Breaking the cycle of compulsive gambling, guilt and debt.
Food and behavioural
Support for food and process addictions.
Affected by a loved one
Help for those living alongside someone's addiction.
The pain underneath
We treat the cause, not just the symptom.
Addiction Counselling in Newtownabbey
Why people in Newtownabbey come for addiction counselling
Newtownabbey spreads along the northern shore of Belfast Lough, tied closely to the city and shaped by the same history. Addiction can take hold quietly here, easing the strain of insecure work, commuting and what the years of division left behind. In communities where privacy matters, being seen seeking help nearby can feel difficult. Online counselling offers a confidential alternative by secure video from home, with no need to head into Belfast or up to a local service. From Glengormley to Rathcoole or down by the loughshore, you can begin honestly, in private, at a time that fits around work.
A free, unhurried first step
Not sure if it is right for you? A free fifteen-minute call is a no-obligation way to talk it through.
Book a free 15-minute callDrug, alcohol & addiction support in Newtownabbey
My online counselling sits alongside the help available locally. In Newtownabbey, your GP can refer you to local NHS-funded drug and alcohol services, and you can find your nearest one via the NHS “find a service” directory.
For confidential information and advice, FRANK (on 0300 123 6600) and Drinkline on 0300 123 1110 are free, and Alcoholics Anonymous and SMART Recovery run peer-support meetings you can find online.
Other local and national support verified for this area includes:
If you need urgent help now
This is not a crisis service. If anyone is in immediate danger call 999. For urgent mental health support, call Lifeline free on 0808 808 8000. Lifeline is free on 0808 808 8000, and the Samaritans are on 116 123.
Newtownabbey questions
Online Addiction Counselling in Newtownabbey: common questions
Can I get online addiction counselling if I live in Newtownabbey?
Yes. I work with people right across Newtownabbey, from Glengormley and the centre outwards, and anywhere else in Northern Ireland, by secure video, no need to travel to Hove, and just as confidential as meeting in the room.
Do I have to be abstinent before we start?
No. We begin wherever you are. The work is about understanding the need the behaviour has been meeting, not passing a test first.
Can you help with gambling or behavioural addictions, not just substances?
Yes. The same approach applies to gambling, food and other compulsive behaviours, because we work with the underlying pattern rather than only the substance.
Is it really confidential if I'm worried about people finding out?
Completely. Sessions are private, online means no waiting room, and everything is held under the BACP Ethical Framework.
Can I get addiction support without going into Belfast?
Yes. Sessions are held online by secure video, so you can talk from home in Newtownabbey rather than travelling into the city. The counsellor works across Northern Ireland from a Hove base, which many find more private and far easier to fit around work.
How soon can I start addiction counselling in Newtownabbey?
Usually within a week or two. We open with a free 15-minute consultation, then arrange a first full session to suit you. Because everything is online by secure video, you can begin from home along the loughshore or up in Glengormley with no waiting list and no trip into Belfast.
How do your fees compare with NHS addiction services in Newtownabbey?
NHS addiction support here runs through the Northern Health and Social Care Trust and is free, though waits can be long. My fees are £80 for 60 minutes, £100 for 90 and £120 for 120, after a free 15-minute consultation, with no delay before you start.
Can I have evening online addiction sessions in Newtownabbey?
Yes. Evening slots suit people driving the M2 into Belfast and back each day. Sessions are held by secure video from home, from Rathcoole to Whiteabbey, so you need only a private space and a reliable connection rather than another journey after work.
Can I get help without going into Belfast?
Yes. Sessions are online by secure video, so you can talk from home in Newtownabbey rather than travelling into the city. The counsellor is based in Hove and works across Northern Ireland by video, which many people find more private and far easier to fit around work.
Online Addiction Counselling in Newtownabbey, whenever you are ready
A free fifteen-minute call is the simplest place to start, no obligation, just a chance to see if we are the right fit.
Also available online across Northern Ireland: Belfast, Ballymena. See all of Northern Ireland.
All counselling & therapy in Newtownabbey: Substance Use · Drinking Problems · Anxiety · Depression · Relationship · Trauma · Counselling & Therapy · Psychotherapy.
Closer to the Sussex coast? The same addiction counselling is available in person in Brighton & Hove, or see all in-person areas.