Online Counselling and Therapy · Newtownabbey

Online Counselling and Therapy in Newtownabbey

Online counselling and therapy 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.

Online across the UKSecure videoFree 15-min consultation
BACP registered member25+ years of experienceLived experience
Bradley Riddell, BACP-registered counsellor offering online counselling and therapy for Newtownabbey, introducing his approach
ConfidentialA safe, private space
Person-centredThe therapy fits you

In and around Newtownabbey

Counselling and Therapy 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
NHS psychological therapies (Northern Ireland)
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.

the Abbey Centrethe Theatre at the MillUlster University's Jordanstown sitethe Loughshore Park along Belfast Lough

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 counselling and therapy itself

Counselling and therapy here is one steady starting point for whatever you are carrying, anxiety, low mood, addiction, relationships or the past, integrative and led by you, so we begin with what matters most and shape the work around you.

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 counselling and therapy 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 call

What I help with

How online counselling and therapy in Newtownabbey can help

Anxiety and worry

When your mind will not settle and everything feels urgent.

Low mood and depression

For the flatness, exhaustion and loss of interest that drain the colour from things.

Addiction and habits

Alcohol, drugs, gambling or behaviours that have stopped feeling like a choice.

Relationships

Conflict, distance and trust, as a couple or on your own.

Trauma and the past

When something you have been through still shapes your present.

Life feeling stuck

For the big transitions, losses and crossroads that leave you unsure which way to turn.

Counselling and Therapy in Newtownabbey

Why people in Newtownabbey come for counselling and therapy

Life in Newtownabbey is woven tightly into Belfast's, sharing its pace, its history and its pressures, insecure work, the strain of commuting, and the ordinary low moods that build up unnoticed. Counselling and therapy is simply a confidential space to talk things through, from the Antrim hills down to Whiteabbey by the water. Sessions are held online by secure video, so you can start from home rather than heading into the city for an appointment. Bradley is based in Hove and works UK-wide, meaning support stays private and close, whatever your week looks like.

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 call

Finding support in Newtownabbey

My online counselling sits alongside the help available locally. In Newtownabbey, your GP can refer you to talking therapies and counselling through Health and Social Care. You can find support through Lifeline, Northern Ireland's crisis helpline, free on 0808 808 8000.

Private sessions with me usually mean you can start sooner and stay with the same counsellor throughout; I am glad to work alongside any NHS or GP support you already have.

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 Counselling and Therapy in Newtownabbey: common questions

Can I get online counselling and therapy 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.

I'm not sure exactly what's wrong, can I still come?

Absolutely. You do not need a label or a clear problem to begin. We start with whatever is weighing on you most and find the thread together; if something more specific would help, I will say so.

What's the difference between counselling and psychotherapy?

Counselling tends to focus on what is happening now and can be shorter; psychotherapy goes deeper into long-standing patterns and usually runs longer. We can start with counselling and go deeper if it helps.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no fixed number. Some people come for a handful of sessions, others for longer; we review together regularly rather than committing you to an open-ended course.

Do I need a referral to start?

No referral is needed. You can arrange counselling directly and begin from home in Newtownabbey, online by secure video. Many people find that simpler than waiting for an appointment in the city. Bradley is based in Hove and works across Northern Ireland.

Can I get counselling in Newtownabbey without going into Belfast?

Yes. Sessions are online by secure video, so you talk from home in Glengormley, Rathcoole or by the loughshore. After a free 15-minute consultation, most people begin within a week, with no trip into the city for an appointment.

How does the cost compare with NHS counselling locally?

Counselling is GBP80 for 60 minutes, with 90 and 120-minute sessions at GBP100 and GBP120, plus a free 15-minute consultation. NHS talking therapies through your GP are free but often involve a wait, while private online sessions can usually start sooner.

Do you offer evening sessions for people commuting from Newtownabbey?

Yes. Evening appointments by secure video let you talk after the M2 commute without heading back out. Many in Newtownabbey find a quiet hour at home, whether up in Glengormley or down by Whiteabbey, easier to keep than a daytime clinic visit.

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 Counselling and Therapy 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: Addiction · Substance Use · Drinking Problems · Anxiety · Depression · Relationship · Trauma · Psychotherapy.

Closer to the Sussex coast? The same counselling and therapy is available in person in Brighton & Hove, or see all in-person areas.