Anxiety and worry
When your mind will not settle and everything feels urgent.
Online Counselling and Therapy · Wigan
Online Counselling and Therapy in Wigan
Online counselling and therapy for Wigan, by secure video. From a base in Hove I work with people across Wigan, from the town centre and the pier to the streets around the rugby league heritage, 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 Wigan
Counselling and Therapy for Wigan, at a glance
- Areas covered online
- All of Wigan: from the town centre and the pier to Ince, Pemberton and Hindley
- Known for
- Wigan Pier, the rugby league heritage and the flashes
- Region
- North West (England)
- Local NHS / support route
- Wigan Talking Therapies
- Format
- Secure video, UK-wide. In-person also available on the Sussex coast.
Life in Wigan
Why people in Wigan reach out
Wigan is a proud former mining and mill town between Manchester and Liverpool, with a strong identity and the lasting marks of industrial decline. Insecure work and money worries are part of daily life for many, and the local pride in coping can make it hard to admit when things are difficult.
Wigan stands between Manchester and Liverpool with a fierce identity all its own. The Pier on the Leeds–Liverpool Canal made its name, immortalised by Orwell, and the rugby league at the Brick Community Stadium runs in the blood. This was mining and mill country, and the character it left is proud, warm and quick to laugh. Beyond the centre, Ince, Pemberton, Hindley and Standish each have their own feel, and the flashes, those flooded old workings turned to wetland, bring water and birdlife close to town. Haigh Hall crowns the hill above. People here are known for getting on with it, and that same toughness can make it harder to admit when things weigh heavy.
Where the old industries have gone and there is a strong culture of just getting on with things, online keeps support discreet and within reach however stretched the week.
Wigan is served by Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and the Heinz factory at Kitt Green is one of the largest food production sites in Europe. Wigan has its own NHS Talking Therapies service run by GMMH.
Areas covered
Neighbourhoods in and around Wigan
the town centreIncePembertonHindleyStandishAspullOrrellAshton-in-Makerfield
Wherever you are in Wigan, the work is the same, a calm, confidential space shaped around you.
The local picture
The local picture in Wigan
These figures are local context from official sources, not a description of you, but they show the scale of what people in and around Wigan are living with, and why local support matters.
22.1% of adults reported a high anxiety score in 2022/23, below the England average of 23.8%. Source: OHID Fingertips – Self-reported wellbeing: high anxiety score (2022/23).
recorded depression on GP registers stood at 18.2% of patients aged 18+ in 2024/25, above the England average of 14.3%. Source: OHID Fingertips – Depression: QOF prevalence (2024/25).
Local data last reviewed June 2026. Each figure shows the year and links to the official source it was read on.
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.
I'm based in Hove and work with people in Wigan online, by video or phone. Wherever you are, in Pemberton, Hindley, Standish or nearer the centre, the session reaches you, with no trip to the station or into town to arrange. Many people find the comfort of home makes it easier to speak plainly. We'd fix a regular time that suits your week, around work or family, and keep it steady from there.
Book a free 15-minute callWhat I help with
How online counselling and therapy in Wigan can help
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 Wigan
Why people in Wigan come for counselling and therapy
The local pride in coping that runs through Wigan is a real strength, but it can also make it hard to say when things are difficult, and insecure work and money worries are part of daily life for many. Counselling is a space to be honest without having to keep up a front. I'm Bradley Riddell, based in Hove, offering talking therapy to people across Wigan online, by video or phone. From Ince, Orrell or Ashton-in-Makerfield, we'd meet at a regular time you choose, from your own front room, with no travel and nothing to arrange but a quiet hour.
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 callFinding support in Wigan
My online counselling sits alongside the help available locally. In Wigan, you can refer yourself directly to Wigan Talking Therapies for free NHS talking therapy, with no GP referral needed.
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 NHS 111 and choose the mental health option. The Samaritans are free, day or night, on 116 123, or text SHOUT to 85258.
Wigan questions
Online Counselling and Therapy in Wigan: common questions
Can I get online counselling and therapy if I live in Wigan?
Yes. I work with people right across Wigan, from the town centre and the pier outwards, and anywhere else in North West, 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.
Is this different from Wigan Talking Therapies?
Yes. I'm an independent counsellor working online from Hove, separate from Wigan Talking Therapies on the NHS. Some people see me while waiting for NHS support, others prefer private sessions from the outset. I'm happy to help you weigh up which might suit you best, with no pressure.
How quickly can I start counselling in Wigan?
Generally within a week or so. Working online from Hove means no local waiting list, so after a free fifteen-minute call I can usually offer a first session soon after. Wherever you are, from Hindley to Ashton-in-Makerfield, we meet by secure video or phone.
How much is counselling, and should I try the NHS in Wigan first?
Sessions are £80 for the standard sixty minutes, with longer options at £100 for ninety and £120 for two hours. NHS Talking Therapies is free but often has a wait, so some people start privately with me while it comes through. The first fifteen-minute consultation costs nothing.
Do you offer evening sessions for people working in Wigan?
Yes. Online work makes evenings and quieter daytime slots easier to keep, whether you are on shifts or working away from Orrell or Ince. We would agree one regular time and hold it week to week, so it becomes dependable rather than another thing to arrange.
Is this different from Wigan Talking Therapies?
Yes. I'm an independent counsellor working online from Hove, separate from Wigan Talking Therapies on the NHS. Some people see me while waiting for NHS support, others prefer private sessions from the outset. I'm happy to help you weigh up which might suit you best, with no pressure.
Online Counselling and Therapy in Wigan, 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 North West: Bolton, Manchester, Warrington. See all of North West.
All counselling & therapy in Wigan: 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.