Daily or binge drinking
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Online Counselling for Drinking Problems · Wigan
Online Counselling for Drinking Problems in Wigan
Online counselling for drinking problems 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 for Drinking Problems 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
- Local council drug & alcohol service (see below)
- 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.
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.
the rate of hospital admissions for alcohol-specific conditions was 775.9 per 100,000 in 2023/24, above the England average of 611.7 per 100,000. Source: OHID Fingertips – Admission episodes for alcohol-specific conditions (2023/24).
the alcohol-specific death rate was 19.7 per 100,000 in 2024, above the England average of 13.8 per 100,000. Source: OHID Fingertips – Alcohol-specific mortality (2024).
Local data last reviewed June 2026. Each figure shows the year and links to the official source it was read on.
The counselling for drinking problems itself
Counselling for drinking problems here looks beneath the habit at what drives it, you do not need to have hit rock bottom to begin, and signposts medical, detox and peer support where useful.
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 for drinking problems 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 for drinking problems in Wigan can help
The cause, not the habit
Looking beneath the drinking to what drives it.
Anxiety and low mood
Working with what the alcohol has been managing.
Privacy at home
Sensitive support without anyone needing to know.
Signposting
Links to medical, detox and peer support where useful.
Without the anaesthetic
Reconnecting with the person beneath the drinking.
Counselling for Drinking Problems in Wigan
Why people in Wigan come for counselling for drinking problems
In Wigan, sharing a drink is part of the fabric of the town, from the rugby to a Friday after work, and that makes it easy for drinking to creep up quietly. The local pride in coping can keep a problem hidden long after it's started to weigh on you. I'm Bradley Riddell, a counsellor in Hove, and I work with people across Wigan online, by secure video or phone. We look honestly at your drinking and what's beneath it, at your pace, with no lectures and no waiting list, from your own front room whenever suits.
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 Wigan
My online counselling sits alongside the help available locally. You can find your nearest free NHS-funded drug and alcohol service via the NHS “find a service” directory (search “Wigan”).
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 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 for Drinking Problems in Wigan: common questions
Can I get online counselling for drinking problems 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.
Do I have to stop drinking completely to start?
No, and you do not need to have hit rock bottom. We look at the role drinking plays and find a steadier way forward at your pace.
Can you help me cut down rather than quit?
For many people moderation is a valid goal, and we will be honest together about what is realistic for you.
What if I've tried before and relapsed?
Relapse is part of many people's recovery, not a failure. We learn from it rather than start the count again from zero.
Everyone round here drinks. How do I know when it's too much?
It's less about comparing yourself to others and more about the impact on you. If drinking is affecting your sleep, mood, money or relationships, or you've tried to cut back and couldn't, that's a sign worth taking seriously, wherever you are in Wigan.
How do I start counselling for a drinking problem in Wigan?
You book a free 15-minute consultation, we talk over what is troubling you, and if it feels right we set a first session, usually within a week. It is online from Hove, so wherever you are in Wigan, from Orrell to Aspull, you can begin at home.
What are your drinking counselling fees against NHS help in Wigan?
Wigan's NHS alcohol services are free at the point of use but can involve a wait. With me there is a free 15-minute consultation, then GBP 80 for an hour, GBP 100 for 90 minutes and GBP 120 for two hours, with no extras.
Is online as good as in person for drinking in Wigan, and can it be evenings?
Many people find home the easier place to admit when drinking weighs heavy, and online keeps that. There is a proud instinct here to get on with it; online lowers the step of asking. My room is in Hove only, and evenings are usually available.
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 for Drinking Problems 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 · Anxiety · Depression · Relationship · Trauma · Counselling & Therapy · Psychotherapy.
Closer to the Sussex coast? The same counselling for drinking problems is available in person in Brighton & Hove, or see all in-person areas.