Drugs and substances
Confidential support for any kind of substance use.
Online Substance Use Counselling · Cheltenham
Online Substance Use Counselling in Cheltenham
Online substance use counselling for Cheltenham, by secure video. From a base in Hove I work with people across Cheltenham, from the Promenade and Montpellier to the streets around the Pittville Pump Room, 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 Cheltenham
Substance Use Counselling for Cheltenham, at a glance
- Areas covered online
- All of Cheltenham: from the Promenade and Montpellier to Pittville, Charlton Kings and Hesters Way
- Known for
- The Promenade, the Pittville Pump Room and the racecourse
- Region
- South 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 Cheltenham
Why people in Cheltenham reach out
Cheltenham wears its regency elegance and its festivals proudly, but the polished surface can make difficulty feel like something to hide, and the town holds sharp contrasts between affluence and hardship. The pressure to keep up appearances in a smart, sociable town can leave people anxious and slow to ask for help.
Cheltenham dresses well. The Promenade's Regency terraces, the boutiques of Montpellier and the greenery of Pittville set a tone of ease that the festival season, from literature to jazz, only heightens. Much of the town's working life is quietly demanding, though: GCHQ draws a large, discreet professional workforce, the racecourse at Prestbury Park brings the intensity of the Gold Cup each spring, and private schooling shapes a culture of high expectation. Away from the smart streets, estates such as Hesters Way tell a different story. In a town so invested in appearances, admitting that you are anxious or worn thin can feel like breaking the spell, which is why a private, judgement-free conversation can be such a relief.
In a well-heeled town the pressure to look in control runs high, so online sessions stay discreet, with no clinic to be seen entering.
Cheltenham is home to GCHQ (the UK government's intelligence and security agency) and Cheltenham Racecourse, host of the Cheltenham Festival; the town is also known for its literature, jazz and science festivals.
Areas covered
Neighbourhoods in and around Cheltenham
MontpellierPittvilleCharlton KingsHesters WayLeckhamptonThe SuffolksPrestburyBenhallFairviewLansdown
Wherever you are in Cheltenham, the work is the same, a calm, confidential space shaped around you.
The local picture
The local picture in Cheltenham
These figures are local context from official sources, not a description of you, but they show the scale of what people in and around Cheltenham are living with, and why local support matters.
the rate of deaths from drug misuse was 5.1 per 100,000 in 2022 - 24, below the England average of 5.8 per 100,000. Source: OHID Fingertips – Deaths from drug misuse (2022 - 24).
3.8 adults per 1,000 were in treatment at specialist drug-misuse services in 2020/21, below the England average of 4.5 per 1,000. Source: OHID Fingertips – Adults in treatment at specialist drug misuse services (2020/21).
Local data last reviewed June 2026. Each figure shows the year and links to the official source it was read on.
The substance use counselling itself
Substance use counselling here is non-judgemental and one-to-one, working with the pain, fear or loneliness the substance has been managing, at a pace that protects your sense of safety.
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 substance use 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.
Cheltenham Spa station links the town to Gloucester, Bristol and Birmingham, with the M5 close and Gloucester almost next door, though the station sits a little way from the centre. Secure online sessions do away with the trip altogether, so we can meet from wherever feels private to you. The consulting room is in Hove, so Cheltenham is served online; in-person appointments suit only those able to reach the Sussex coast.
Book a free 15-minute callWhat I help with
How online substance use counselling in Cheltenham can help
The false self
Letting go of the protective self that no longer serves you.
Specialised attention
One-to-one sessions shaped entirely around you.
Self-discovery
Rediscovering the authentic self beneath the coping.
Anxiety and low mood
Treating what the substance has been masking.
Sustainable change
Growing into recovery rather than forcing it.
Substance Use Counselling in Cheltenham
Why people in Cheltenham come for substance use counselling
In a smart, sociable town like Cheltenham, substance use can stay well hidden beneath a polished surface. Whether tied to the intensity of race week, a discreet high-pressure career, or simply keeping up in a place that prizes ease, something that began socially can quietly become harder to control. Counselling gives you a genuinely confidential space to understand what the substance is doing for you. Discretion matters here, and sessions are held by secure video with nothing going through any employer. The room is in Hove, so Cheltenham is served online, with in-person visits only for those able to reach the Sussex coast.
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 Cheltenham
My online counselling sits alongside the help available locally. In Cheltenham, free local drug and alcohol support is available through Gloucestershire County Council's drug and alcohol recovery support.
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.
Cheltenham questions
Online Substance Use Counselling in Cheltenham: common questions
Can I get online substance use counselling if I live in Cheltenham?
Yes. I work with people right across Cheltenham, from the Promenade and Montpellier outwards, and anywhere else in South West, by secure video, no need to travel to Hove, and just as confidential as meeting in the room.
Can I get support while I'm still using?
Yes. This is non-judgemental, one-to-one work that meets you where you are, and it can run alongside any medical or detox support you have.
How is this different from a group or 12-step programme?
It is individual and shaped entirely around you. Some people use it instead of groups, others alongside them.
Will you tell my GP or employer?
No. What you share is confidential within the BACP framework; nothing goes to anyone else without your consent.
I value discretion in Cheltenham. How private are the sessions?
Very. Sessions are held by secure video and are entirely confidential, taken from wherever you feel private, with nothing going through your employer. The counselling room is in Hove, so we would meet online rather than anywhere in Cheltenham.
Can I begin substance use counselling online in Cheltenham this week?
Often yes. After a short message we set up a free 15-minute call, then arrange your first session, frequently within the same week. Because we meet online, you can talk from home anywhere in Cheltenham, whether that is Charlton Kings, Hesters Way or Leckhampton, with no waiting list to join.
How much does private substance use counselling cost compared with NHS options in Cheltenham?
I charge £80 for 60 minutes, £100 for 90 minutes and £120 for two hours, and the initial 15-minute consultation is free. NHS drug services and GP referrals in Cheltenham are free of charge but often have waits, while private sessions can start quickly and stay flexible around you.
Do you offer evening online sessions for substance use counselling in Cheltenham?
I hold some appointments later in the day, which helps if you work shifts or long hours around Cheltenham. Sessions are online, so you join from wherever feels private, from The Suffolks to Prestbury. In-person work is only at my Hove room, for those who can reach the Sussex coast.
I work at GCHQ and value discretion. How private are the sessions?
Very. Sessions are held by secure video and are entirely confidential, taken from wherever you feel private. Nothing goes through your employer. The counselling room is in Hove, so we would meet online rather than anywhere in Cheltenham.
In a town so focused on appearances, will anyone know I'm having counselling?
No. Meeting online means there is no waiting room and no local premises to be seen visiting. We speak by secure video from somewhere private at home. The room is in Hove, so Cheltenham is served online rather than in person.
Online Substance Use Counselling in Cheltenham, 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 South West: Gloucester, Worcester. See all of South West.
All counselling & therapy in Cheltenham: Addiction · Drinking Problems · Anxiety · Depression · Relationship · Trauma · Counselling & Therapy · Psychotherapy.
Closer to the Sussex coast? The same substance use counselling is available in person in Brighton & Hove, or see all in-person areas.