Alcohol
For when drinking has stopped feeling like a choice.
Online Addiction Counselling · Wigan
Online Addiction Counselling in Wigan
Online addiction counselling 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
Addiction Counselling 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.
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.
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-related conditions (narrow definition) was 485.7 per 100,000 in 2023/24, below the England average of 504.1 per 100,000. Source: OHID Fingertips – Admission episodes for alcohol-related conditions (narrow) (2023/24).
the rate of deaths from drug misuse was 6 per 100,000 in 2022 - 24, above the England average of 5.8 per 100,000. Source: OHID Fingertips – Deaths from drug misuse (2022 - 24).
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.
Book a free 15-minute callWhat I help with
How online addiction counselling in Wigan 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.
Drug, 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 Addiction Counselling in Wigan: common questions
Can I get online addiction counselling 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 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.
Online Addiction Counselling 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.
Other online support from Wigan: Substance Use, Drinking, Anxiety, Depression, Relationship, Trauma.