About Belfast City Counselling

Belfast City Counselling is a private practice run by Andrew Fitzpatrick, specialising in Addiction and Mental Health.  

I have many years experience in working with those affected by addiction and with their family members.  I am passionate about the work that I do as I know what it is like to feel trapped, held in a place where I felt worthless and hopeless.  A place that pulled me deeper and deeper into addiction, whilst pushing away those closest to me.  Finally when I came close to losing everything, they pushed back and I entered treatment.  During the process of working with my counsellor I was able to start to break down some of the barriers that I had placed around my addiction.  With professional help I started to understand my addiction and what it meant to me.  I gained a greater self-awareness and an understanding of how I had changed as a result of my addiction and what I needed to change to recover.  

I discovered that I wasn't a bad person.  However I had made a lot of bad choices and I needed to take responsibility for them and with professional help and support I was able to face these and work through them.  I did not choose addiction, it was not a life goal but by accepting that I was an addict meant that the self-loathing, shame and hatred I had for myself could be redirected at my addiction.  My addiction had changed me, distorting and twisting my awareness and understanding of myself and the things around me.  I wasn't always like that and I realised I did not have to be that person any longer and I could get back to the person that I once was and believed I could be again.

Counselling gave me a freedom that I hadn't had in years.  It gave me back the ability to choose: I could choose to go back, aware of what it would do to me and my family, or I could choose to recover, rebuild relationships and live.

Since qualifying I have worked with hundreds of clients with a range of presenting issues and backgrounds.  I also have worked with the family members of those affected by addiction.  I will treat you with respect, I will work with you to build a therapeutic alliance so that you are able to open up and trust the process.  I will at times challenge you and help you to challenge yourself so that you can start to take back control in your life.

I have had the pleasure of working with some of the most incredible people, some who have experienced horrific trauma in their lives and see them regain hope, determination, pride and self-worth.  I can not fix or cure you, but I can help you to help yourself.

Andrew Fitzpatrick 

• Private and confidential
• Professionaly trained and qualified
• Fully accredited 
• Private city centre location
• Many years experience working with hundreds of clients
• Diploma in Addiction Counselling
• Diploma in Addiction Studies
• Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Post Graduate Certificate Course (Issues of Sexual Violance)
• Sessions are for 1 hour and cost £55
• Telephone and FaceTime counselling is available

Asking for help is not an easy thing to do, It is a sign of strength not weakness to be able to recongise that you or someone close to you is struggling.  By looking at my site and maybe others you have taken the first step in helping yourself now take the next, give me a call  on +44 (0) 7855 836174 or use the contact form.