Francis Lickerish

Francis Lickerish is a family therapist and addiction specialist at Nightingale Hospital with over 20 years of experience in the field of addiction counselling. He specialises in working with individuals and families affected by alcohol and drug addiction, as well as behavioural addictions and the interpersonal challenges that often arise within these dynamics. His therapeutic approach places particular emphasis on how addiction impacts the entire family system, and he works to support recovery by addressing the relational patterns that contribute to or are affected by addiction.

Francis has led family therapy programmes and addiction services at several major treatment centres, including Clouds House, The Priory Roehampton, North London Priory, Farm Place, and Nightingale Hospital. His work combines therapeutic expertise with a deep understanding of the historical and social roots of addiction, and he is currently writing a book exploring addiction through this broader lens.

In addition to his clinical work, Francis delivers educational workshops in schools and colleges on the nature of addiction and how it can be managed within wider systems. He also works internationally as a consultant and interventionist, with experience supporting clients and families in the United States, South Africa, Dubai, and Spain.

Francis is trained in group work through programmes in Cambridge and at the Tavistock Clinic in London. He holds a Postgraduate Certificate from the University of Sheffield and a Postgraduate Diploma from King’s College London. He is also a Certified Application Counsellor (CAC) and is currently working towards a PhD.

His work is rooted in the belief that addiction is a systemic condition that must be understood in its social, historical, and relational context. He is particularly passionate about addressing the gaps in effective family therapy and improving education around the addictive process.