Kathleen Cowan
Member Status: Accredited Professional
Member No: NCS17-04764
Location: Bangor
I am a qualified accredited counsellor with 16 years’ experience and based in Belfast. For thirteen of those years I worked as an Addictions Counsellor in a community based organisation enabling me to have an understanding of issues within communities. I have extensive experience working with addictions to alcohol and other substances (including prescription medication), suicide, self- harm and mental health issues including anxiety and depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalised anxiety disorder, (GAD) obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), bereavement, relationships, sexual, physical and mental abuse, low self-esteem, low self-worth, anger, guilt, shame etc. Your issues will be explored in safety of the counselling session helping you feel more in control of your life. I use an Integrative Approach based on person centred working collaboratively and drawing from different counselling approaches such as solution focused and cognitive behavioural therapy.
I believe the relationship between the client and therapist is of the utmost importance in any therapeutic work. Counselling does not tell you what to do; on the contrary, it respects your rights to make your own decisions. By providing a safe, supportive and confidential space for you to talk about how you are really feeling and help you look at the problems you are facing in a non-judgemental way. By allowing you to explore your feelings and emotions this can often help you overcome your problems when you understand your feelings better. It is giving you an opportunity to make positive change.
The work may focus on a specific problem like depression, anxiety or bereavement, or on a decision, crisis or conflict. You will be helped to find ways to tackle them and to better use your existing resources and skills to solve life's problems.
By discussing your concerns with you, counselling should be able to help you gain a better understanding of your feelings and actions, as well as suggesting ways for you to find your own solutions to your problems. It may also encourage you to identify issues more easily and take personal responsibility where appropriate and enable you to recognise the effect of other people and their actions, and to explore alternative ways of coping.