The most creative act you will undertake is that of creating yourself

Deepak Chopra

Gina Dowd
MIACP

SUPPORTING

Psychotherapy and Counselling is a supportive and confidential service. It is available to anyone who seeks change in their life due to worries or concerns they may be experiencing. The aim of talking to a psychotherapist or counsellor is to support you in making sense of the issues facing you at this time.

A NEW PERSPECTIVE

Offering a non-judgemental approach, the therapist will help you to look at life from a new perspective and develop greater self-awareness of what is happening for you. Exploring patterns of behaviour that are causing or contributing to your current difficulties will enable you to clarify what you want from your life. .

FOR YOU

The approach offered is humanistic and integrative, which involves a number of approaches tailored to suit your individual needs. With this approach, the main focus is on the exploration of your own experiences. Together with you the therapist will explore the impact of events in your life and consider the integration of learning and experience in order to promote change and movement towards growth and fulfilment. The overall aim of support offered is to enable you to consider the patterns of behaviour in your life and the change needed to bring about fulfilment and happiness for the future

Welcome

Below is some more information on the counselling & support services provided, if you require any additional information please use any of the contact details on this page or send a message in the section below.

Older Adults

From my experience over the years, older people today face many issues which are unique to the 65+ age range. Elder Abuse, Issues of Identity, Bereavement and Separation are some of the many issues which face the older adult today. Having worked with older people for most of my career to date, I have found that support to enable the older person to express feelings of loss and change due to illness, death or abuse are so important. The support I offer is grounded in an appreciation of the wisdom and challenges faced by many older people today and the opportunity to share and express all that is relevant about ageing today.

Teenagers

One-to-one work, which supports the sharing of feelings regarding Anxiety, Change and Loss, Sexual Identity, Fears and Worries, Loneliness or Frustration. The therapeutic space I offer is an opportunity for a young person to begin to get to know themselves and figure out their own place in the world. Family sessions are offered in consultation with the younger person as a way to encourage communication and facilitate positive change within the family network.

Issues

The many issues dealt with includeChildhood Issues and Trauma, Sexual Identity, Grief, Loss and Relationship Separation, Anxiety and Depression, Personal Development, Sexual, Physical and Emotional Abuse, Self Esteem, Confidence and Assertiveness

Adults

The work of therapy is most often associated with present difficulties and a sense of unease in the world. For many, this often relates to childhood memories, experiences and introjections. My training in the psychodynamic and eclectic model affords me the opportunity to work with adults who face many challenges and upsets in their lives. For many feelings of stress, despair or anxiety lead to unhappiness in themselves and confusion around identity and the way forward. I offer adults the opportunity to talk through their concerns in a helpful and supportive way so that a person can make sense of both their feelings in body and mind. Short or long-term support is offered depending on individual needs and requirements.

Counselling

Sessions are normally held on a weekly basis and are one hour in duration. Work can be both long or short term depending on the clients needs and preference. Talking in confidence will give you the space and time you need to talk through your concerns and seek the most appropriate solution for you at this time.

Children

This work offers an opportunity to young children to explore issues of Anxiety, Loss, Change or Upset that may be happening in their lives. Working alongside parents in family sessions promotes the interaction and communications patterns that facilitate change. All work requires parental consent and initial family consultation. I work with children from age 4+.

Helping clients to land and feel grounded is an essential and important part of our work together. Most people at some time or another report feeling chaotic, ungrounded, uncertain or just plain confused. We work together to integrate body and mind so that the two can connect and begin to reintrage a different path in life

Gina Dowd
Counselling West

My name is Gina Dowd and I work as a Counsellor/Psychotherapist with Adults, Adolescents and Children. I am based in Tuam, centrally located on the Dublin Road. I have been providing counselling and support to individuals and families for over 16 years in various settings. A qualified Psychotherapist, I trained with the Tivoli Institute in Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy. I am a member of the Irish Association of Counselling Practitioners and am Garda vetted and Children First trained by the HSE.

My initial training was in Social Work. I have worked both within the public and private sector of the HSE and NHS in Ireland and the UK. Having completed a Degree and Masters in Social Work I gained further training in Bereavement and Loss, Family Therapy, Children and Loss, Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. My experience includes work with Bereaved Adults and Children in Hospice and Palliative Care Teams, Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse, direct work with Children and Teenagers experiencing Anxiety and Loss. Personal development in Yoga training with adults and children has enabled me to incorporate and understanding of both body and mind in my counselling approach.

Read Gina’s
Blog Here

I met Gina when I was in a very bad place. It was not my idea to go to therapy as I did not think it would help. Gina helped me to find out who I wanted to be and not to be afraid. She stayed with my thinking and did not try to convince me to change which was really helpful. She made therapy seem very normal and something which I looked forward to. She just got what I was about and it really worked for me.

I met Gina at probably the worst time in my life, my G.P had recommend therapy and I was willing to try anything. I was put at ease straight away and told I was not going mad for the first time I felt a bit of hope. I learned so many techniques to help me cope. Gina introduced me to mindfulness and I went on to do some study in this area. I am very grateful for her great support and wonderful no nonsense approach.

I cant thank Gina enough for all she gave to me during our therapy. I really did find her to be both kind and understanding. She followed everything I brought in and was able to help me make sense of what was going on. I would recommend Gina to anyone who is in any distress.

Contact
Counselling West

Psychotherapy & Counselling