Gosia Hogan

I know what it is like to face the fact that you can no longer make it on your own; that you need help untangling the knots of fear, pain, and meaninglessness. I know how vulnerable it feels to sit in front of a stranger and tell your story of confusion and disappointment.

My name is Gosia Hogan and I am a fully qualified integrative psychotherapist working from a person-centred and humanistic framework. However, before I became a therapist, I too was a client undergoing psychotherapy for 4 years during my professional training.

I discovered that what helped me on my journey was to know the values of my therapist. Before I would expose my most vulnerable self to another, I wanted to know that I was in safe hands. I wanted to know who they were and not only what professional qualifications and titles they carried. After all, our beliefs and values inform all that we do, professionally and in our day-to-day lives.

That is why I would like to introduce myself to you, so that you can make an informed decision of whether to trust me to carry your burdens for a little while.

I believe that each of us has an innate potential to move towards healing and growth. The role of therapy as I see it is to remove the obstacles (past and present) that stand in the way of achieving that wholeness.
I believe that we all thrive in the atmosphere of safety, acceptance and love but close up in pain when we sense criticism or judgement.
I believe that we get hurt in relationships and we heal in relationships. That’s why we need the presence of a compassionate other to work on our interpersonal wounds.
I believe that it is not possible to understand a person without appreciating the importance of their family, social network and culture in shaping of who they are.
I believe in a holistic view of wellness. When working with clients, I pay attention not only to psychological aspects but also physical and spiritual dimensions that are intricately connected to mental health.
I believe in respect towards others. My focus is not on blaming those who hurt us but rather directing our energies towards emotional freedom from unhealthy entanglements.
And finally, I believe in the quiet power of self-compassion, hope and patience to transform lives.

Whatever issues you are challenged with, be it depression, anxiety, stress or grief, you are not going to sit face to face with a person who knows it all and looks down on your struggles. On the contrary, I have been where you are now and I can promise that there is hope. I will patiently accompany you through your pain with compassion and respect. I will provide a safe, confidential space for your story to unfold.

Most of my work is practised in a traditional form of talking therapy. However, I also use sandplay therapy, especially for clients who find talking about issues more difficult. Additionally, I may bring my canine co-therapist Ruby when clients find interaction with another human being a bit challenging due to severe anxiety or post-traumatic stress. Ruby offers gentle love in a non-threatening way and is a precious addition to my practice. You can find more information about animal-assisted psychotherapy in the blog section of this website.

Finally, apart from pet-assisted psychotherapy I also specialise in existential concerns, end-of-life issues and chronic illness support.

Media Contributions

Virgin Media

Gosia shared her expertise on the subject of human-animal bond with the Irish Examiner in their exploration of the possible benefits of allowing dogs into the workplace.

She was also the guest on Virgin Media’s Ireland Am discussing the importance of pets in the lives of their owners.

RTE

Click here to see Gosia’s interview with RTE radio programme ‘the Business’, where Gosia spoke about her experiences of using her dog in therapy sessions