Adrienne Cossom

I’m glad you’re visiting my page.  Finding the right fit with a counsellor is important for getting what you need from counselling.

I am an Individual and Couples Therapist who works with teens and adults.  I offer both in-person appointments in Port Coquitlam as well as phone and video sessions.  I bring 20 years of counselling experience, mostly with community agencies.

It’s not easy to reach out for help.  What I commonly hear from clients is that I’m easy to talk to and help them feel at ease in sessions.  People also notice I’m professional and committed to ethical practice, especially confidentiality.  I strive to create safety in counselling. This means I bring respect for all identities and orientations.

I offer free 15-minute phone consultations.  If you are struggling with any of these issues, let's talk:

• Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed
• Low confidence, mood, and motivation
• Disconnection or conflict in relationships, especially with a spouse
• Critical self-talk and low self-esteem
• Dependency or addiction with substances or behaviours (e.g. gambling)
• Grief
• Difficulties adjusting to changes and transitions
• The impact of trauma

Why Counselling Can Help

We all feel stuck and overwhelmed at times.  Joining me for a counselling session can help because you:

• Talk with someone who is supportive, non-judgmental and trained in helping people find solutions to problems
• Gain new ways of looking at yourself or the situation
• Walk away with stronger skills and effective strategies to try

What You Can Expect

I am a Registered Clinical Social Worker (RCSW).  This is an additional designation which recognizes advanced training and skills in mental health, counselling, and human development.  An RCSW has 3,000 hours of post-graduate supervised clinical experience and passed a comprehensive North American clinical board exam.  I am accountable for my practice through adherence to the British Columbia College of Social Workers Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.

I have experience in:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy:  focuses on how thoughts-feelings-behaviour are connected and helps you to identify and change unhelpful patterns so you can feel more in control.
• Couples Therapy: I draw on both practical tools from the Gottman Approach and an attachment perspective from Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy which helps to interrupt negative patterns and strengthen bonds.
• Trauma Informed Therapy:  I focus on setting up safety and control, so you don’t leave a session feeling worse.  I can help you to connect with the ways trauma shows up in your body, emotions and thoughts and safely release this.
• Addictions: Having worked with gambling, gaming and substance addiction for 15 years, I understand the complexity of these issues and what is needed in recovery.  I’m familiar with 12-step work and will make a recovery plan that works for you.