Different people. A shared purpose.

Meet the founder

Rosa Stevens

BACP Accredited Counsellor and Psychotherapist | Integrative Counsellor | Trauma-Informed Therapist | EMDR Trained

I'm Rosa, a BACP Accredited Counsellor and Psychotherapist, and the founder of Reset Life Coaching & Counselling Services in Holywood, Northern Ireland.

I have a genuine love for this profession and feel privileged to work alongside people as they navigate some of life's most challenging, confusing and transformative experiences. I believe meaningful therapeutic work begins with feeling comfortable enough to be yourself, knowing that you will be listened to, respected and met without judgement.

My approach is warm, down-to-earth and collaborative. I don't see counselling as something a therapist does to or for a client. I see it as something we work on together. I value equality within the therapeutic relationship, recognising that you are the expert in your own life and experiences, while I bring my professional knowledge, training and experience to help us make sense of what is happening and explore what might help.

I also believe therapy should have a sense of direction and purpose. I understand that choosing counselling involves an investment of time, money, trust and emotional energy, and I don't take that lightly. While personal change cannot always be measured or neatly timed, I believe it is important that our work remains connected to what matters to you.

From the outset, I like to understand what has brought you to counselling, what you would like to be different and what you hope to take away from the experience. We can then establish a shared focus, revisit your goals as things change and recognise the progress you make along the way.

My solution-focused approach encourages us to look not only at the difficulties you are experiencing, but also at your strengths, resources, possibilities and the small, meaningful steps that can support change. This doesn't mean rushing the process, overlooking difficult experiences or expecting everything to have a quick solution. Sometimes we need time to understand the past, explore patterns and make sense of how our experiences affect the present. I aim to balance that deeper exploration with a practical awareness of what you need now and where you would like the work to take you.

Why preventative mental health support matters to me

My experience working across community and health services has strongly influenced the way I practise and the vision behind Reset. Throughout my work, I have seen how people can often find themselves accessing support only when they reach a point of significant need, distress or crisis.

While these services play an essential role, I have become increasingly passionate about changing the way we think about mental health and wellbeing.

I don't believe we should have to reach breaking point before we feel entitled to support. Just as we take steps to look after our physical health, I believe we should be able to invest in our emotional and psychological wellbeing before difficulties become overwhelming.

This is one of the reasons I take a preventative and solution-focused approach to my work. I want to help people recognise what is happening for them, understand patterns, build emotional awareness, strengthen their existing resources and explore changes that can make a meaningful difference.

Sometimes that means working through something that has been troubling someone for years. At other times, it may be about having space to pause, gain perspective, develop confidence, improve relationships or make decisions before difficulties escalate.

For me, solution-focused work is not about rushing people towards an answer or suggesting every difficulty has a simple fix. It is about creating a shared sense of direction, understanding what matters to the individual and helping them identify realistic, meaningful steps towards the changes they want to make.

My therapeutic approach

My therapeutic approach is integrative, with person-centred values at its heart. I draw upon cognitive behavioural and psychodynamic thinking, alongside trauma-informed, holistic and creative approaches. I adapt the work to the individual rather than expecting people to fit a particular model.

In simple terms: trauma-informed means understanding how trauma can affect someone and making sure the therapeutic relationship and work take that into account. It does not automatically mean providing specialist trauma treatment. What trauma-informed counselling means.

Rosa has completed European EMDR Level 1 training and is undertaking further EMDR training at Queen's University Belfast, with Level 3 training expected in December 2026. EMDR forms part of her ongoing professional development. Whether it is appropriate depends on your individual circumstances, therapeutic needs, readiness and Rosa's current training and competence.

I have particular interests in trauma, attachment, relationships, pet bereavement and loss, and the ways our experiences shape how we see ourselves and connect with others. I also offer spiritual coaching for those who wish to explore meaning, personal values and beliefs as part of their personal development.

I believe good counselling requires us to remain curious, reflective and open to learning. My work is grounded in professional ethics, appropriate boundaries, ongoing supervision and continued professional development. Warmth and compassion must sit alongside professional accountability and an awareness of our own limitations.

Working with people from different cultures and backgrounds

I welcome people from different cultures and backgrounds, and I offer counselling in both English and Italian. I remain curious about what your experiences mean to you, rather than making assumptions about your identity, beliefs or sense of belonging.

Supporting people who have immigrated to the UK is an area of interest within my practice. Moving country can bring opportunity and connection, as well as changes in relationships, cultural expectations or family life. If you want to talk about identity, adjustment, isolation or separation from loved ones, we can make space for that — without assuming these experiences are difficult or traumatic for everyone.

Counselling in Italian & Support for People Who Have Immigrated

Why I created Reset

Reset was created from a belief that mental health support should be available throughout life, not simply when things have become unmanageable.

I wanted to create something that felt a little different: a welcoming, inclusive and collaborative therapeutic space where people could access support without unnecessary barriers, where different approaches and specialisms could sit alongside one another, and where practitioners could develop their own professional identities.

I want to contribute to a different culture around mental health: one where seeking support is viewed as a positive investment in ourselves, where prevention matters as much as intervention, and where people feel able to access the right support at the right time.

I don't believe counselling should feel intimidating, overly clinical or disconnected from everyday life. It should feel human. It should make room for uncertainty, individuality, humour, difficult conversations, growth and everything in between.

Above all, I want people to feel that therapy is something we approach together. You bring your experiences, hopes, questions and knowledge of yourself; I bring my professional experience, curiosity and commitment to the work. We establish a direction together, keep checking that the work remains useful to you and make space for the unexpected along the way.

You don't have to know exactly what you need before you begin. We can work that out together.

Rosa Stevens

Qualifications & professional credentials

• BACP Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist
• NCPS Accredited Professional Registrant
• Foundation Degree in Integrative Counselling
• CPCAB Level 6 Certificate in Counselling Supervision
• CPCAB Level 4 Diploma in Life Coaching
• Specialist Couples Counselling training
• European EMDR Level 1 training completed
• Further EMDR training at Queen’s University Belfast — Level 3 expected December 2026
• Former counselling training lecturer
• Ongoing professional development and clinical supervision