About Me
Hello, I’m Linda Cowan.
I’m a children wellbeing author and a retired counsellor with over 15 years’ experience supporting individuals through anxiety, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, and emotional challenges.
I hold a Master’s degree in Counselling and Therapeutic Communication from the University of Ulster, Jordanstown, and I am also trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Why I Created the Murphy Books
During my years as a counsellor, I worked mainly with adults.
Yet over time, I began to notice something deeply significant.
Many of the struggles people faced later in life — anxiety, lack of confidence, difficulty managing emotions — often had their roots in childhood.
This stayed with me.
It made me realise how important it is to support children early, helping them feel safe, confident, and understood before those struggles take hold.
That is what led me to create the Murphy series — gentle, reassuring stories designed to support children’s emotional wellbeing.
As a children wellbeing author, my goal is to provide simple, supportive tools that help children grow in confidence and emotional strength.
Meet Murphy
Murphy is a little dog with a big heart.
Through his adventures, children learn how to:
- Manage worries and anxiety
- Build confidence
- Show kindness
- Understand and express their feelings
Each story is written to feel calm, comforting, and easy for children to relate to — while quietly offering tools that can make a real difference.
My Approach
My work is rooted in compassion, understanding, and real-life experience.
As a counsellor, I saw first-hand how powerful it can be when someone feels heard, supported, and valued.
I bring that same approach into my writing as a children wellbeing author, helping children feel safe, capable, and accepted just as they are.
These books are not about pressure or perfection — they are about helping children:
- Feel safe
- Feel capable
- Feel accepted just as they are
For Parents and Carers
If you are here, you may be looking for ways to support a child who is anxious, shy, or struggling with big emotions.
Please know — you are not alone.
Through my books and resources, my hope as a children wellbeing author is to gently support both you and your child, offering simple, practical ways to build confidence, calm, and emotional strength.
A Final Thought
In my years of counselling, I have seen how even the smallest moments in childhood can leave a lasting impression — both the difficult ones, and the deeply nurturing ones.
A kind word, a listening ear, a gentle reassurance — these are often the things that stay with us far longer than we realise.
That is why I believe so strongly in supporting children early, in simple and compassionate ways.
We do not need to have all the answers as parents or carers. What matters most is presence, patience, and a willingness to understand.
Through the Murphy stories, I hope to offer something gentle and reassuring — not only for children, but for the adults who care for them too.
Because when a child feels safe, heard, and valued, they begin to believe in themselves.
And that belief can carry them forward, helping them face life with greater confidence, calm, and resilience.
Thank you for being here.
— Linda
Explore the Murphy Books
