5: Heroin, Harrods & Heartbreak: Karen Cowan

The pods very own psychologist, Karen Cowan, takes the hot seat in this extended edition, opening up about her tumultuous upbringing in an aristocratic yet deeply dysfunctional family. Born into wealth overshadowed by heroin addiction, alcoholism, and bipolar disorder, she navigated a childhood filled with fear, anxiety, and debilitating asthma—never truly feeling safe.Forced to grow up fast, Karen found strength in protecting her younger sister, helping her cope with her father’s imprisonment and her mother’s repeated hospitalisations due to alcoholism and mental illness. She also reflects on the painful consequences of her mother’s forbidden love with a teenage boy and the subsequent emotional toll.Ultimately, it was love that saved Karen, her marriage to film producer Paul Cowan (The Crying Game, The Krays, Dance with a Stranger) became her anchor, transforming her life and leading her to a career in mental health, resilience, and healing.