Advocating for well-being
November 1, 2025
Whether in the wrestling ring or through the pages of a book, empowering individuals to uplift their lives is a core mission of Cowann Owens ’10 ’25. Owens, a double alum, earned his master of science in social work (MSSW) and doctor of social work (DSW) from the Kent School of Social Work and Family Science.
His mission as a social worker goes beyond classrooms and traditional practices – the UofL alum has dedicated his life to exploring different scenarios to improve his community’s well-being. You name it – counseling veterans, authoring a mental health cookbook and even professional wrestling are some of the ways Owens makes a difference and helps people “leave hopefully happier than they were when they came to me.”
Owens's journey toward a life serving others began when he was pursuing a bachelor’s in psychology around two decades ago, aiming to reach his final goal of helping people through meaningful conversations. It was then that Owens, a Louisville native, realized he could help many and achieve much more as a social worker.
"Social work means so much to me. I felt like I needed to be the best at it as possible, and I feel like the only way I can claim to do that is by pursuing the highest level of education in it," Owens said.
While pursuing his master of science, Owens developed a strong relationship with Anita Barbee, a UofL professor who inspired him with her ambition in the field. Years later, when the doctor of social work program was first established at UofL, Barbee recommended Owens apply for candidacy. Her support and confidence were crucial for Owens as he returned to UofL to further his educational goals while working full-time in the field.
Owens, who has more than 17 years of experience in the social work industry, currently serves U.S. veterans in his role as a Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) team supervisor at Veterans Affairs. Through therapy, counseling and mental health advocacy, Owens aims to be a beacon of hope for many struggling individuals seeking assistance.
“(It’s) exponential growth – when I'm helping one individual client in my office, I'm helping one individual client and a whole family behind them”, Owens said. “Being able to take roadblocks, barriers, deficits, challenges, think outside the box and find strategies to creatively resolve issues that exist” is one of the things he enjoys the most about working with veterans, he added.
Outside of his work routine, Owens finds “unconventional” ways to help people find joy. During his free time, he takes on the role of local professional wrestler "Big Zo." Owens sees his professional wrestling journey as an opportunity to create a tie with the audience and embrace the activity as an outlet to release his own emotions. “It’s about connecting with the crowd,” Owens said. “It’s an opportunity to transform stressful times and stressful situations, to suspend disbelief, to focus on something that brings you an emotional roller coaster.”
Through wrestling, Owens still finds a way to uplift others around him by helping the audience get excited. He performs his career as a social worker and his professional wrestling career “all for the same reason,” he said, “to help others.”
In addition, Owens, inspired by his late mother’s dreams of writing, embarked on a journey to author a mental health book. Owens suffered a tragic accident in 2020 when he was hit by a car as he was crossing a street, resulting in severe injuries. This experience compelled him to help others struggling with mental health issues, allowing him write “Cooking Up Counseling: A Recipe for Peace in Unsavory Times.”
Through cooking metaphors, analogies and meaningful recipes, Owens offers wisdom and practical tools for mental health counseling with food as a universal connector. “I wrote this book to help give people some tools and resources, even if you don't want to come to therapy. Let me help you walk through what it looks like and kind of take the veil back,” Owens said.
Owens’s life is dedicated to uplifting others and improving their quality of life. He found that drive from his time at UofL.
“UofL’s professors’ support and encouragement during my master’s made me feel loyal to the school, and I knew where I had to go for my doctoral degree,” Owens said.
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