Healing Ways Counselling

Welcome to Healing Ways Counselling. My name is Karen Longmore, and I am a Professional Counsellor with a Diploma in Humanistic Counselling. I am also a Registered member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and adhere to the BACP’s Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions.

Within my Counselling Service, I offer a safe, calm, supportive and confidential environment, where your thoughts and feelings can be explored concerning past or present issues. I offer both INDIVIDUAL and COUPLES COUNSELLING on a short-term or open-ended basis, which can be daytime or evening sessions. I have a dedicated therapy room at my private practice, which is set in peaceful and comfortable surroundings.

I offer counselling and therapy for both adults and young people alike for the following issues:-

ABUSE, ADDICTION, ANGER MANAGEMENT, ANXIETY, BEREAVEMENT, BODY IMAGE ISSUES, BULLYING, DEPRESSION, EATING DISORDERS, LOSS, LOW SELF-ESTEEM, OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER, PANIC DISORDER, PHOBIAS, RELATIONSHIP DIFFICULTIES, SELF-HARM, SEXUAL ABUSE, SEPARATION & DIVORCE, STRESS, TRAUMA,
WORK RELATED ISSUES.

In addition to my Private Practice, I have over eight years experience working in various Voluntary Organisations. I have three-and-a-half years experience as a Volunteer Counsellor at the Portsmouth Abuse and Rape Counselling service, offering counselling and support to men and women who have experienced sexual violation in the past, or more recently. I also have five years experience of working for Off-The-Record in Havant, firstly as a Support Worker for two years and then as a Volunteer Counsellor for three years, counselling young people from 11 to 25 years. Additionally, I have over a year’s experience of working for The Carers Support Service in Chichester in Chichester, counselling adults who need support in their role as carer to a spouse, partner, child, parent or relative. The three organisations have given me valuable knowledge and experience of working with a diverse range of people.

My model of counselling is called Humanistic, and I incorporate the following approaches into my work: Person-Centred, Gestalt, Transactional Analysis, and some Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. I tailor the way that I work to suit the particular needs of the individual client or couple. My approach is warm and caring, and it is also client led. This means that we will work together on the issues that you choose to bring to the session each time.

I believe that the relationship between counsellor and client(s) plays an important role in the success of the therapy. Therefore, I would be working at establishing a good rapport, and building up trust in the relationship between us. I would do this by being empathic, and actively listening to everything you say, in order to demonstrate a deep understanding of your personal experience. This, in turn, validates your unique experience, and allows you to feel that you are being truly heard. I will also accept and value you positively as an individual person. In addition, I will strive to relate to you in a real, genuine, and open way.

Everyone will experience emotional difficulties or issues at some time in their lives. This could involve feeling confused, overwhelmed, or that life is out of control. Counselling offers you the time, space, and opportunity to explore your thoughts and feelings in a safe, supported, and non-judgemental environment. This enables you to gain more clarity and understanding about your situation which, in turn, brings about more personal awareness. Increased awareness can help you to feel more empowered, so that you can make informed choices on ways of moving forward in your life. I believe that everyone has the innate ability within themselves to heal and grow, and reach their full potential.

Aims of Counselling:-

a) Look beyond the presenting issues to possible underlying causes.
b) Identify what might be stopping you from reaching your full potential.
c) Help you understand yourself better and to accept yourself.
d) Change behaviour to that which is more productive for you.
e) Encourage you to use your inner resources to become more self-sufficient.
f) To increase confidence and self-esteem.
g) To develop coping strategies, in order to be able to deal with stressful situations, or times of crisis, more effectively.

COUPLES COUNSELLING – My role is as a facilitator to help couples to explore their own thoughts and feelings in relation to any issues, conflicts, misunderstandings and miscommunication that they may be facing in the relationship between them. During the session, couples will have the opportunity to take turns in actively listening to the other partner speaking and expressing his/her feelings about a particular situation – the aim being to “feel heard and understood by your partner”. Once the couple have gained more of a mutual understanding about what is occurring in their relationship, they can then explore ways of negotiating their differences and find more effective ways of communicating, as a way of moving forward.

Aims of Couples Counselling;-

a) Improving communication together, both on an emotional and a practical level.
b) Improving your ability to negotiate and to compromise more successfully.
c) Better acceptance of your own personal boundaries and individual responsibility.
d) Greater ability to respond in a more flexible and tolerant way in the relationship.

I am aware that some people have difficulty in talking about their problems and expressing themselves. Therefore, I also offer the option of working creatively as being another avenue in which you can connect with your innermost thoughts and feelings. This could involve working with a variety of art materials, stones or sandtray. You do not need to be a brilliant artist in order to work in this manner, as there is no right or wrong method of doing this. Working creatively can be an effective and powerful tool, which can also be liberating. Working in this way can also bring unconscious feelings to a conscious level, in the form of an image or symbol, which can then be explored. The whole process can be incredibly healing and carthartic.

I offer a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION SESSION.

Thereafter, I charge £40 per hour session for an INDIVIDUAL
and £45 per hour session for COUPLES COUNSELLING

A discounted rate is available for students or those on a low income.