Counselling and Psychotherapy in Fareham, Portsmouth, Southampton and the Surrounding Area
My name is Brent Highmore and I have been a practicing counsellor and psychotherapist in Portsmouth, Fareham and Southampton for over 15 years. I am committed to providing counselling and psychotherapy in a safe, confidential and non-judgemental environment. My main specialism is working with trauma, however I have worked with many people who have come with all manner of issues that they have felt are preventing them from having the life that they truly want. Being able to work alongside an individual who is struggling to cope with their situation, and getting to a point where they are able to move on with their life is a real privilege and keeps me motivated to continue doing this work.
Given the current situation with COVID-19 I am offering sessions either over the phone or using video calls via Zoom or VSee, whichever you find most helpful. I am anticipating this to remain the case for the time-being but am keeping a close eye on things, and hopefully can return to face-to-face sessions before the end of this year. Whilst I do appreciate the value in meeting physically for counselling, using video platforms or the phone, whilst having a safe place to talk, can still be a valuable and therapeutic experience. The issue of coronavirus in itself has been a major factor for many people I have met with, exacerbating the issues they have already been struggling with and giving another dimension to how they are trying to cope. Having time to talk over how to move forward in such unprecedented times feels now even more important to prioritise.
Within the pages of this website I will give you details of my qualifications and experience of delivering counselling and psychotherapy in a range of different environments (such as the Metropolitan Police, University of Portsmouth and Southampton Rape Crisis), and as an accredited member of BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) I abide by their ethical framework to give peace of mind to all my clients. I have also included a page containing some of the feedback I have received from individuals that I have worked with in the past, to give a snapshot of some of the benefits they have felt from engaging with counselling.
I provide counselling for individuals (16+) on an open-ended basis or for a mutually agreed time period, with the aim of enabling you to enhance your life and to live it more fully. As an integrative counsellor I may use a range of approaches which I will talk through with you during the session, to find the best possible way to help you reach your goals. This may involve some "homework" between sessions which again we will discuss.
I am also happy to provide supervision to trainee counsellors or other practitioners. I have supervised volunteer counsellors at Southampton Rape Crisis, and have also delivered clinical supervision to counsellors and social care practitioners for other organisations. As part of my current role with University of Portsmouth I facilitate group supervision for placement counsellors every week.
Along with my supervision, counselling and psychotherapy work I am also an experienced trainer in issues around SRE (Sex and Relationships Education). Within this role I have developed and delivered workshops and training programmes in schools, colleges, youth clubs and conferences for young people and professionals on topics such as relationships, consent, sexual exploitation, bullying and cyber-bullying, internet safety, violence and many more. I have, over the past three years, been working on an active bystander scheme at University of Portsmouth to help students to challenge any incidents of harassment, bullying, hate crime or sexual violence and to build a community that stands up against such issues.
During my time as a counsellor I have worked with adults and young people through a wide range of issues, some of which are highlighted below. Whilst not an exhaustive list by any means, I am just aiming to give a flavour of some of the topics that I have helped individuals to work through:
- Abuse
- Trauma and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
- Relationships
- Depression
- Stress
- Attachment Disorder
- Looked-After Children
- Anxiety
- Bereavement
- Eating Disorders
- Redundancy
- ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
- Sexuality
- Unwanted Sexual Experience
- Panic Attacks
- Addiction
My counselling practice is within easy reach of Locks Heath, Southampton, Fareham and Portsmouth. Situated in Locksheath, a quiet suburb between Southampton, Fareham and Portsmouth, my counselling room is just a few minutes drive from junction 9 of M27 (Segensworth Roundabout) and has plenty of space to park on the road outside. My counselling room is also a 10 minute walk from the bus stop and about 40 minutes walk from Swanwick Station.
There are times in life when we all feel that things are getting too much, or that we feel somehow stuck. It can seem that we have to soldier on or deal with problems on our own, but it doesn't have to be that way.
Are you looking to benefit from a place to take some time-out?
... to explore your thoughts and feelings?
... to empower yourself to make some positive changes?
... to get back some sense of control in your life again?
If the answer is yes to any or all of these questions then please don't hesitate to get in touch... and enjoy the benefits that counselling and psychotherapy can give you.
