Testimonials

Hope for Eating Disorders

I will never forget the day Karen Rumore picked up her phone in response to my urgent plea for help. From that initial conversation, I felt that she was the answer to my prayer. My beautiful, eighteen year old daughter had recently been diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, and was vehemently against continuing with the therapist her pediatrician had sent her to see. I had sensed something wasn’t right there, but to whom could she turn? Because I believe that illness affects not only mind, body and emotions, but one’s spirit as well, I was convinced that my daughter needed the care of an excellent therapist who treated the whole person, body and soul. I had been praying for just such a person when an amazing coincidence (I like to say “God-incidence”) led me to the Catholic Therapist website where I found Karen Rumore.

Ms. Rumorewas extremely sensitive and caring as she listened to me describe my daughter’s plight and agreed to meet with her that very day. Though I may have been intimidated at first that I had chosen a therapist for my child who was over 60 miles away, I knew by the success of their first meeting that Karen Rumore was well worth the trip. My daughter began to open up to Karen in a way she could not with the other therapist. I firmly believe that what my daughter was drawn to, through Karen’s strong faith and love for God, was the very presence of God himself. And in that safe haven my daughter provided Karen a little window into her soul. Anorexia nervosa is a difficult thing to conquer and it is possible that my daughter has a long road ahead of her. The days are still a struggle, and each moment has its challenges, but the time my daughter spends with Karen makes this burden easier for her to bear, and gives me hope that one day, in God’s time, she will be fully healed.

Father Thomas James

When I started therapy a few years ago, I was a newly ordained priest who was quite successful on the outside but hurting a great deal on the inside. If all my issues could have been put into 2 major categories, they would have been: dad issues and issues with women. (Funny: my initial evaluation before entering the seminary had already spelled this out; there was just no urgency at the time.) After much struggle, I believe it was my previous therapist who quite literally cured me of the former. He had taken my fixation and need for an older male authority figure to guide and control every dimension of my life (manifested in relationships, first with my dad, then with various religious superiors and spiritual directors) upon himself, and then turned it back on me, thus empowering me to become my own man, becoming my own father, we might say. I realized over time that he was making use of Dr. Baars’s therapy of love and affirmation, providing me with a type of fatherly love and empowerment which I had never received, so that in the context he provided, I could finally grow into a fuller masculinity. His death occurred not only after I had received what I needed from him, but also at the same time as my dad’s, which although devastating, I was finally able to handle.

God knew exactly what He was doing as he exited and Karen entered. I had formerly been close with a woman like yourself, who had consecrated her life to God and was like an older sister to me. I had hoped that she would have been an ongoing support to me as a priest. However, after my ordination our friendship painfully fell apart for reasons that I still don’t fully understand to this day. I am utterly convinced that whenever God takes away from us something that we cherish it is only because He wants to provide us with something better. As my need for so much help in relating to women, coupled with my own lack of self-love and confidence as it relates to that, was the next area of healing to conquer, the Lord couldn’t have possibly sent me anyone better than you. You have been giving me exactly the affirmation and love that I have needed to grow in this area, as we discuss all these issues, basically acting as a counterpart to my former therapist for my emotional well being. Baars speaks of providing what is missing in one’s upbringing, and in the spiritual life we speak of “spiritual fathers and mothers”. When it comes to my emotional healing, I see it as my first therapist and you providing me with the fatherhood and motherhood needed to bring me that much closer to completion as a man. I don’t know if you are even aware of all this, and I couldn’t possibly list each individual detail, but I have soaked in our conversations like a sponge.

Our talks are consistently one of the major high points of my week. The fact is, although you give tremendous advice about things like living a balanced life and pairing Christian values with common sense, and you’ve explained so many things to me about women and relationships, it is the person that you are which has brought about the majority of my growth and healing in this area. There is so much obvious conviction present in how you live your life, and there is so much obvious love and affirmation conveyed in your ministering to me. This is true in everything from your tolerance and encouragement in hearing about my ignorance and faults, to yourcongratulating me when I have succeeded. Your love for me as a client, a person, and a priest is so evident, and is exactly, in my humble opinion, what Dr. Baars intended in providing me with a foundation upon which to build a better and more complete self. It is this foundation that has led me to find a greater happiness both within me and in the world around me. It also goes together with what many have recently expressed to me as I try to employ this manner of ministry, which is that my fatherly love for them enables them to connect better with Jesus, just like yours better enables people to understand and connect with our Lady. In addition, all this is true about you on multiple levels, as your helping me is not just about affirmation, and not just about great advice, but also about the specific concern of my striving to grow in a greater respect and appreciation for women, according to God’s intentions, which I cannot help but see increase as I listen to you each week. Once again, there are so many more details to the story, but I feel that it’s only right at this time that I should at least express to you how much I respect and love you. (!!!)

Thank you for helping me so much.

Kayla

I am truly grateful for meeting you. And I will always thank God for helping me through you. God Bless, and I do not think that I could ever say thank you enough.

Jim

I am a hard headed engineer but Karen’s gentle, but persistent methods, in combination with prayer, enabled me to recognize and overcome issues from my childhood that continued to paralyze me in my adult life.

Rev. Stephen McDermott

Army Chaplain

Karen Rumore is one of the most amazing persons I have ever had the privilege to know.As a priest and Army Chaplain…I first met Karen about 10 years ago and have been truly blessed for it. Her friendly disposition makes her someone to whom it is easy to open up to and talk about difficult/personal issues. Her compassion and tenderness allows her to build a tremendous level of trust. And… her understanding of the human condition gives her the profound ability to address the issues at hand. She has never ceased to amaze me in all of these areas!

As one goes through life, it is rare to meet such a beautiful person who is blessed with both a huge heart as well as great insight into the human psyche. In Karen, you will find such a person. For this reason, I asked her on numerous occasions to help me minister to my high school group. The youth absolutely LOVED her. And when I was assigned to a garrison in Germany, I flew Karen all the way to Glendalough, Ireland to lead a weekend retreat for my parishioners.Again… she touched the hearts of all present.

If you are looking for a wonderful person you can trust to help you work through difficult problems/issues you are experiencing… I do not know another person I would more highly recommend than Karen Rumore.

Micah Sadigh, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Psychology Cedar Crest College, accomplished author, musician and speaker

I have known Karen Rumore for more than a decade, and if I were to capture her in one word, that word would be integrity! She is a remarkable person, with a brilliant mind and the ability to synthesize and integrate information like no other! At the same time, she is kind, compassionate, affable, thoughtful, amazingly intelligent, profoundly spiritual, and, I might add, funny!

Karen is the guide you need for your inner and outer transformation.