Counselling services and wellness events

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specialises in mental health, and licensed to prescribe medication if required as part of your treatment plan. If you have symptoms affecting your daily functioning (such as prolonged insomnia, difficulties in memory, focus and information processing, or high levels of anxiety) a combination of medication and therapy would give the best treatment outcomes. 

Psychologists and Counsellors have some overlaps in their training since they both help people facing psychological difficulties. They are trained in understanding how emotions / behaviours come about and how to intervene using therapeutic conversations or other techniques. The job title is a reflection of the educational degree they obtained, typically a Master in Psychology or Master in Counselling. If you see a "Dr." in their title, it refers to a doctorate degree, not medical doctor. 

Some counsellors focus more on helping clients resolve current problems. Even though counsellors do not give direct advice, they can explore options and consequences in an objective manner, incorporating the client's strengths and resources in the process. Many experienced counsellors offer more in-depth therapy similar to what psychologists do, including trauma therapy, if they had undergone the relevant training. 

Some psychologists provide diagnostic assessments for IQ and/or mental disorders, so if you require a diagnostic report for specific purposes, they would be more suitable than a counsellor.  

In any case, you should find out about the area of specialisation for each practitioner you intend to see. As Psychologists and Counsellors are required to undergo continuing education throughout their career, the training they receive and their work experience in various settings would influence their skill sets. Have a look at their profile and feel free to ask for a brief call to clarify if their service is appropriate for your needs.  

Common does not mean you have to put up with it. There are ways to care for your mind and reduce the effects of chronic stress on your mind and body. 

Wellness is on a continuum and no matter where you are on the scale (eg. extremely stressed, slightly stressed, average, or moderately well), counselling can help you move towards the positive range and maintain that wellness. You don't want to wait till your physical health is in ruins before you start taking care of your body, so why do that to your mind?

What we do in counselling may seem like just chatting with clients, but there is a lot of mental processing going on in our minds the whole session! We create therapeutic conversations guided by professional knowledge gained through years of training and clinical experience. We also use our personal qualities and emotional energy to build a counselling relationship where clients feel safe to explore their vulnerabilities without feeling judged or hurt in any way. All these intangible efforts we put in are work done, so it is only fair to be paid for it.    

Well, if you compare with what it costs to visit a General Practitioner (GP) clinic nowadays ($35 and above for a 5-min consult), $180 for a full hour of counselling is considered very reasonable. Mental health is as important as physical health, so why should it be valued less just because we cannot see the symptoms as easily?

Discounted rates are available for healthcare workers, educators and social service staff. For other clients, if you have genuine financial constraints, contact me to discuss options. 

Of course, there are counselling services with lower fees in Singapore - in government-funded hospitals and community agencies. The downside is that they usually have long wait times to get a slot, may not operate on weekends, and limit the number of sessions for each client as they have to use limited funding to subsidise many people.   

The first session is usually for clarifying expectations, setting counselling goals and understanding the background of your situation. It takes time (maybe even more than one session) to build up a good foundation which will support the interventions to come in subsequent sessions. So don't be disappointed when you don't see a "solution" or progress immediately. The problem situation you are facing probably accumulated over time, hence a therapeutic process is needed to gain awareness, repair / rebuild / reinforce capacities for recovery and sustainable wellness. 

Counsellors must adhere to professional ethics, which require strict upholding of clients' confidentiality. This confidentiality is only broken in situations where the client is assessed to have imminent risk of endangering themselves or other people, and only specific relevant parties will be informed to ensure everyone's safety. 

No employer has the right to request for information about your counselling sessions without your written consent. For clients paying through company benefits, your employer would only be informed of your session dates for billing purposes, and no other details shared.