Often it is difficult to recognize that we have problems and make the decision to get outside help from a qualified professional. Yet many people take that courageous step every year. If you are experiencing any of the following problems that don't seem to improve despite your own efforts and support from loved ones, it may be time to seek professional help from a therapist.

• You are feeling exhausted, stuck, and unhappy.

• You worry excessively all the time.

• You are overwhelmed by a deep sense of sadness and helplessness.

• You struggle to feel like yourself for a while now.

• School or workplace stress is burning you out.

• You are facing problems in your relationship with your family or partner.

• You experienced a traumatic incident that you are unable to process.

• You are going through a major life transition right now.

This isn't an exhaustive list – problems don't have to be severe to warrant professional help from a therapist. Sometimes, speaking to someone who is not directly involved, non-judgmental, empathetic, and qualified to ensure you receive the level of professional care needed can mean a world of difference.

Counselling is typically short-term and focuses on resolving specific problems you might be facing. It helps you address immediate issues, providing quick strategies for managing them.

Psychotherapy (or 'therapy') is a longer-term, in-depth process that aims to explore and resolve deeper emotional, behavioural, or psychological issues. Therapists and clients work together to understand and change problems by improving areas of life where there is dissatisfaction. It delves into an individual’s thoughts, feelings, relationships, and past experiences to understand the root causes of their problems and develop coping mechanisms for long-lasting change.

Both are designed to support your mental well-being, with the main difference being in depth and duration.

Yes, yes, and yes – confidentiality is taken extremely seriously in therapy. Everything you share with me stays 100% private and confidential. I won't divulge any details about you, your sessions, or what we discuss to anyone; not friends, family, your employer, absolutely no one without your explicit consent.

The only rare exceptions are if you reveal plans to seriously harm yourself or someone else, or if I am court-ordered to provide records. But those situations are very uncommon. You can speak openly and candidly, knowing our conversations are completely confidential. Building this safe, judgment-free space for you to share freely is a top priority.

Therapy is a highly unique and personalized process, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. How long therapy lasts depends on what you're dealing with. For some people, a few sessions of counselling are enough to get through a specific life challenge – this is what is known as brief treatment. For others working on deeper deep-seated issues, therapy may take several months or even years, to work through more complex psychological challenges or ingrained patterns.

It is important to remember you can stop at any time, and you are always welcome to return in the future. The length depends on your personal situation: how serious the problem is, how committed you are to working on it, how frequent you attend therapy, previous life experiences (e.g. trauma, quality of relationships), and your goals for therapy.

Remember, the goal is to get you the help you need, as long as it is helping you. You have the power to heal and grow at your own pace.

How often we meet really depends on your needs and what you can afford. In the beginning, it is recommended to attend sessions more frequently to build momentum and make steady progress at the start, e.g. around 3 times a month. Research done on therapy session frequency (Erekson et al., 2015) has shown that people who participated in weekly therapy sessions achieved clinically significant improvements in their mental well-being faster in comparison with people who received less frequent sessions.

As you start implementing coping strategies and seeing improvement, we can space out the sessions to 2 sessions a month to save you some money. And once your primary issues are resolved and you have developed sustainable skills, we’ll likely just need a check-in session once a month to keep you on track. This can help reinforce what you’ve learnt and provide ongoing support.

We will work together to find a schedule that gives you the support you need while also fitting your budget. More frequent sessions at first, then transitioning to a lighter schedule as you make progress and start feeling better. The pace is flexible based on your situation.

The timeline for seeing results from therapy can vary considerably from person to person. A lot depends on your circumstances, the specific issues that you are working through, how consistently you engage with the therapeutic process between appointments. Building self-awareness, developing new coping strategies, and ultimately creating lasting change doesn’t happen overnight.

However, most clients begin to experience some positive shifts in six to eight sessions, even if it's simply feeling heard, acquiring new perspectives, or taking initial steps out of old patterns. The key is committing fully to the work and having patience with yourself.

Please check out the cost of counselling sessions. Appointments can be scheduled via our online booking system.

Payment for therapy services is due at the time of booking. We accept various payment methods, such as PayNow, GrabPay, and credit cards.

While I cannot file insurance claims on your behalf, I can provide detailed invoices for your sessions. You can then submit these invoices to your insurance company for reimbursement if your policy covers mental health services.

Some insurance providers in Singapore offer mental health coverage, for e.g.:

• AIA

• Aviva

• NTUC Income

You may also be able to claim reimbursement through your employer's group benefits insurance plan.

Coverage details and claim procedures may vary depending on your specific policy. It's best to check with your insurance provider or your company's HR directly to understand your coverage and reimbursement for mental health services.

While you don't need to prepare anything specific, you might find it helpful to think about what brings you to therapy and what you are hoping to gain from our sessions. Some people find it useful to jot down their thoughts as a good reference point for our discussion.

It also helps if you can come up with a schedule for your sessions and attend them. It is the same idea with, for example, if you're picking up a new language, you attend classes at the same time on the same day every week consistently to make good progress.

It is completely normal to feel a bit nervous about your first session – this is a natural reaction to any new experience. Remember, your therapist is there to support you, not to judge. Simply arrive as yourself😊

I primarily work with clients who are 18 and above. However, in select circumstances, I may work with teenagers aged 16-17, typically when they are highly motivated to engage in therapy and have parental support for the process.

If you are considering therapy for your teenager, I encourage you to have an open conversation with them first about their willingness to participate, as therapy tends to be most effective when the young person is genuinely interested in the process rather than feeling forced into it.

We understand feeling nervous about your first session. However, we generally don't allow friends or family members to sit in on sessions. This is to create a safe space where you can speak openly. The presence of another person may make you hesitant to discuss certain topics or emotions fully.

We get that you may still feel very anxious about attending alone. In exceptional cases, we may allow a support person to accompany you for the first few minutes of your session to help you get settled, and they can wait right outside the office during therapy. Your support person will be there to meet you again once your session is over.

Yes, studies have shown that online therapy is as effective as traditional face-to-face sessions for various mental health concerns (Varker et al., 2018; Pierce et al., 2020; Sampaio et al., 2021). Through video conferencing, you can access a safe and confidential virtual environment to discuss issues with a qualified professional, while enjoying the convenience and comfort of connecting from your own home.

If you need to reschedule your appointment, please give us at least 24 hours’ advance notice. This allows us to open up that time slot for other clients waiting to schedule. Any late cancellations without providing the required 24-hour notice will be subject to our cancellation policy. This cancellation applies even if missing the appointment was unintentional. This is a standard practice across counselling clinics and centres in Singapore. Please read more about our booking policy below.

I totally get it, therapy can feel like a big expense. Let me break it down a bit.

My fees are actually aligned with what is charged by other trained and qualified therapists in Singapore. In fact, I offer a more affordable rate compared to many private practices.

Here’s the thing: I am not funded by any governmental or social agencies. I'm an independent professional running my own practice. That means the fees cover not just our sessions, but also all the behind-the-scene stuff like office rent, admin costs, and keeping up with professional requirements. What you're paying for is years of specialized training and dedication in my skills to provide the best care possible. The cost reflects the personalized attention and ethical practices I bring to each of our session.

I encourage you to view it as an act of self-care rather than an expense. Your well-being is precious, and you deserve support from a professional in their field. Prioritizing your mental health allows you to show up as your best self in all other areas of life. The positive impact on your relationships, productivity and overall well-being can be a valuable self-care investment.

I hear you. It's tough when you want help but the cost feels out of reach. Your mental health is important, and I don't want financial constraints to stop you from getting support.

If you find my standard fees outside your budget, please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly. I may be able to offer a sliding scale rate for virtual sessions, which could make therapy more accessible for you. While these sessions would be conducted online rather than in-person, they can still be incredibly effective and supportive.