Talk therapy has many different approaches: The cognitive therapist focuses on thought patterns, the behavioural therapist focuses on reinforcing adaptive behaviours, the person-centred therapist focuses on self-exploration, and so on.  

Every online therapist uses these approaches in a unique way to provide the best possible therapy service to their clients.  

Given this rich scope of choice, how can clients tell the difference between a good and a bad therapist? What makes a good therapist? 

The specific answer to this question depends on your preferences. For example, if you prefer to take a practical route in healing, a therapist who provides an emotionally focused approach may not be a good choice.  

But underneath the diversity – all good therapists share some core traits and principles.  

Below is a list of these 10 essential qualities of a good online therapist.  

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1. Your Online Therapist Actually Listens

Listening to what you say must be the easiest skill to notice, don’t you think? Not quite. During online therapy, listening is not just hearing and acknowledging what clients say.  

It’s more about therapists adopting their client’s feelings, values, and perspectives about the world. Only through active listening can therapists use their empathic skills to understand the depth of the client’s emotions.  

A mental health therapist’s main indication that reflects active listening is providing undivided attention to you. 

What listening looks like during online therapy

After you share your concerns in therapy, notice the following: 

  • If your therapist provides suggestions or feedback by interrupting you, they may not be actively listening.  
  • If your therapist uses nonverbal communication, such as eye contact, nodding, or facial expressions while you open up and reflect on or summarise your concerns verbally after you’ve finished talking, they are actively listening to you.  

If you notice that the online therapist is constantly distracted by checking the clock or shifting focus to other objects in the room, it may be a sign that you need to find a new therapist. 

2. Your Online Therapist Promotes Curiosity & Self-Reflection

Good therapists in Australia create a dynamic that provides space for curiosity and self-reflection for clients.  

Receiving effective therapy services results in: 

  • Learning how to intentionally focus your attention inward 
  • Thinking critically about your thought patterns 
  • Discovering solutions by reflecting on previous experiences  

Providing this open space of exploration also means that the therapist respects your agency while guiding you towards the most helpful direction.  

For example, consider whether your mental health therapist is: 

  • Open to feedback on their online therapy style 
  • Willing to guide you to make choices about your own therapeutic plan 
  • Accepting your decision to put therapy on pause for a few weeks  

A good therapist will accept your curiosity about yourself, your life, and even the therapy process.  

A client talking to an online therapist via video call.

3. You Feel Heard & Validated

Feeling validated and heard during online therapy in Australia means that the therapist encourages and unconditionally supports your experiences.  

If you feel validated, your bond with the therapist improves. If your therapeutic bond improves, you may scientifically benefit from positive therapy outcomes.  

Ask yourself: Do I feel supported when I explore or express my deepest thoughts?  

If yes, this is where the therapeutic change and growth happen, and you are with the right online therapist. 

Therapists may also disagree with you while avoiding major conflicts. The key point to observe is whether you feel cared for and supported even when your therapist respectfully challenges your beliefs.  

Try to observe the below statements. These are some indications that you feel heard during therapy in Australia: 

  • I can see you’re having a difficult time right now.” 
  • “I understand that you’re feeling __. What do you need right now emotionally?” 
  • “You feel frustrated to always be the one to reach out to your friends, and you would like things to change.”  
  • “Ignoring your dad because of a fight hasn’t worked out for you in the past. Could we explore a therapeutic technique to resolve the conflict?” 
  • “I believe in your ability to change and grow.” 

4. The Therapist Is a Strong Communicator

A good therapeutic relationship is built through effective communication 

An online therapist in Australia is a strong communicator if they can move from understanding you as an individual to putting that understanding into accessible words.  

This means that the professional should be able to distil concepts and explain your emotional or behavioural patterns in a way you can understand. 

Consider the following below: 

  • Does your therapist explain concepts in simple terms or use scientific terminology? They’re a strong communicator if they explain psychological details in simple terms.  
  • How much does your therapist talk? The rule of thumb is that clients usually speak more than the therapist.  
  • What is the focus of the therapy session? Sessions should always focus on the client and their problems.  

Talk to a TYHO Therapist about anxiety, low self-esteem, relationship issues, and more. You are not alone.

5. You Feel Encouraged to Communicate Honestly

Communication goes both ways: as a client, you should also feel safe and encouraged to open up during therapy services.  

Below are some questions and pointers to help you identify if the therapist is good at facilitating open communication: 

  • Does your Australian therapist ask you specific and focused questions rather than very open-ended ones?  
  • Is your therapist welcoming? For example, if you speak casually and like to joke around a bit, your therapist should also adapt to your style. Similarly, therapists should adopt a calm and composed approach if you are introverted. Identify if there’s a gap in communication between you and your therapist. 
  • Is your therapist patient, and do they give you enough time to collect your thoughts?  

6. Your Online Therapist is Open to Receiving Feedback

A good therapist in Australia will see therapy as a collaborative space between them and you and will always prefer that you lead the direction and pace of the sessions.  

A strong indicator of whether your therapist is willing to receive feedback is how often they check in with you to see how you’re feeling about therapy.  

Below are two key points to help you identify a good therapist: 

  • Does your therapist ask questions about the benefits you’ve received so far from therapy? 

While your therapist could be an expert in their chosen modality, you are the expert in your own life.  

Hence, your therapist should admit when they don’t know something about you and accept your feedback to improve the therapy experience.  

By being open to receiving feedback and continuously increasing their knowledge, the therapist also shows that they’re interested in you and invested in your progress. 

7. The Therapist Encourages Your Self-Reliance & Competence

Receiving affordable therapy means that you are progressing towards improving your independence, self-reliance, and competence.  

To identify if your online therapist is good in this context, ask yourself: 

  • Do I have more self-doubt when I encounter life issues?  
  • Do I rely on my therapist as the first solution to overcome my problems?  

Consider looking for a different professional if you answered yes to both. 

As you work towards your life and therapy goals, your self-reliance should increase, and your dependency on the therapist should decrease.  

Therapy is a tool to guide you towards problem-solving rather than prescribing solutions. 

“In my early professional years I was asking the question, How can I treat, or cure, or change this person? Now I would phrase the question in this way: How can I provide a relationship which this person may use for his own personal growth?” 

Carl Rogers, 1961/1995, p. 32 

8. The Online Therapist is Invested in Your Progress

A good therapist in Australia will be invested in your progress by proactively checking in and providing unconditional support.  

Regularly monitoring a client’s progress during online therapy is integral to providing good mental health support. 

For example, some of the things therapists may do to indicate their interest include: 

  • Noticing the times you’re not doing well and providing appropriate tools to cope with it, even if it means changing the pace of the session occasionally 
  • Taking therapy slowly and re-evaluating the therapeutic plan as time passes 
  • Accepting your emotions and thoughts regardless of the intensity and showing curiosity and interest in exploring your way of thinking 

9. You Receive Unconditional Support

Unconditional positive regard refers to the mental health therapist’s complete acceptance and support toward the client.  

In therapy in Australia, providing this support means that you have the space to nurture yourself, feel valued, and build self-trust.  

To identify if your therapist is good in this aspect, ask yourself:  

Do I feel supported and validated in therapy no matter what I share or say?  

If yes, then you may have found a good online therapist.  

However, part of the therapist’s job is also to gently guide you towards identifying and changing maladaptive behaviour. To do so, they may work with you to: 

  • Understand the things that you are doing 
  • Respectfully challenge your beliefs 
  • Acknowledge and change any harmful behaviour that may not be good for you or the people around you 

10. You Notice a Change in Yourself

Change requires not only emotional talk but also doing something completely different within yourself, within online therapy, and out in the world.  

Noticing change within yourself means: 

  • Integrating therapeutic tools into your daily life 
  • Proactively assessing your thoughts and feelings 
  • Constantly challenging your beliefs about yourself and the world 
  • Navigating what matters most to you personally, socially, and professionally 
  • Using previous life experiences as evidence and strategically modifying your behaviour in new ways 

All the above is made possible by a good online therapist.  

That said, meaningful change takes time. Research indicates that it takes 10 to 15 sessions to notice progress in therapy.  

Especially in the beginning, changes you notice may be small – however, they’re no less significant.  

In this regard, a therapist’s job is to provide the right conditions and space for natural growth.  

Can you imagine yourself as a caterpillar? You don’t need to do anything extraordinary to transform into a butterfly. The change occurs effortlessly, given the right conditions for the cocoon. And humans are much the same way. 

If you want to experience the kind of change described here, our Therapists in Australia can help.  

Conclusion

A good therapist will always: 

  • Make you feel heard and supported 
  • Encourage honest communication 
  • Guide you towards self-reflection 
  • Empower you to be self-reliant 
  • Be open to feedback and collaboration 

Good Therapists in Australia will show high ethical standards by being reliable, trustworthy, and non-judgemental.  

If your therapist has all these core traits, you can rest easy knowing you are in good hands.  

If your therapist lacks in any of these areas, try to bring it up during a session. Sometimes, all it takes to reset the direction of therapy involves the client opening up about what’s not working for them.  

However, it may be time to find someone else if the therapist does not respond positively to your feedback.  

At TYHO, we have a vetted team of well-qualified, affordable Therapists. Book a session today if you are ready to start your journey toward personal growth.   

Depression starts as sadness and leaves us feeling numb and empty.  

If you are reading this article right now, you have already stepped out of your numbness to ask for help. You have taken a brave step toward healing.  

Finding the right mental health therapist is key to getting started. A therapist who truly understands you can help you work through depression, heal from trauma, and manage other difficulties that may occur in your daily life.  

Research from the past decade shows that your bond with your therapist will likely greatly influence your therapy progress.  

Hence, this article provides practical tips on choosing the best therapist in Singapore to reduce and manage depression.  

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What to Look for in a Mental Health Therapist

When choosing a therapist, you can look into their credentials, specialisations, and approaches.  

To assess the above, the first question you should ask yourself is: what are my needs and goals?  

Are you looking for a specific result you want to achieve, like coping with hopelessness or low self-esteem? Do you prefer one approach over the other?  

After you reflect on your needs, explore the full profiles of Therapists at TYHO.  

We have a large pool of Therapists who are well-qualified in addressing depression. However, each professional may have a specialisation, like managing depression in relationships or a specific focus on work-related depression 

A mental health therapist showing support to a client.

Read about a Therapist’s background and experience treating similar issues. You can also review testimonials from our current clients to learn about their strengths and approaches. 

Now, identify the best therapy that works for you and create a shortlist of Therapists who specialise in those approaches.   

At TYHO, you might encounter providers who offer specific approaches, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based tools, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and more.  

On the one hand, if you prefer managing symptoms through present-moment awareness or meditation, you may benefit from mindfulness therapies or ACT.  

On the other hand, if you’re more inclined to focus on identifying negative patterns and emotional dysregulation, CBT might be right for you. 

Assessing your needs and the Therapist’s specialisations can make the decision-making process easier in choosing the right profile. 

How to Assess Compatibility with a Therapist

Receiving the best therapy for depression means that you may have to feel comfortable enough to open up and explore the most vulnerable areas of your life.  

Don’t worry – you won’t need to discuss everything in the first session. However, it’s important to find a Therapist you feel connected to, whether online or in person.  

In fact, research shows that one in five clients may end therapy prematurely if they don’t feel a personal connection with the therapist.  

First Session

The first therapy session is your chance to assess your compatibility with your therapist. Do you feel connected? To check this, ask yourself questions like: 

  • Do I feel validated and heard after discussing my problems? 
  • Did the therapist listen to me actively by asking questions and exploring areas further?  
  • Did the therapist use therapeutic tools that resonated with me? Are they flexible in adapting to my needs?  
  • Do I feel safe with the therapist? 
  • Do I trust my therapist’s expertise? 
  • Do our values and beliefs align with each other?  

If the answers to most questions end positively, you may have found the right therapist.  

However, if you feel unsafe and invalidated by the therapist, feel free to look for someone else.  

Talk Your Heart Out (TYHO) Therapists can help with major or minor depression symptoms. Help is just a click away.

Questions

TYHO Therapists take questions from clients during the first session to build rapport. 

The first session is your opportunity to narrow down your search to your top choices. Remember that you can continue with the first Therapist if you feel connected to them.  

Write down your questions before the session. According to the American Psychological Association, below are some of the questions you may want to ask the Therapist:  

  • How many years of experience do you have? 
  • How much experience do you have working with issues similar to mine?  
  • What is your area of expertise? 
  • What kind of approaches do you provide? Are you flexible to adapt elements of different approaches? 
  • How soon can I expect to start seeing progress?  
  • How will we navigate therapy if the current approach is not working?  
  • Are you open to taking feedback? 
  • What would we do if our professional relationship is not a good fit?  

Cultural Competence and Sensitivity

Every person has a unique background and upbringing. Your culture and life experiences can define aspects of who you are.  

Finding the best Therapist, whether online or in person, involves assessing whether the therapist is knowledgeable and sensitive to one’s cultural background and whether they integrate this unique perspective into their therapeutic approach.  

To find a Therapist based on their cultural competence, try to assess the following two points: 

1. Cultural Understanding

Your Therapist should understand your culture, religion, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socioeconomic status.  

With this knowledge, the professional can understand how your background may affect your personality formation, decision-making, the manifestation of mental health issues, and the appropriateness and inappropriateness of their therapeutic tools. 

Some ways you can assess cultural understanding is by noticing: 

  • Whether the therapist uses your preferred pronouns 
  • Whether the therapist is willing to explore integrating cultural aspects into their approach 
  • Whether the therapist understands your issues from the context of your socioeconomic status 

2. Cultural Reflection

Your therapist should create a safe environment for you to explore your cultural identity and beliefs.  

In addition, mental health therapists who have a high level of awareness of how culture impacts an individual are more likely to: 

  • Reflect on how they can better build rapport with you 
  • Evaluate how their own beliefs and biases may affect the understanding of ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ behaviours 
  • Avoid assumptions or stereotypes based on cultural factors 
Queer couple seeking therapy with a mental health therapist.

Get Affordable Therapy With TYHO

At this point, if you have a TYHO Therapist in mind, you may want to book the first session with them.  

As you meet with potential Therapists, or start therapy with them, try to asses your compatibility by asking questions and analysing their experience.  

Pay attention to how you feel after each session, and trust your gut. Sometimes, it can take a few sessions to truly understand each other. 

You may be surprised to hear that many professionals also seek therapy to manage their own problems. So, Therapists will understand any apprehensions you may have about opening up.  

If you’re having trouble finding someone, use our filter to narrow the search. You can filter by age, location, medium, service, issues, etc.  

Reach out to us at [email protected] if you need more support.  

We aim to provide affordable therapy in Singapore at all times. Therapy sessions start at S$ 130.80 (w/GST), and your sessions include high-quality therapy, pre-session intake, and a personalised therapeutic plan.  

Conclusion

The best therapy for depression should be a safe and supportive process, no matter what type of therapy you go for.  

Remember that finding the best Therapist may take some time. At TYHO, we have 100+ Therapists working with us who have experience living in different countries and working with different clientele.  

Take the first step today by browsing through our Therapists’ profiles in Singapore. Depression is manageable with the right support. You are not alone.  

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What therapy is most successful in treating depression?

The best therapy for depression is the one that works for you.  

In general, however, a combination of psychotherapy and medication is said to be the most effective in managing depression 

While some people may respond positively to medication, others may find it unhelpful. Hence, finding the right therapist and discussing your needs and preferences is important.  

The best therapy also depends on what type of depression symptoms you struggle the most with.  

For example, if depression affects your sleep or concentration, you may benefit more from medications. If depression affects your relationships or state of mind, you may want to consider mindfulness-based therapeutic approaches.  

Try to have an open and honest discussion with your Therapist to develop a personalised therapeutic plan.  

2. What is the most common cause of depression in older adults?

According to research, the three main causes of depression in older adults are deteriorating physical health, social isolation, and loss of a loved one.  

Identifying symptoms of depression in adults over 65 can be difficult, as most of the signs may overlap with problems related to ageing.  

Hence, it’s important to provide a holistic approach when addressing mental health issues in older adults.  

3. Which would be the best therapy or resource for someone who is mildly depressed?

Mild depression refers to having five of the nine identified symptoms.  

Psychotherapy is the most commonly recommended therapy by professionals for mild depression.  

At TYHO, we strongly recommend seeking therapy even if your depression is mild.  

Sometimes, you may not even realise that you have mild depression. You could feel tired or restless or think of it as ‘having a bad day.’ 

However, leaving these symptoms unaddressed can slowly add pressure and lead to more intense symptoms in the future. 

If you think you are struggling with mild depression, reach out to us at [email protected] for Therapist recommendations.  

If you are struggling with generalised anxiety, panic attacks, overthinking, or relentless worries, know that you are not alone.  

For many types of anxiety, therapy is the most effective treatment option, as it addresses the root causes of your fears.  

The symptoms of anxiety can manifest in different ways. While one person may struggle with heart palpitations, someone else may face daily indecisiveness.  

Seeking the best therapy for anxiety can help you overcome specific issues you may be facing, learn how to relax, and build healthy coping skills. 

Therapy is also tailored to align with your unique needs. For example, if you have social anxiety, your therapy may include gradual exposure to face your fears (ie exposure therapy). In contrast, someone with general anxiety might focus on managing unhealthy thoughts and identifying potential triggers.  

This article will help you identify the best therapy options for your anxiety so you can make the most of your sessions and experience lasting relief. 

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Types of Anxiety Disorders

According to research published by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), anxiety was the most common issue faced by young people in Singapore.  

Nearly 27% (or more than one in four youth) had severe anxiety. Symptoms the youth complained of included feeling worried, tense, or restless most of the time.  

These feelings can often be categorised into specific types of anxieties.  

For example: 

  • Social anxiety disorder: This diagnosis means that you may experience intense fear or distress in social situations like parties, crowded areas, workplaces, etc.  
  • Panic disorder: This includes having panic attacks, which could be triggered by distressing events or fearful situations.  
  • Phobias: This means that you may have fear triggered by a particular object or situation, such as going near a waterbody or seeing a spider. 
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): This diagnosis could mean that you may have anxiety symptoms due to a negative experience in childhood or adulthood that may have been traumatic. 
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): This means that you have repetitive and uncontrollable thoughts or urges, which could make you feel restless and anxious throughout the day.  

The best therapists in Singapore will help you address negative thinking and avoidance, which are the most common and harmful patterns in all types of anxiety disorders.  

It might be useful to learn about the different types to help you consider your own experiences and choose a specific therapy type for support.  

A person struggling with social anxiety and supported by 4 friends.

Best Therapy for Anxiety

A common goal of therapy is to focus on finding the possible causes of anxiety (eg negative childhood experiences), identifying triggers, and teaching practical tools to manage or even prevent the symptoms from occurring. 

You can opt for individual, couples, or family therapy.  

In general, mental health professionals may use a combination of different approaches. The choice of therapy may also depend on your personal preference and the severity of your symptoms. 

In the section below, we’ll explore how each approach works and provide examples of how it helps manage anxiety. 

Talk Your Heart Out (TYHO) Therapists can help with several types of anxiety issues. You are not alone.

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT involves directly confronting your fear and has benefits that go beyond just treating anxiety.  

For example, symptoms of depression may also accompany issues like generalised anxiety disorder, which CBT can help manage.  

CTB has two major elements: cognition (ie thoughts and feelings) and behaviour.  

Therapists in Singapore will help you change negative thought patterns by: 

  • Teaching you how to identify unrealistic beliefs and challenge them 
  • Helping you assess the likelihood of feeling triggered  
  • Providing you with therapeutic skills to cope with uncertainty 

A common negative thought we may experience if we have anxiety is ‘catastrophising’: immediately jumping to extreme conclusions and expecting unrealistic consequences of all events.  

A therapist’s job would be to help you detect these distortions and teach you a better way to cope with distress.  

The second part of CBT includes reducing your anxiety and modifying your maladaptive behaviours (ie destructive actions).  

During therapy, you may learn techniques to keep calm and overcome fear-driven urges.  

Some CBT tools include: 

  • Breathing exercises: This helps calm your stress response and reduce immediate anxiety.  
  • Scheduling positive activities: This helps create intentional activities that give you joy and confidence to tackle the symptoms.  
  • Guided journaling: Your therapist may help you track your mood and identify triggers and patterns in your thinking.  

When to Choose CBT

Research shows that CBT is effective in managing GAD, phobias, social anxiety, and panic disorders.  

CBT might work best for you if you struggle to: 

  • Manage your thoughts  
  • Stop engaging in unhelpful or harmful behaviours 
  • Perceive situations from a new or different perspective  
  • Cope with stressful events in life 
  • Improve your mood 

Example

Let’s say you’re dealing with low self-esteem. You may think no one will like you if you go to a party. Perhaps you assume you will do something embarrassing during an event. 

If you are invited to a social situation, your immediate reaction might be, “I can’t do this. What if I freeze and make everyone around me uncomfortable?” 

You might turn down the event due to feelings of nervousness or panic. The avoidance may further contribute to the negative cycle of thoughts and feelings.  

Instead, during therapy, you may learn: 

  • Relaxation exercises like deep breathing or grounding techniques to handle your emotions and counterattack your anxiety.  
  • How to replace negative thoughts with realistic ones. For example, reframing “I can’t do this” with “I can handle this one step at a time” can reduce panic.  
  • Taking small steps towards facing social situations. For example, your CBT therapist may guide you in attending small gatherings and gradually increasing your exposure to big events.  

As you apply these techniques in real life, you may see yourself becoming effective in handling your anxiety and facing your fears.  

2. Exposure Therapy

It’s only natural that we tend to avoid facing anxiety, as it can be an unpleasant emotion. 

For example, if you fear heights, you may avoid looking down from a building or go out of your way to avoid travelling on a flight. Similarly, you may keep away from pools, beaches, and even bathtubs if you are terrified of drowning. 

The problem that accompanies avoidance is that you may not have a chance to overcome your fears.   

Exposure therapy includes gradual exposure to fearful situations or objects. Your therapist may guide you through repeated exposures to help you gain a sense of control over your anxiety.  

Exposure is either done through imaginative situations or real-life events.  

The most common way to conduct exposure therapy is through systematic desensitisation. The three steps involved in this process are: 

  • Relaxation: Your therapist may use deep breathing, mindfulness, or muscle relaxation to calm down and control feelings of anxiety.  
  • Listing: You may be guided to create a specific and measurable list of 10-15 situations or objects you are terrified of.  
  • Exposure: In the final step, you and your therapist will overcome each situation in your list through relaxation techniques and exposure therapy.  

When to Choose Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy can help with social anxiety, separation anxiety, phobias, and OCD.  

You might benefit from exposure therapy if you:  

  • Are living with a specific type of phobia affecting your daily life 
  • Would like to unlearn habits that may be causing anxiety 
  • Want to confront your fears 
  • Have frequent panic attacks 
  • Feel disconnected from yourself due to your fears (ie depersonalisation) 

Example

Let’s say you have a fear of public speaking. You may turn down personal and professional opportunities for growth due to your fear.  

Saying no to guest speeches or presentations may be your immediate response. However, during exposure therapy, you will first learn deep breathing to prevent a trigger emotion. 

Tip: Breathe in for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 4, and breathe out for a count of 4. This breathing method can help you relax before you make a decision.  

After relaxation, your therapist will help you create a list to expose you to the fear. Like: 

Step 1: Watch other people giving speeches 

Step 2: Attend webinars or workshops  

Step 3: Take a practice course to learn how to give a speech 

Step 4: Say yes to a speech invitation  

Step 5: Write your speech 

Step 6: Practice the speech with yourself 

Step 7: Practice the speech with your close friends or family 

Step 8: Practice the speech with all your friends in the same room 

Step 9: Invite your loved ones to attend your official speech  

Step 10: Give a speech on stage 

3. Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)

DBT is a type of talk therapy based on cognitive behavioural therapy.  

DBT focuses on three main elements: dialectical perspective (ie opposite outlook of what you should be having), acceptance, and change. 

The concept of DBT is similar to the notion of loving yourself as you are while still trying to change aspects of your life for the better.  

A therapist teaching DBT skills to a client to help them cope with anxiety.

The four skills you may learn during DBT include: 

  • Mindfulness: This skill helps you connect with your present thoughts without reacting to them. 
  • Distress tolerance: You will learn how to manage your anxiety during distress.  
  • Interpersonal effectiveness: Through scientific techniques, you will learn to say no, stay assertive during pressure, and ask for what you need.  
  • Emotional regulation: Similar to mindfulness, you will learn how to manage your anxiety before it gets out of control 

When to Choose DBT

DBT is one of the best therapy in Singapore to help with issues like self-harm, anxiety surrounding food habits, OCD, and generalised anxiety disorder.  

Choose this therapy if you: 

  • Struggle with controlling destructive or distressing habits 
  • Suffer from uncontrollable thoughts 
  • Feel moody all the time 
  • Experience frequent emotional upheaval 
  • Are highly sensitive 

How to Find the Best Therapist in Singapore for Anxiety?

You may have to do your personal research and assessments to find the best therapists.  

During the research, gauge whether a therapist’s personality and therapy experience align with your needs.  

For example, at Talk Your Heart Out (TYHO), you can read full descriptions of Therapists, watch their introductory videos, see what approaches they offer, and check if they can help with your issue.  

Once you are sure, shortlist a couple of Therapists and book a session with the one you relate to the most.  

During the first appointment, ask your Therapist if they: 

  • Provide affordable therapy sessions 
  • Are willing to explain their therapeutic approach in detail 
  • Have previous experience working with clients who have similar issues 
  • Accept constructive feedback 

Asking questions will help you consider whether to move forward with a professional. If the fit isn’t right, feel free to look for other Therapists from your shortlist.  

Sometimes, finding the best Therapist can take a while. Still, it may be the most contributing factor towards receiving strong and meaningful support.  

Conclusion

If you live with an anxiety disorder, you may not have peace of mind and the energy to get through every day.  

Consulting a therapist online or in person to develop an effective and personalised treatment plan is important.  

Based on the specific type of anxiety, your therapist will help you overcome symptoms and guide you towards the life you dream of living.  

Know that anxiety is manageable and can be controlled through the right support.  

Almost five years back, Covid-19 put mental health on everyone’s radar as isolation, anxiety, grief and burnout spared no one. Youth mental health, in particular, came into focus. 

The Singapore Government responded quickly with a Covid-19 Mental Wellness Taskforce which became the Interagency Taskforce on Mental Health and Well-being. 

In 2024, the Government announced the creation of a more permanent body – the National Mental Health Office. 

It also started implementing the National Mental Health and Well-being Strategy which, among other things, will introduce mental health services to all polyclinics, increase the number of public sector psychiatrists and psychologists, and deploy more teacher-counsellors in schools. 

So where to from here? 

I offer three suggestions that will keep us on track as we make progress in improving the mental health and well-being of our society. 

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1. Regulate talk therapy

As we ramp up the number of mental health professionals who provide talk therapy or counselling (counsellors, clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, etc) to meet the growing demand for support, it is crucial that the quality of care provided is not compromised. This is especially important given that people seeking support are often emotionally vulnerable, lonely, or in distress. 

Talk therapy invariably requires clients to open up about their struggles and in the process share deeply personal information with their therapist. As a result, they are required to quickly trust their therapist without any prior knowledge about them or an opportunity to assess them. 

Currently, counsellors and psychologists are not required to register with a regulatory body in Singapore. This is unlike doctors, nurses and other allied health professionals, such as physiotherapists, who must register with the Singapore Medical Council (SMC), Singapore Nursing Board (SNB), and the Allied Health Professional Council (AHPC), respectively. 

These bodies, among other things, regulate the professional conduct, standards, and ethics of their members. The SMC even has a formal and transparent process to receive complaints against doctors from any individual. 

While there are industry peak bodies such as the Singapore Psychological Society (SPS) and the Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC), registration with them is voluntary and not required to work in either the public or private sector. Furthermore, these institutions lack any regulatory teeth when it comes to enforcing their ethical standards or investigating complaints made against their members. 

This allows mental health professionals with poor ethics, conduct or competencies to continue working with unsuspecting clients even if they were let go from their previous place of work because of a serious breach. They may also choose to work as self-employed individuals without any oversight. 

Many of us working in the private sector believe in more, not less, regulation even if it further limits the supply of professionals in the short term. In the long run, regulation will improve the quality of services being provided and build public trust in the effectiveness of non-medical interventions like talk therapy. 

The Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) and the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA), established in the last decade or so to regulate real estate agents and childcare teachers respectively, are good examples to follow. 

The CEA, formed in 2010, and ECDA, established in 2013, helped to lift the standards of relatively niche but growing industries. This, as use of childcare services became more mainstream and a booming property market increased the need for real estate agents. 

The public, however, soon became frustrated and wary of unqualified fly-by-night agents and teachers who were not only short-changing their individual clients but also tarnishing the reputation of their entire industry. 

Introducing a similar licensing regime or compulsory registration with the authorities will help standardise even basic qualification requirements. For instance, while many service providers require a therapist to have a minimum Master’s Degree in Counselling or Counselling/Clinical Psychology, not all have this requirement. 

2. Avoid over-medicalising mental health

Mental health is a spectrum with illnesses and disorders being only one end of it. We must treat all mental health concerns as legitimate issues that require the appropriate level of support. 

The Government’s new tiered approach is pragmatic and matches end users with the right type of support, depending on the severity of their struggles. 

While more developed countries like the US and the UK have higher levels of awareness and lower stigma associated with mental health, institutions there have also over-medicalised it. 

Psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk describes in his best-selling book about trauma, The Body Keeps The Score, how “mainstream medicine is firmly committed to better life through chemistry and the fact that we can change our own physiology and inner equilibrium by means other than drugs is rarely considered”. 

Did you know more than half of Singaporeans found talk therapy effective?

The American healthcare system, he believes, is too focused on diagnoses and drugs rather than tailored interventions and real healing. 

For instance, more than 13 per cent of Americans reported taking antidepressant medication during the 2015-18 period, even before Covid-19 hit. 

Dr van der Kolk notes how studies of non-drug treatment are rarely funded unless they involve so-called manualised protocols where patients and therapists must go through narrow, prescribed sequences that allow little fine-tuning to individual needs. 

Furthermore, instead of tackling underlying social issues contributing to mental distress, the authorities there have also turned to medication. Dr van der Kolk shared how Medicaid, the US government’s programme for the poor, spent more on anti-psychotics than any other class of drugs. 

A similar story has played out in the UK which saw the greatest increase across Europe in the use of antidepressants over the past decade. 

In 2024, The Economist reported how in surveys, “Britons increasingly describe grief and stress as mental illnesses, redefining how sickness is understood”.  

This has strained the National Health Service, their universal healthcare system, where at least 1.8 million people are waiting for mental health treatment. 

3. Improve access to help

If awareness is the first step, and overcoming stigma the second, then getting timely access to the help you need becomes the crucial third step for someone struggling with poor mental health. 

Here, not just the government but insurance providers and employers also have a part to play. 

In 2024, the World Health Organisation theme for World Mental Health Day was “Mental Health at Work”. They recognised that mental health and work are closely linked with a direct impact on performance, absenteeism, and turnover. 

In Singapore, a study by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and Duke-NUS Medical School estimated that there is an estimated $16 billion loss in productivity every year due to employee anxiety and depression. 

It is therefore heartening to see companies and insurance providers stepping up and putting money where their mouth is by subsidising both medical as well as non-medical interventions, similar to dental check-up or gym membership benefits currently available. 

The Workplace Safety and Health Council has also announced that it will launch in 2025 guidelines for employers on how to support staff with mental health challenges. 

In 2024, then Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in Parliament: “So let there be no doubt: The Government is making mental health and well-being a key priority in our national agenda.” 

It was a big and bold first step. 

Eventually, though, the spotlight will move on to other pressing issues facing our country. I hope then that the important work of improving our nation’s mental health and well-being will continue in earnest. 

Most of us feel a myriad of emotions and yearn for a sense of belonging. Sometimes, we also get lost along the way of finding ourselves or improving our lives.  

This journey of self-discovery is the heart of therapy – a process documented in all its intricacies in Lori Gottlieb’s ‘Maybe You Should Talk to Someone’. 

The book got us wondering: what do we actually do in therapy?  

People understand that everyone may need support. But we seldom talk about the mysterious one-hour session inside a room with a box of tissues—or, increasingly, during an online session. 

Yes, the therapist is an expert in guiding therapy sessions. But you still have control over setting the tone, adjusting the pace, and steering the direction in the exact way you want.  

Now, the question is: how much should I talk about? Will I get more out of therapy if I explore childhood issues or problems in my life right now? Is there anything such as a perfect therapy session?  

If you’ve booked your session or are planning to, now’s the time to reflect on what you can do to get the most out of therapy in Singapore. 

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1. Reflect on What You Want

Why do you want therapy for mental health? Are you struggling with relationship issues, or maybe you want to regulate your mood?  

Whatever the issue is, consider which type of therapy may be best for you.  

For example, on the one hand, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is short-term and helps build confidence, reduce negative thoughts, and unlearn maladaptive behaviours 

Psychodynamic therapy, on the other hand, may help you explore deep-rooted issues that may be contributing to your unhealthy lifestyle (eg negative childhood experiences or trauma). 

Think about: 

  • How you are feeling right now 
  • How do you want to feel eventually 
  • What do you want to address during therapy 

Journalling or tracking your feelings and mood can also help you create a solid mindmap to talk with a therapist.  

In fact, we recommend that you journal – not only before therapy – but in conjunction with therapy to help reduce stress and regulate your mood.  

A person journalling on why they want to go to therapy in Singapore.

2. Have Realistic Expectations

Firstly, understand that therapy does not only help with symptom relief but also has an overarching goal of addressing root causes and establishing self-reliance. 

For example, if your presenting problem is panic attacks, your therapist may help you reduce or eliminate the attacks. But they may also explore why you had those attacks in the first place and what you can do to deal with triggering situations in the future.  

Secondly, therapy is like working out. Sometimes, we feel energetic and give our all, but other times, we just have to drag our feet to the gym.  

Remember that you are pouring emotional labour into therapy sessions, and you may just not feel like going to therapy one day. That’s okay and normal.  

Acknowledge your emotions and try to understand the reason. Do you not feel validated during therapy? Is it time to look for a different therapist? Or do you have a lot going on in life right now?  

Whatever it is, try to have an open conversation with your therapist. Together, you may adjust the therapeutic approach to align with your needs or explore what may not be working for you.  

Note: Although therapy can sometimes be tiring, you may feel better after venting out. Try social accountability to be consistent even when you don’t feel like joining the session.

Lastly, try not to expect your therapist to give you solutions or tell you what to do. Therapy is about guiding you to make safe decisions that serve you.  

3. Set Boundaries

Similar to setting boundaries in your personal life, it’s also important to create thoughtful parameters around your relationship with your therapist. 

Boundaries can keep the therapy session focused on you and your needs.  

For example: 

  • Do you find it hard to share your personal information, like profession or family dynamics, with your therapist?  
  • Are you comfortable with casual touches like handshakes or a shoulder pat, or do you want to avoid physical contact completely? 
  • Would you like your therapist to be active and responsive even outside therapy sessions?  

Once you consider your preferences, have an honest talk with your therapist. Your therapist’s intent during sessions would be to empower you to handle your problems in a safe environment.  

So, if you don’t want to hug your therapist or shake their hands, they will refrain from doing so. The professional may also explore what your boundaries mean to you.  

Some ideas to set boundaries during therapy include: 

  • Saying ‘no’ if you don’t like a therapeutic activity 
  • Requesting for a particular distance from each other during in-person therapy 
  • Communicating your therapy goals to avoid deviations from the topic 
  • Asking your therapist to explain a technique better before moving on to the next one 
  • Letting your therapist know that you’d like to change the therapy approach. For example, ask for changes if you want to focus more on problem-solving rather than exploring your emotions 

4. Be Your Authentic Self

The best way to get the most out of therapy is to help your therapist help you – which means try to be your most authentic self!  

Authenticity is matching your inner thoughts and feelings with your outer presentation and behaviour.  

Being authentic is an active process – something we should be doing intentionally in every therapy session.  

A tip to be authentic is ‘showing up for yourself.’ Try to be comfortable talking about your failures and flaws just as much as you talk about your successes.  

We all have things we are not proud of or may even consider ugly about ourselves, and that’s okay. The more awareness we bring towards it during therapy, the more we can accept and manage it.  

Some ideas to be authentic during therapy include:  

  • Reflect on times you have felt authentic in your life. How were you able to do this? What behaviours did you exhibit?  
  • What’s one thing you are ashamed of yet want to explore in therapy? Try writing notes or talking about it. 
  • Is there a dichotomy in what you think and how you behave? For example, are you socially anxious but are pretending otherwise during therapy? Recognise the contrast and bring it up during sessions.  

If the idea of authenticity feels overwhelming or you struggle to be honest, tell your therapist.  

Honesty during sessions is the best way to get to the root of why you’re facing issues and how you’re really feeling.  

5. Prepare to Be Proactive

Physically showing up and being mentally present are two very different things.  

Finding a top therapist near you does not automatically guarantee that you will get the most out of sessions.  

You may have to be mentally present throughout the session to utilise the expert therapist’s services. 

Make sure you are prepared and willing to explore your inner self proactively during the 1-hour you and your therapist have reserved.  

To be proactive, you can: 

  • Jot down your thoughts before therapy 
  • Track your mood and work on therapy homework assigned by your therapist 
  • Provide feedback and actively question your therapist when you don’t understand something  
  • Initiate a discussion about any topics that may have been accidentally overridden 
  • Let your therapist know how you’re doing currently and if there’s anything else you want to focus on in the future calls  
A therapist welcoming a client before talk therapy.

6. Be Patient

Therapy is hard emotional work – positive changes and outcomes take time.  

It can be frustrating to wait it out, and that’s okay. If your frustration impacts your beliefs on therapy, talk to your therapist about it.  

In many ways, therapy is similar to reducing weight. Have you ever focused on weight reduction? Do you remember how frustrating it was during the plateau stage?  

Initially, we may reduce weight after some exercise and a balanced diet – but once we reach a plateau (ie when we stop losing weight) – it can be hard to stick to the process. 

Similarly, you may notice rapid changes after just a few therapy sessions. However, your progress may have reached a plateau halfway through.  

Therapy plateau may happen because: 

  • You have overcome minor issues like lack of confidence and are now working on deep-rooted problems like childhood trauma, which may take more time to manage 
  • You find it hard to identify changes in your life 
  • You may need to work more on implementing therapeutic skills outside therapy sessions 

Being patient and giving therapy enough time for it to work is the key to getting the most out of it.  

Did you know more than half of Singaporeans found talk therapy effective?

7. Apply Your Learnings in Real-Life

Getting the most out of therapy not only has to do with what you do during therapy but also with what you do outside sessions. 

  • Do you practice your therapy skills in real-life situations? 
  • Do you follow the techniques to regulate your emotions? 

Keep a list of skills and insights you’ve learned during therapy in Singapore. Try to visit this list every now and then to make sure you maintain the same mindset.  

It is easy to forget the little details of how you intend to approach certain things in life after therapy. However, maintaining a list can help you learn the skills slowly until they’re deeply etched in your mind. 

Once you start applying your therapy learnings in real life, you will begin to identify the positive outcomes and minor details on how you think about adversities – and this signifies that you are growing and healing.  

Conclusion

Getting the most out of therapy involves reflecting on your needs, having realistic expectations, setting boundaries, being authentic, proactive, and patient, and applying your learning in real life.  

Remember that Singapore therapists are experts in providing a safe, non-judgmental, and compassionate space for you to talk about any issues you may be facing.  

You can utilise therapy in the best possible way by being honest and communicative with your therapist.  

The first step in starting with Talk Your Heart Out (TYHO) is finding therapy near you. Review the therapist’s profile and read client reviews to find the right therapist. If you’re ready to start your journey, visit this link: Therapists in Singapore 

Therapy in Singapore is a positive step many take to manage their emotions, adapt to changes, and learn problem-solving skills. 

You might be nervous if you’ve never been to therapy for mental health before. 

Planning can lessen anxiety and help you make the most out of what lies ahead.  

Doing some simple things, like journaling, can also give you a better sense of what to expect and increase the chances of having a positive experience. 

In this article, we will write about the 5 things you can do before your first therapy session. And don’t worry – it’s easier than you think, and these steps can set you up for success from the start. 

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1. Do Your Research

Right after you book your therapy session, take a moment to reflect on what you want to accomplish.  

Doing your personal research can help you remember key points during therapy and set the direction towards your most relevant goals.  

Focus on tracking your mental health and important therapy goals.  

a. Track Your Mental Health

Consider tracking information related to your mood, energy levels, sleep quality, stress levels, thought patterns, motivations, and physical symptoms.  

We encourage you to choose any aspects that you prefer to improve.  

Either create a sheet to track each point in a specific way (eg using emojis to represent emotions) or write a detailed journal about your day-to-day experiences.  

Journaling gives you a head-start for therapy by helping you better understand your needs.  

Research also shows that writing about upsetting events can help improve your mental and physical health and bolster the impact of therapy sessions.  

b. Write Your Goals

Setting up therapy for success begins with knowing which direction you want your life to take and who you want to become.  

While your therapist can help you with goal-setting, it is still useful to contemplate your goals well before. Visualise how you would like your life to look after you decide to terminate therapy.  

Here’s a prompt to help you: 

“What does getting better mean to me?” 

Some examples of therapy goals can look like: 

  • Prioritising my needs in interpersonal relationships 
  • Managing work-life balance  
  • Reducing anxiety around life changes 
  • Healing from negative childhood experiences 

Tip: Think about your goals in terms of measurable outcomes so you can recognise the changes when you actually achieve them. For example, if your goal is to reduce stress, you can measure it by noticing reduced heart palpitations, fewer headaches, and so on.

Your goals can also help track progress during therapy.  

Discuss your ideas during the first session so that you can align them with the therapist’s approach and work towards achieving your identified goals. 

2. Prepare Questions to Ask Your Therapist

The therapist is a stranger in your first session. Preparing a list of questions to analyse their profile can help you mitigate any discomfort you may have. 

Don’t be afraid to ask questions you may have already encountered in their description. Therapy is your chance to gain as much clarity as you need to get started.  

Some questions you can ask include: 

  • Can you explain your background and experiences in detail?  
  • How do you generally approach problems during sessions? 
  • When can I expect to notice changes in my life?  
  • Will you be teaching me skills to manage my emotions? 
  • Will you predominantly focus on my childhood experiences, or will we majorly discuss current problems?  
  • Do my presenting problems align with the areas you specialise in? 
  • How much experience do you have in handling my specific issue?  
  • How do you handle situations where progress feels slow or stagnant? 

75% of people find talk therapy effective. Find a TYHO Therapist today for help with emotional distress.

3. Talk to Your Loved Ones

Share your thoughts and feelings about therapy with others whenever you feel comfortable.  

Community or family support, whatever is available to you at this moment, can help you reduce potential feelings of apprehension about therapy.  

You may be surprised how common it is to seek therapy in Singapore. If the person you talk to also sees a therapist, it can be comforting to share your experiences with each other.  

Often, your loved ones may provide you with a fresh perspective about issues you may be struggling with.  

For example, your friend might be able to see that you’re getting more anxious about work events that could have escaped your notice. By having open conversations, you can even streamline your therapy goals.  

If you feel hesitant to start a conversation, send a text message to a friend. You can say: “Hey, I want to talk to you about starting therapy. Can I vent my feelings to you?” 

After a few exchanges, you can discuss the topic in person before starting your therapy!  

Friends discussing about the first therapy session.

4. Seek Therapy With an Open Mind

The first few therapy sessions are always about identifying areas you want to work on and assessing if your therapist is the right fit for you.  

To do so, you may have to answer several questions and engage in a deep and honest conversation. However, try not to fret – your therapist will be compassionate and guide you through the process. 

If you are not ready to explore certain areas, you can ask the time for it or even share why it’s hard for you to open up. 

All therapists are committed to helping you heal and grow. Although it may initially feel awkward to talk about the most intimate details of your life, try to have an open mind and note that:

  • The more effort you put into therapy, the more you will gain from it.
  • Being forthcoming about your struggles and how difficult the process feels can help your therapist support you better.

If you do not feel heard or validated during sessions, ask your therapist if they are willing to modify their approach or treatment plan.  

Similarly, have frequent conversations about meeting goals and tracking progress. 

Remember that therapy can take time, and change will happen slowly. Give yourself a couple of weeks to determine if you need to change a therapist.  

5. Schedule Time for Post-Therapy Reflection

Therapy sessions can be tiring as you may be talking about deep-rooted issues or childhood negative experiences.  

Schedule some time after therapy to reflect on how it went and what you would like to do differently next time. 

Some common emotions people may experience post-therapy include: 

  • Emotionally exhausted 
  • Worried 
  • Anxious  
  • Tired 

Although the above emotions are natural, they are only temporary. Reflect on how you feel on a broader scale. 

For example, are you hopeful about the future but at the same time worried about meeting those goals? The temporary emotion here may be the worry (which you will experience after the session), but on a broader scale, you are feeling hopeful and looking forward to continuing the sessions.  

The latter is what you may want to focus most on.  

To identify your temporary and extensive emotions, journal your thoughts. Sometimes, going for a walk or painting may also help. Try engaging in any activity that feels therapeutic to you.  

Post-therapy reflection is important as it can help you process all the emotions from the therapy and clear your mind. You can also talk to your therapist about working on therapy homework as a way to reflect on sessions.  

Key Takeaways

  • Preparing well in advance for your first therapy session can help you reduce anxiety and negative thoughts.  
  • Taking some time to track your mental health and contemplating your goals can help you create a strong foundation for therapy progress.  
  • Being open-minded about the changes in therapy and addressing your concerns right away by talking to your therapist can help improve your therapy experience.  
  • Seeking a new therapist if things don’t progress even after several weeks is completely normal and recommended.  

Whether it’s out of fear, embarrassment, shame, or guilt, many clients hesitate to be completely open with their therapist.  

Research from 2018 found that nearly 84% of people have concealed personal truths, like having suicidal thoughts.   

However, therapists are trained to provide compassion and build the foundation of trust even when clients aren’t fully transparent.  

Once the trust is established, the therapeutic experience can deepen.   

That’s why it’s important to understand how being honest can truly transform your therapy sessions.  

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Should I Tell My Therapist Everything?

The short answer is yes; you should tell your therapist everything.   

But you don’t need to share everything immediately. It’s normal to take time to feel comfortable.   

Initially, your therapist may focus on building rapport and gaining a radical understanding of your personality and problems.   

As you start to feel safe, you can gradually share details about yourself to increase the effectiveness of therapy 

Tip: Write down key points about your issues (eg self-esteem or loneliness). You can work on one issue for several sessions before moving on to the next. This approach helps you manage feelings of vulnerability and allows you to set the pace of therapy.

If opening up still feels uncomfortable, talk to your therapist. Together, you can explore any feelings of shame or guilt that may be keeping you from being fully honest. 

Common Reasons You May Lie to Your Therapist

People often lie in therapy out of fear of judgment, shame, guilt, or embarrassment. 

1. Fear of Judgement

We may lie during therapy for the same reasons we lie to our loved ones – to avoid judgment or criticism. 

For example, a client who struggles with self-harm may hesitate to open up due to the fear that the therapist may not believe them. The client may feel invalidated, humiliated, and fearful of sharing their intrusive thoughts if such is the case.  

Lying during therapy can also happen because you may have felt judged in your relationships, in academia, or the workplace.  

Maybe you were not provided the space in your family to feel your emotions. Perhaps your parents criticised you for talking about your distress.  

These experiences of judgment can surface during therapy sessions and affect our honesty.  

A teenager feels judged by their friends and hoping to talk to a therapist.

2. Shame, Guilt, or Embarrassment

Shame can make us feel detached from therapy, especially if it’s due to childhood events like bullying or strict parenting.  

Embarrassment may occur when you believe your experiences are ‘bad’ or something is inherently ‘wrong’ with you.  

Guilt usually manifests itself when you engage in destructive behaviours. For example, the habit of binge eating after a bad day at work can lead to self-blame. 

Theoretically, you may be aware that bingeing food could be self-destructive. Hence, after you engage in the behaviour, the guilt of knowing that you did something harmful to yourself may prevent you from opening up about it.  

3. Feeling Like Your Experiences Are Isolating

If you think your issues are unique, you may avoid discussing them.  

For example, mental health issues like depression or stress can feel deeply isolating. Symptoms of these issues look different in everyone and may thus become ‘invisible’. 

Depressive thoughts like, “Nobody can understand what goes on in my head” can make it harder to open up.  

Feeling isolated may prevent you from being honest, and not talking about your issue can make you feel isolated. This is a painful cycle to be stuck in.  

What if I feel these emotions during therapy?

As scary as it may be, all these emotions are valid. You are not alone. If you identify the above emotions in yourself, it is important to talk to your therapist. Consider sending a text message about your feelings if talking about them feels overwhelming.

Here’s a prompt to help you initiate the discussion. Say: “I’m having a hard time being honest during therapy sessions. I feel ___ and would like to explore the emotion.”

3 Reasons to Be Honest With Your Therapist

Being honest with your therapist can not only improve your therapy experience but also help you reach your goals faster. 

Below are 3 benefits of opening up: 

1. Improves the Quality of Therapy Sessions

You have already made an honest and vulnerable statement by letting your therapist know about your fear of opening up.  

Vulnerability in therapy can help you open new doors and explore problems with a deeper understanding.  

Your honesty can even help break through any plateaus during therapy (ie not progressing). 

This new therapy door can: 

  • Give you space to talk about issues you may have forgotten 
  • Help you feel empowered 
  • Equip you with new and effective therapy skills 
  • Teach you how to gain a radical understanding of yourself and of the world 
  • Help you gain positive therapy outcomes 

2. Gives Your Therapist the Chance to Help You

Tip to open up during therapy: “I can’t talk about an issue right now, but I’m ready to try opening up with your support.”

Making a statement like the above should allow your therapist to check in and help you.  

During therapy sessions, your therapist may use guided conversations to slowly ease you into the topic and explore areas that may stand in the way of honesty.  

Asking for help is a powerful way to grow out of fear.  

By being honest, you tell yourself that you are: 

  • Ready to tackle challenges 
  • Ready to face your feelings and move on from negative experiences 
  • Looking forward to healing  

3. Helps You Face Your Fears and Reduces Anxiety

You are already facing your fears when you open up during therapy.  

It’s like peeling off a bandage – you know it will sting, but you can see the wound healing once it’s off.  

On the other side of the fear, there is immense possibility to reduce your anxiety, overcome distress, and heal from trauma.  

Remember that the more effort you put into therapy, the more you will get out of it. 

For example, the more honest you are, the better your therapist can understand what you’re going through and offer the right support.  

Every time you confront a fear, you build resilience.  

Ultimately, your honesty in therapy will lead to a stronger therapist-client relationship and allow for profound healing. 

A client sharing their problems with a therapist during therapy in Singapore.

How Being Honest Can Transform Your Therapy Sessions

For therapy to be transformational, it requires you to be upfront about your life.  

The therapist-client relationship is improved when you prioritise honesty during therapy.  

Honesty -> Strong therapeutic alliance -> Better therapy outcomes 

But how do you improve the bond with your therapist?  

Firstly, know that your therapist will take control of this aspect and work together with you to build rapport.  

From your side, however, you can focus on two points: 

  1. Goal setting 
  2. Communication 

Firstly, when you and your therapist agree on your goals, it can improve outcomes, satisfaction, and motivation to progress.  

Try to list down some common goals that you would like to achieve. Remember to set SMART goals (Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-limited). 

Some common therapy goals are:

- Improving work-life balance and healing from burnout

- Building skills to manage and reduce panic attacks or anxious thoughts

- Increasing emotional intimacy with a romantic partner to have open conversations and overcome conflicts

- Developing assertiveness to feel confident in social situations

Secondly, a key component of a strong therapeutic alliance is improving the bond between you and your therapist.  

To do so, try to be communicative about your life experiences and feelings. Remember that all your emotions are real and valid.  

Your openness can help your therapist establish a solid therapeutic foundation and relationship. 

Lastly, being honest can lead to developing a more personalised therapy approach.  

For example, deep conversations with your therapist may have helped you realise that while you feel comfortable discussing present problems, you struggle to recall your childhood experiences.  

By sharing this, your therapist can adjust their approach, maybe focusing on hypnosis first and then moving towards talk therapy to explore the topic in depth when you are ready. 

What if You Don’t Feel Comfortable Opening Up to Your Therapist?

If you don’t feel comfortable opening up during therapy sessions, try: 

Grounding yourself: Take some time before therapy to mentally prepare yourself. Meditate or go for a short walk to clear your head. Tell yourself this mantra: “I may not enjoy opening up, but I am safe, and I trust the process.” 

Starting small: Talk about a minor issue that has been bugging you. For example, talk about a small argument with your mother. This is similar to ‘testing the waters’ – trying something small to see if it works out. Once you find out that you feel safe, move on to slightly more sensitive topics.  

Referencing your experience: If you have seen or read something similar that you have experienced but are hesitant to talk about – try to bring in that reference during therapy. Read the reference content out loud and let your therapist guide you towards a deeper conversation.  

Conclusion

Therapy explores the grittiest parts of our lives – so it is common for clients to avoid being honest due to the pain of their experiences. Therapists understand this feeling and will provide the space and time for you to get comfortable.  

When you struggle to be honest, think about why you started therapy. Was it to improve the quality of life? Or accepting yourself for who you are?   

Remind yourself that being honest can improve the quality of therapy sessions, provide you with personalised coping skills, help you overcome fear and anxiety, and lead you towards positive and successful therapy outcomes.   

Almost 75% of people in talk therapy see positive outcomes within a few months.

Are you lost and confused? Unhappy? Not entirely sure what you’re feeling?  

Daily life stressors can make you feel that way. Yet, if these feelings last longer than a few weeks, it could indicate signs of mental health issues.  

The issues people commonly face include anxiety, depression, stress, lack of confidence, trauma-related disorders, negative thoughts and so on.  

There are several ways to manage these issues on your own. For example, building community support, developing healthy relationships, creating a self-care routine, journaling, or meditation can help manage your emotions.  

However, when these habits aren’t enough, therapy can provide a non-judgmental space to help regain control over yourself and your life.     

But if you’ve never been to mental health therapy before, the process may seem complicated.    

What if you don’t know what to say? What if your therapist doesn’t like you? Or what if you don’t like your therapist? There are too many questions.  

Fortunately, you can explore all of them during therapy. 

To help you get started, we’ve curated a therapy guide for beginners, from when you should start therapy to the termination process and everything in between. 

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When Should I Start Therapy?

When to start therapy is one of the most asked questions. While there are several reasons to seek help, one word can sum up the purpose of it: change 

You may need therapy if there’s something in your life you’re struggling to change on your own. 

  • Do you want to change how you think or feel?  
  • Are you stuck engaging in habits that are not serving you? 
  • Do you feel like you’re stuck in a loop without understanding why or how to break out of it?  

If you answered yes to the above questions, give therapy a try.  

Think of therapy as a mirror where you can see yourself – with all your complexities – through the eyes of a trained professional. When looked at consistently, this mirror can help you break through your tunnel-vision perspective of who you are.  

Some of the common signs you need therapy include: 

  • You feel on edge all the time, and it’s affecting your mood, relationships, work, and other areas of your life. 
  • You feel stuck and hopeless even when you’re constantly looking for ways to feel emotionally satisfied.  
  • You can’t stop yourself from engaging in the same negative patterns that are causing you stress and anxiety (eg drinking too much when you can’t process your emotions, avoiding your loved ones etc). 
  • Signs of your mental health issues keep getting worse regardless of what you do to take care of yourself. 

People might tell you that you need therapy if they don’t understand the way you function or if you live unconventionally. But you may need therapy only if you want something about your life to be different.  

A person feeling sad and exhausted on the couch and looking to get started with therapy in Singapore.

Do I Need Therapy if My Problems Aren’t ‘Big Enough’?

The short answer is yes!  

The long answer, however, has much to do with our perception of ‘big problems’. 

People often minimise their issues because they believe that their problems aren’t big enough. However, instead of focusing on the problem, we might need to shift our focus towards the impact the situation has on us.  

The reality is that there’s no such thing as a trauma threshold we must reach to deserve professional help.  

Just because others may have ‘bigger’ problems doesn’t mean yours don’t hurt. 

Just because others may have ‘bigger’ problems doesn’t mean yours don’t hurt. 

In fact, our brain can make us feel bad regardless of the severity of the situation. A small problem can affect you just as much as going through something deeply traumatic. 

Early intervention for mental health can give you the tools you need to recognise the signs of distress and cope with them.  

Your feelings and struggles are valid, regardless of how big or small you think they are.  

Moreover, therapy for minor issues can even prepare you to become self-reliant in the future.  

Therapy Self-Assessment

Below is a mental health quiz that you can take to know your state of mind and the intensity of your psychological distress.  

After you complete the test, you will receive a score and a recommendation.  

Please remember that this test does not provide a diagnosis. Only a psychiatrist or psychologist can formally diagnose. 

This mental health quiz will take around 3-5 minutes of your time.  

How Can Therapy Help Me?

Now that you know that seeking therapy in Singapore before your problems blow up is a great way to become self-reliant, you may wonder how therapy works.  

Therapists may focus on two categories during sessions: presenting problems and personal growth.  

Personal growth is an ongoing process of working towards your ideal self/life and focusing on positive self-development.  

Presenting problems may include challenges that are affecting the quality of your daily life (ie disorders or mental health issues).  

In general, the benefits of therapy may include: 

  • Gaining a deeper understanding of yourself, your goals, and your values 
  • Managing your emotions  
  • Identifying and reducing stress or work-related burnout 
  • Dealing with unhealthy coping mechanisms 
  • Exploring childhood and intergenerational trauma 
  • Learning how to be kind and compassionate to yourself 
  • Developing healthy and effective social and communication skills 
  • Overcoming people-pleasing tendencies 

Regardless of the reason, you may find that the benefits of therapy are endless. There is something for everyone to take away.  

Types of Therapy

Read on to learn about the five types of therapy and how they can help you.  

1. Individual Therapy

We provide individual therapy in Singapore to help you explore your thoughts and feelings in a confidential environment.  

The key to success during therapy is to maintain a healthy relationship with your Therapist.  

Unlike other types of therapy, you are the only focus during individual therapy. Hence, you may have space and more time to understand and equip yourself with relevant coping strategies.  

Being in therapy can help you: 

  • Improve your self-esteem and confidence 
  • Overcome existential crisis 
  • Manage low moods and depression 
  • Deal with feelings of shame and guilt 
  • Handle conflicts in relationships or friendships 

2. Couples Therapy

Do you believe that couples therapy is only for those who have problems? That’s not actually true! 

Couples therapy in Singapore can act as a preventive intervention to keep a relationship on track before things get worse.  

Every couple may fight, but how do we prevent the arguments from slowly piling up, only to explode later in life? 

Couples therapists can act as a neutral party and help resolve the stack of problems so that they don’t collapse.  

Therapy can also help improve your interpersonal dynamics, making it a pleasant experience to share your life with your partner. 

As a couple, you may gain several therapy benefits, such as: 

  • Solving communication problems 
  • Dealing with conflicts 
  • Improving trust among each other 
  • Learning how to mutually respect and support each other 
  • Improving intimacy 
  • Preparing for a healthy marriage through pre-marital counselling
A couple sitting on a couch opposite a couples therapist in Singapore

3. Marriage Counselling

Marriage can be a beautiful journey, but it’s not always easy.  

Sometimes, it can be so challenging that you may become confused or lost about how to solve problems.  

You may lose your identity while trying to deal with marital issues such as family stress, unrealistic expectations, and poor communication.  

Most of these problems may occur due to a lack of understanding or emotional bonding. This is where marriage counselling in Singapore can be helpful.  

If you’re seeking mental health therapy as a married couple, you can: 

  • Rebuild trust  
  • Develop communication and listening skills 
  • Talk through difficult topics without leading to an argument  
  • Improve sex and emotional intimacy 
  • Reduce family and parental stress 
  • Learn how to manage personal, work, and family time 
  • Process feelings related to grief, health problems, or life changes 
  • Work through infidelity and rebuild your relationship

4. Family Therapy

Family members may have unique personalities, which may clash and cause conflict.  

Conflicts among family members can take a toll on everyone involved. However, family therapy in Singapore can help with: 

  • Evaluating and solving mental health issues 
  • Resolving harmful habits and thoughts 
  • Addressing and managing relationship issues and dynamics 

Unlike individual therapy, where the focus is only on one person, family therapists may focus on the set of relationships that make up the entire family.  

Moreover, family therapy can help: 

  • Improve communication and interpersonal skills 
  • Resolve conflicts 
  • Provide personalised therapeutic plans to manage mental health issues that one or more family members may have 
  • Develop collaborative and individual coping strategies 

Family therapy has positive effects on nearly 80% of families.

5. Child Therapy

Children may face the world with whatever information they are aware of (which, in general, could be limited due to their age and adaptability).  

Many kids may struggle with low self-esteem, lack of confidence, bullying, harassment, academic pressure, issues with parents, and so on.  

Child therapy in Singapore can help address these challenges with age-appropriate therapeutic techniques.  

Some benefits of child therapy may include: 

  • Learning how to love oneself 
  • Developing social skills 
  • Identifying and expressing emotions 
  • Coping with negative thoughts 
  • Learning how to make and maintain friendships 
  • Improving attention and concentration
  • Healing from abuse, whether physical, sexual, or emotional

Tips to Find the Right Therapist

It’s easy to get the impression that all therapists are the same. However, just as you may prefer the approach of certain medical doctors over others, the same applies to therapy. 

Here’s how to find a therapist in five simple steps:  

  • Identify Your Goals: Before doing anything else, think about why you need therapy. Are you stressed? Do you want to fix your relationship? Identifying your goals can make the therapist selection process easier.  
  • Review Therapist Profiles: Look for information such as qualifications, types of therapy, approach, and personal background.  
  • Choose Your Modality: Decide whether you prefer in-person or online therapy in Singapore. Consider your comfort (eg can you open up in a new place?) and convenience (eg do you have privacy for video calls?) while deciding.  
  • Interview the Therapists: Ask questions about the therapist’s experience and approach to check if they align with your needs. 
  • Check Your Comfort Level: After a few sessions, check how comfortable you feel with the therapist. Comfort, trust, and mutual respect are essential for a successful therapeutic relationship. If you feel heard, respected, and empowered in the sessions, you’ve likely found a good match. 

Step-by-Step Guide to Booking a Session at TYHO

If you’re looking to start therapy with TYHO, follow these steps: 

STEP 1: Create an account with us to begin the TYHO Therapist selection process.  

STEP 2: Decide on a service (eg individual, couples, marriage, family, or child therapy) and use the filter to search by location, Therapist name, or issues.  

STEP 3: Review the relevant profiles that show up, watch the Therapist’s introductory videos, and read their descriptions and client reviews to shortlist your options.  

STEP 4: Click the ‘Book Now’ button to select the service, medium, and slot.  

STEP 5: Click on ‘Pay & Confirm’ to book your first session. You will find all your scheduled sessions and other details on your dashboard! 

What Type of Therapy Is Right for Me?

Choosing the right therapy method may be confusing if you don’t know what information to look for.  

Your therapy experience can increase significantly based on the right approach. Here’s an overview of the most common types of therapy: 

  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Doing CBT helps us reframe our negative thoughts and emotions into healthier alternatives. Some sub-types of CBT are acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), and dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT). 
  • Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT): During SFBT, a therapist may use tools such as miracle questions (ie reflecting on how different our lives would be without current problems) and goal setting to come up with practical solutions.  
  • Person-Centred Approach: Therapists may focus on the client entirely during the person-centred approach. During sessions, therapists guide their clients towards realistic solutions and broaden their perspective about themselves and the world. 

Even knowing as much as you’ve just read can help you make an informed decision about choosing the right therapy! 

Should I Go for Online or In-Person Therapy?

When thinking about offline vs online therapy, you may have to consider your: 

  • Personal preferences 
  • Comfort (eg using technology or travelling to a location) 
  • Therapeutic needs 
  • Presenting problems 
  • Availability  

Some of the pros of in-person therapy in Singapore may include: 

  • Nonverbal communication: Seeing a therapist face-to-face gives them more chance to interpret your nonverbal cues. Identifying nonverbal cues can help your therapist better understand your needs.  
  • Neutral location: In-person sessions may take place in a Therapist’s office or a TYHO room, which can give you an outlet away from your regular life. A neutral location can also be helpful to maintain full confidentiality.  

Some of the pros of online therapy in Singapore may include: 

  • Affordability: Taking online sessions means that you can cut costs on travel and room expenses.  
  • Comfort: You can opt for online therapy from the comfort of your room or house to feel safe during sessions. 

One type of modality is not better than the other.  

Try to compare the pros of online vs offline therapy and decide which advantages matter the most to you.  

How to Prepare for Your First Therapy Session

You’ve finally booked your first therapy session – congratulations! Now, you might be wondering about preparing for therapy. 

Below are 3 first therapy session tips to help you get started:  

1. Outline Your Goals and Reasons for Therapy

Journaling your thoughts and understanding exactly what you might need to talk about with your therapist can be helpful. 

You can make a bullet list that includes: 

  • Your symptoms 
  • Thoughts and feelings 
  • Habits you want to stop  
  • Past experiences that may be contributing to your unhealthy patterns 
  • Current life stressors  

2. Prepare a List of Questions to Ask the Therapist

Think of your first therapy session as a mutual interview. This is the time you can utilise to get to know your Therapist and make adjustments accordingly.  

For example: 

  • Do you want to know about your Therapist’s political views?  
  • Are you curious about their availability outside therapy sessions?  
  • Do you need your therapist to use your preferred pronouns? 
  • Do you want to work with a Therapist who understands and makes the best use of your religious practices?  

Asking questions can help you finalise the Therapist and set the tone for future sessions. 

3. Prepare in Advance for Post-Therapy Reflection

Therapy sessions require serious emotional work and can have you feeling tired or numb, especially after the first therapy session.  

If possible, try to clear your calendar after you finish your session. Give yourself a relaxing break – visit the cafe, read a book, or take a nap if that helps.  

Remember to reflect on your session leisurely and after you collect your thoughts.  

Exclusive Tips from a TYHO Therapist to Make the Most Out of Therapy

Helen - Clinical Psychologist

Master of Psychology (Clinical); Singapore Register of Psychologists (SRP)

What to Expect in Your First Therapy Session

The first therapy session is usually known as the intake session. Your Therapist may use the 1-hour time to set expectations and build trust with you.  

Setting expectations could mean discussing about the Therapist’s: 

  • Background and qualifications 
  • Style of conducting therapeutic modalities 
  • Specialisations, types of therapy, and how it could help your unique situation 
  • Experience working with similar issues 
  • Availability and preferred timings to meet for future sessions 

After the initial discussion, you may be expected to talk about your mental health history, medical and family history, past and current relationships, background and work type etc.  

How Long Will Therapy Take and How Often Should I Go?

Typically, you may notice changes in a few weeks based on your presenting problems.  

However, it can take a few months or more if you’ve been struggling with mental health issues for a long time.  

Therapy duration and outcomes are as unique as you are. There is no timeline that works for everyone universally. 

The only universal concept that works for everyone is consistency and openness. The more consistent you are, the sooner you may notice the benefits.  

Therapy is a journey to build a solid foundation for your long-term mental health.

Similarly, therapy frequency depends on several factors, such as: 

  • Your availability 
  • Affordability 
  • Personal preferences 
  • Therapist’s recommendations 

Some people may want sessions every week, while others can only afford to book sessions bi-weekly.  

Try to have an open conversation with your Therapist to determine what works best for you! 

I Don’t Like My Therapist: What Can I Do?

You worked hard to find a therapist in Singapore. But what do you do if you don’t like your therapist?  

Please know that you don’t have to suffer in silence. It’s okay to switch therapists if the fit isn’t right. 

The first thing to do is figure out why you don’t like your therapist.  

Do you feel judged? Do your conversations or exchanges not make sense? Or do you simply feel that something is off?  

Once you understand the reason, the second thing to do is to talk to the therapist. If your therapist is understanding, they will work with you to figure out what’s wrong or help you find someone who suits your needs.  

Talking about your preferences could be a turning point – either to fix the therapeutic alliance or to find someone better. 

Should I Tell My New Therapist About My Previous Therapist?

Yes! Sharing past therapy experiences with your new therapist can help them learn about your preferences.  

You can share what didn’t work during sessions. If you parted with your old therapist on good terms, they may share their therapy notes with your consent.  

The disclosure of therapy history is usually helpful in making the transition smoother and improving new therapist communication. 

4 Exercises to Improve Your Mental Health Outside Therapy

There might be times when therapy in Singapore may be out of reach.  

Although mental health therapy is an essential part of caring for your psychological well-being, you can still use the tips below to regulate your emotions and manage your well-being.  

Below are therapy strategies that you may use during therapy or can self-learn through free online resources. 

The 4 tips are: 

  1. Track daily progress 
  2. Use self-care CBT tools 
  3. Strengthen social connections 
  4. Practice mindfulness & meditation 

1. Track Daily Progress

Mental health exercises like tracking your daily mood swings, behavioural patterns, and general progress can give you a bigger picture of how to manage your issues.  

To make the most out of this therapy strategy, try to create three columns: date, mood, and notes.  

In the mood column, you can either use emojis or words like ‘sad’ and ‘happy’ to record your state of mind.  

In the note column, try to journal your thoughts. Write about why you are sad/happy, what you did that day, and if you engaged in any mindfulness and meditation exercises. 

Tracking daily mental health progress can also remind you to check in on yourself and help you identify patterns that are serving you.  

2. Use Self- Care CBT Tools

Professionals commonly use cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to treat issues such as depression, anxiety, stress, and addiction 

CBT tools in Singapore are also intended to be used outside therapy sessions. Using such therapy strategies outside sessions is one of the biggest benefits of therapy. 

You can sign up for guided courses or mental health apps to get started with these CBT tools in Singapore.  

Using self-care CBT tools is also known as self-directed therapy. Remember that these tips are not a replacement for traditional therapy. Still, it can supplement your mental health journey when you can’t afford therapy. 

Some activities you can do to use self-care CBT tools include: 

  • Journalling 
  • Self-guided relaxation techniques 
  • Relaxed breathing 
  • Cognitive restructuring (ie identifying your distortions and actively changing them to helpful thoughts) 

3. Strengthen Social Connections

Although focusing on social relationships sounds simple, it can greatly improve your emotional and mental wellness.  

Studies indicate that connecting to other people can provide a sense of meaning in life and decrease loneliness 

To connect with other people, you can: 

  • Reach out to supportive family members  
  • Find new friends and community to hang out with 
  • Join group therapy 
  • Join free support groups to find like-minded people 

When we talk about social connections, it could also involve pets and animals.  

Recent research shows that animals can increase self-compassion, reduce anxiety, and make it easier to meet new people. 

If you don’t have a pet, you can try to volunteer at a local animal shelter or work part-time to foster dogs and cats.  

The most important thing to focus on is to find a community that makes you feel comfortable and loved.  

4. Practise Mindfulness & Meditation

Trained professionals conduct mindfulness exercises in Singapore, or you can learn them yourself through free online resources. 

Mindfulness and meditation exercises are an extremely popular stress-relieving self-care tool and help you become more attuned to yourself, your thoughts and emotions.  

Research shows that learning breathwork, which is a type of mindfulness exercise, can help manage anxiety and reduce symptoms of chronic stress and depression.   

Breathwork is learning how to regulate the flow of your breathing patterns to change your emotional and psychological state.  

To get started, you can try the 4-7-8 breath to manage stress.  

4-7-8 breath, or relaxing breath, is one of the therapy strategies that involves inhaling for four counts, holding the breath for seven counts, and exhaling for eight counts.  

Try the relaxing breath before your bedtime or during stressful moments to alleviate tension. You can use free counter apps if you find it hard to keep count. 

Remember to inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Repeat this cycle for four cycles or for however long you need to calm down.  

The core of mindfulness and meditation exercises is learning breathwork. Once you understand how breathwork works, you can maintain different types of counts for inhaling, holding breath, and exhaling.  

“There is no good or bad meditation — there is simply awareness or non-awareness. To begin with, we get distracted a lot. Over time, we get distracted less. Be gentle with your approach, be patient with the mind, and be kind to yourself along the way.” - Andy Puddicombe.

“There is no good or bad meditation — there is simply awareness or non-awareness. To begin with, we get distracted a lot. Over time, we get distracted less. Be gentle with your approach, be patient with the mind, and be kind to yourself along the way.” - Andy Puddicombe.

Prompts to Check In with Yourself

Sometimes, when you’re feeling distressed or unhappy, checking in with yourself is an easy way to connect with your emotions and thoughts.  

By using self-check-in prompts, you can become more aware of yourself, how you function, the patterns helping you, and how to manage your feelings better.  

While it is hard to engage in personal reflection prompts when you’re sad or frustrated, learning to break free from negative patterns and turning your focus inward can be hugely beneficial. 

When you regularly do mental health check-ins, you can: 

  • Treat yourself with the same kindness you would offer a friend 
  • Manage your emotions 
  • Improve your self-understanding 

Some prompts to help you check in with yourself include: 

1. Food and Hydration 🥗

Did you eat a balanced meal today?  

Are you giving your body enough water throughout the day? 

Have you had any fruits or vegetables today? 

Are you hydrating yourself? 

Have you had a snack or meal that makes you feel energised? 

Did you start your day with a nourishing breakfast? 

Have you taken time to enjoy your food today? 

2. Quality of Sleep 💤

How rested do you feel this morning? 

Did you wake up feeling refreshed or groggy? 

Were you able to wind down before bed? 

Did you have any vivid dreams or nightmares? 

How many times did you wake up during the night? 

Did you go to bed at a consistent time? 

Have you created a calm environment for sleep? 

Did you get enough sleep? 

3. Feelings, Thoughts & Body Sensations 💆

How are you feeling right now? 

Are there any thoughts on your mind? 

Is your body giving you any signals, like discomfort or numbness? 

You might feel stress, worry, sadness, confusion, anger, or even tired or hungry. What are you noticing? 

Does your body feel tense, relaxed, or somewhere in between? 

Are you feeling any emotions or sensations that you want to take a moment to acknowledge? 

4. Reassessing Your Life 🤔

What tasks or responsibilities do you have right now? 

Is there anything you can take off your list or put on hold? 

Are there any commitments or expectations that feel too heavy to manage? 

Can you let go of things that aren’t as important or can wait? 

Are you holding onto any unrealistic expectations for yourself that you could adjust? 

What could you do to make your load feel lighter today? 

5. Support and Coping 🙌

By letting something go, what could you invite into your life that feels helpful? 

What do you and your body need at this moment? 

What has helped you feel better or supported in the past? 

Is there someone you trust, like a friend, family member, or therapist, that you’d like to talk to? 

Would reaching out to a community or support group help right now? 

How can you give yourself the support you need today? 

Crisis Support & Additional Resources

Life can feel overwhelming due to emotional and physical challenges like stress, work demands, relationships, or health issues.  

You may want to share your feelings with a close friend to cope during these times.  

However, your loved ones may not be available during crisis situations. That’s why we’ve provided a range of mental health resources in Singapore to help you deal with crisis situations.  

During a mental health crisis or when someone is in danger, it’s important to seek emergency mental health help immediately.  

Below are resources to help you or someone you care about during critical moments:  

Emergency Medical Services

If you or someone you know is in immediate harm, call emergency medical services at 995 or approach the A&E department of your nearest hospital. 

Suicide Prevention and Crisis Helplines

  • Samaritans of Singapore (SOS): Call 1767 or WhatsApp 9151 1767 for support 
  • National Anti-Violence & Sexual Harassment (NAVH): 1800 777 0000 

Mental Health Emergency Helplines

  • Institute of Mental Health (IMH): 6389 2222 
  • Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800 283 7019 
  • TOUCH Community Service (youth counselling services): 1800 377 2252 

Conclusion

Therapy is an active intervention in overall wellness because we all grow into beautifully complex adults with many problems and joys in our lives. Starting therapy can help you manage any current problems like anxiety or relationship issues and equip you with tools to handle conflicts in the future.  

Whether you choose or in-person or online therapy, make sure that your needs, goals, and preferences align with your therapist’s. Finding the right therapist is key to receiving positive therapy outcomes.   

Before your first sessions, outline your goals, list questions to ask your therapist, and prepare for post-therapy reflection for a smooth experience.   

Along with your therapy journey, remember to also engage in self-care habits like mindfulness, journalling, and maintaining social connections to maintain and improve your overall lifestyle!