Psychologists Singapore

People practising as psychologists are not currently regulated in Singapore. 

Nonetheless, according to the Ministry of Health (Singapore), professional bodies such as the Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC) and Singapore Psychological Society (SPS) guide its members’ professional and ethical conduct. 

At the moment, registration with these bodies is not mandatory. However, almost all TYHO Therapists in Singapore are either registered with or are awaiting registration with SAC and SPS.

While psychologists can diagnose psychological conditions and offer psychotherapy, it should be noted that psychologists do not prescribe medication. 

Most psychologists do not attend medical school and are not trained to provide prescriptions. 

If you require medication, a psychologist may refer you to a psychiatrist.

General psychologists (or counselling psychologists) and clinical psychologists share much in common. 

At TYHO, both clinical and counselling psychologists aim to help you work through your emotional difficulties, such as controlling anger and unhelpful behaviours like excessive shopping or drinking, to cope with emotions. 

Both types of psychologists may also use similar therapeutic methodologies and conduct psychotherapy during their sessions.

The main difference between the two types essentially comes down to severity. On one hand, clinical psychologists tend to focus more on managing issues faced by individuals with severe psychological conditions or illnesses. 

On the other hand, counselling psychologists work with clients facing various life stressors arising from interpersonal conflicts, academic pressure or expectations, work or financial stress, family or generational trauma, or mild mood disorders. 

Of course, often, there is a significant overlap between the issues that clinical psychologists and counselling psychologists help with. 

Therefore, choosing a specific type of professional on our platform does not make a significant difference. 

Instead, we encourage clients to consider whether their preferred psychologist will be a good fit for them on the basis of the psychologist’s background, specialisation and approach to counselling.

A good place to start is to check if your psychologist is licensed. While there’s no mandatory licensing regime in Singapore, the Singapore Register of Psychologists maintains an official register of recognised psychologists here. 

However, as registration is not mandatory, despite the legitimate credentials held by your psychologist, their name may not be found on the register.

Please note that most TYHO psychologists in Singapore are registered with the Singapore Psychological Society.

You may also want to find a psychologist who is a good fit for you. A key determinant is your comfort level with your psychologist and whether you feel at ease around them. 

You can initially book a session with a shortlisted psychologist and try working with them for 3 to 4 sessions to gauge your feelings.

After a few sessions, if you want to change your psychologist, please feel free to do so. Finding the right professional will take time, and you should give yourself the chance and time to find someone who understands you. 

Some signs that your psychologist may match you well are:

• You feel validated and listened to
• You trust them and view them as an ally
• You have noticed changes in yourself for the better
• Your psychologist offers a range of possible solutions and is willing to provide suggestions if the current treatment does not work out for you
• Your psychologist provides you with the tools you need to adopt better habits

Figuring out that your psychologist has ill intentions can be confusing, especially if you are new to therapy and do not know what to look for.

As a guideline, in Singapore, the Singapore Register of Psychologists has a Code of Ethics for psychologists practising in Singapore. 

You can find the full code of ethics here—but in general, some of the general principles are as follows:

• Your psychologist should give you proper respect. This means being respectful of your values, attitudes and beliefs. Your psychologist should not be attempting to impose their values onto you.
• Your psychologist should always work for your benefit. They should consider the potential of their actions to impact your life positively and work with that in mind.
• Your psychologist should maintain confidentiality where possible. Barring legal and ethical interventions, your psychologist should protect your personal information from being leaked. They should also seek your consent before recording or using any personal information.
• Your psychologist should not discriminate against you based on race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.
• Your psychologist should also not harass, exploit or engage in an intimate/romantic relationship with you.

If you feel threatened during therapy or find they may have violated some of these principles, raise them with your psychologist. 

Please also reach out to us via email at [email protected] if you need help or assistance.

At TYHO, we require at least a relevant Master’s degree, training, and experience in therapeutic approaches to provide psychological services.

Yes, psychologists can use diagnostic tests to diagnose mental health illnesses and disorders. 

There are several routes you can take to consult a psychologist free of cost or at a low price, including:

• Your company’s Employee Assistance Program. Check to see if you can avail of therapy services at your company’s cost. TYHO is an EAP provider and is listed with the Ministry of Manpower in Singapore. 
• Your insurance coverage. Check to see if it includes mental health support or therapy.
• Your religious organisation. Check if your place of worship provides counselling. Many churches and other religious organisations offer free counselling, including non-religious counselling.
• Your school or university. If you are a student, your school or university may provide free or low-cost options for counselling.
• Not-for-profit organisations. Check if they provide free or low-cost therapy options.

Therapy is a safe, confidential, and non-judgmental space. You can share your struggles and work towards a goal with a trained professional Therapist at TYHO. On our platform, the term ‘Therapist’ refers to mental health professionals who provide therapy, including counsellors, psychotherapists, and psychologists.

In general, however, psychologists are different from other therapists in that they specialise in diagnosing and treating severe disorders and behaviour problems. Additionally, psychologists can also conduct psychological testing. 

Regardless of the type of mental health professional they are, all TYHO Therapists are equipped to help with a wide range of mild to moderate mental health issues (eg social anxiety). 

When assessing who to see for your mental health needs, please visit the Therapists full profile to read about their qualifications, training, experience, and specialisations. 

Most importantly, ask yourself if you would feel comfortable opening up with them and discussing deeply personal issues. 

Psychologists and counsellors in Singapore (collectively called Therapists on our platform) are trained in providing talk therapy to help you improve your mental health and well-being.

In most situations, which type of professional you consult is not critically important. This is because there are considerable overlaps among them for the training they have received, the types of problems they help with, and the approaches they use. 

All TYHO professionals can recognise and help with the more common mental health issues, whether mild to moderate depression, anxiety, relationship problems, or addictions.

Having said that, there are some differences between the type and level of support that will be provided depending on the Therapist you pick. 

Here are some key points to remember:

• Psychologists have usually studied psychology at a master’s level and are experts in the science behind human emotions, behaviour and mental processes.
• Psychologists use evidence-based strategies to diagnose and manage mental health illnesses and disorders non-medicinally over the long term. They may also assess, analyse the results, and diagnose psychological or behavioural conditions.
• Counsellors generally have a minimum of a postgraduate diploma, although at TYHO, all Professional Counsellors all have at least a Master’s in Counselling degree. They are highly skilled in applying integrative therapies to assist people in working through their personal and emotional issues.
• Counsellors tend to adopt a more person-centred approach that focuses on the overall well-being of their clients when helping them address specific problems. If you want to talk about a specific issue (eg adjustment to a new job, divorce, coping with loss, problems at school, bullying), then a counsellor is more appropriate to approach.

In general, psychologists and psychiatrists differ on the following points:

• Psychologists are not medical doctors and cannot prescribe medication. Psychiatrists, however, have trained as medical doctors and can prescribe medication.
• Psychiatrists can diagnose, manage and provide a range of therapies for psychological conditions. Psychologists, however, primarily focus on providing therapy to their clients, though they can still provide diagnoses.

As such, whether it is best to see a psychologist or psychiatrist will depend on the issues you are currently facing. 

Seeking a psychiatrist may be better if you require treatment and medication for severe conditions. 

However, please note that the choice between a psychiatrist and a psychologist is not mutually exclusive. You can consult a psychiatrist for medication to help manage physical symptoms, such as increasing your appetite, sleeping better, and reducing anxiety-related gastrointestinal problems. 

At the same time, you can consult a psychologist for therapy to manage the psychological symptoms of the same condition. The psychological symptoms could include unhelpful thoughts, feeling hopeless, losing interest in activities once enjoyed, overthinking, or constantly feeling guilt or shame. 

It is also not uncommon for psychologists to offer referrals to psychiatrists and vice-versa.