While everyone’s concerns are unique, our counsellors have experience in addressing issues like depression and anxiety, childhood trauma, loneliness, grief, work-related stress, relationship struggles, cultural adjustments, and more.

Currently, we counsel individuals, couples and families. In time to come, we hope to offer group counselling as well.

If you would like more information, or have questions about how we might assist you regarding our services, please feel free to contact us at: counselling@sjsm.org.sg

Whatever your reason for seeking help, you will probably be more at ease and achieve better results if you know what to expect. In the first session, the counsellor typically will ask certain questions about you and your life, assisting you in filling out a short history form. Questions asked may include: 1) why you are seeking counselling 2) details you are ready to share about your personal history and current situation and 3) current symptoms. There will also be a form to complete regarding confidentiality, helping you to feel safe in what you decide to share.

During the counselling sessions, be prepared to be open, ask questions and be honest about how you are feeling and what you want to achieve with your counsellor. The Counselling Request Form is provided for you to make initial contact with our Lead Counsellor Nelson Choo. Fill in what you feel comfortable completing. Once the form is submitted, Nelson will contact you for a brief clinical assessment to determine which counsellor is most suitable for you. Your counsellor with then contact you to schedule an appointment when you are ready.

Many people seek counselling because they recognize they need help facing a particular challenge or dilemma beyond what a friend or family member may be able to offer. Counselling gives you the space to think and say things and explore emotions safely beyond the risks of doing so with friends and family. You know you need help when you’re emotionally overwhelmed, depressed, or feel confused, or, you don’t even know exactly why you’re feeling what you’re feeling.

You may also want to talk with a counsellor because you are unsure of a decision that you need to make, or you have a relationship that is falling apart, or, you’ve become overly dependent on something, someone, or a substance to get you through the day – and you want to break free.

Certainly, friends can offer support, and talking with them can help us feel better – for a while. However, just talking rarely results in deeper change, and the problems tend reappear again and again. With guidance towards self-compassion and curiosity, within the therapeutic relationship, we dig deeper into the root cause of the problem for long-lasting transformation.

Counsellors are trained to listen in different ways, assessing your challenges and guiding you, without judgment through the process of exploring your concerns, and helping you find the best tools to help you be the best version of yourself, and to live out a life, that’s worth living.

Counselling work is to help individuals explore issues, understand them, and find new, more effective ways of resolving them. Counsellors can help with:

1. gaining personal insights

2. gaining perspective on what needs to be accepted vs what needs to be changed – and the motivation to move forward into these changes

3. Gaining new life skills

4. Increasing emotional and cognitive regulation

5. Enhancing personal strengths

6. Preventing future distress

7. Finding and nurturing hope for a life you find worthwhile in living

Currently we take SJSM church members, their family members, or friends that have been referred to us by them.

A professional code of ethics guides our counsellors in matters of confidentiality and the release of information. We also follow the Personal Data Protection Act guidelines of Singapore. Any information gained in counselling sessions will not be disclosed with the following exceptions:

1) you give written permission to your counsellor to discuss a matter with another party,

2) your counsellor determines you are a danger to yourself or others,

3) in the unlikely event your counsellor is ordered by court of law to do so, or

4) if you are under the age of 21 and are experiencing abuse (the law requires abuse of minors to be reported).

In situations 2-4, your counsellor will make every effort possible to inform you of the situation prior to making any such disclosure. With this, the collaborative work with your counsellor will be managed in a competent manner and consistent with accepted ethical standards.

The frequency and number of sessions depends on you and your counsellor’s assessment. It is important to remember that counselling is a process that takes time to reap full benefits. It’s best during your first couple of sessions, to discuss your initial treatment goals, then estimate the initial number of sessions to commit to in order to achieve these goals.

Regular attendance at counselling sessions is a sign of your commitment to the counselling process. However, if you are unable to attend your session, please let us know. In the event that you are unable to attend your scheduled appointment, it is expected that you will call or message your counsellor to cancel your appointment at least 24 hours in advance.

While every effort will be made to reschedule you with the earliest available time, this may not be until the next regular scheduled session time due to the obligations of the counselor.

Depending on your presenting concern, clients may be assigned exercises or readings between sessions, to help you and enhance the effectiveness of the counselling process. If it’s any consolation, counsellors also do exercises in between session too. We write case notes to better understand what’s happening in sessions, allowing further reflection and areas that need to be addressed for the upcoming sessions. This helps in planning for your next session, so we can help you as much as we can.

As a counselling ministry within SJSM, we do not require individuals to pay. Although we enjoy gifts like anyone else, we do not accept gifts as counsellors, as we are expected to maintain professional integrity. Also, accepting gifts may move someone away from offering unbiased support and could create a sense of indebtedness or favouritism.