Starting Therapy: Why Weekly Sessions are 50 Minutes Long
Why are therapy sessions usually 50 minutes long? Why not longer, why not shorter? I get this question from clients all the time. Here’s how I explain it. Having a set session time allows clients to think intentionally about how they want to use those minutes. Do they want to touch on ten different topics, […]
I Lived Through a Life-Enhancing Anxiety Moment
I lived through a life-enhancing anxiety moment. It was my first time sharing about existential therapy to a large audience in Singapore at the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Conference 2023. I have shared my study on authenticity and silence in Asian society multiple times before, in groups, one-on-one sessions, virtually, and in writing. But never […]
We Are Called to be Responsible For Our Voices
I’m so glad this CNA commentary came up. It says something about our voices. This specific commentary discusses a viral incident involving online personality Kurt Tay, who was heckled while leaving court. People online were divided over the clip. Even when internet figures seem to “feed” their trolls, CNA argues that they still do not […]
We Can Have Many Different Ways of Living
Tan Kheng Hua was a familiar face in my younger years and for many Singaporean millennials. I remember growing up and watching her on TV in Masters of the Sea and Phua Chu Kang. She was also in some of my all-time favourite productions by Wild Rice and TheatreWorks: Animal Farm, The Eleanor Wong Trilogy: […]
Your Presence Matters
How does this gorilla appear to you? The first time I saw Shabani, I felt a connection; his gaze conveyed an understanding of the person taking the photo and their existence. The eyes seemed so soulful, expressing emotions, intentions, and empathy. Notice the whites of Shabani’s eyes? He has that distinct white sclera, exactly how […]
Existential Therapy: Finding the Light in the Darkness
You may be thinking, from what I know about existential therapy, it sounds negative, dark, heavy, pessimistic and/or depressing. I’m not sure if it will make my life more depressed and anxious than I already am. It’s true that existential psychology acknowledges the inherent suffering in human existence, but this is not a call to […]
What It’s Like to Visit an Existential Therapist
There is something deeply human about wanting to be seen. Not just for what we do or what we struggle with, but for the simple fact that we exist. That our lives, in whatever form they take, hold meaning. That who we are matters, even when nothing can be changed. In many ways, this is […]
Therapist Reflection: Am I Doing it Right in my Chemistry Sessions?
I came across this recent study by an existential therapist that sheds light on what effective therapists do in their first client sessions, and it got me reflecting on my own client-therapy approach. There are two key research findings that deeply resonates with me: Effective therapists see the clients as experts on themselves. Effective therapists […]
Working with Stuckness in the Room
I stare at the clock as the minutes crawl by, feeling trapped in a groundhog day. No matter what doors I try to open, each one leads to a dead end or resistance. I want to do something yet feel powerless, any momentum halted by a wall I cannot seem to break through. Self-doubt creeps […]
Finding My Voice: Navigating Authenticity as an Asian
As an Asian raised with collectivist values, I struggled to find my voice. Expressing my true thoughts and feelings didn’t always align with keeping harmony. I often wondered, “Can I really be my authentic self if I do not openly assert my individuality?” Pop culture frequently equates authenticity with freely articulating your inner world. But […]