The Nature of Emotions and How to Regulate Them
Nowadays, with increasing awareness of mental health and the normalization of therapy, you hear people talk about the importance of “feeling/regulating your emotions”. Therapy language seeps into everyday life, and informs how we understand and communicate mental wellbeing (e.g. “I’m dysregulated”, “This is my boundary”, etc.). Furthermore, you might hear more people saying, “everyone should […]
The Therapist isn’t God: Why Timing Matters More Than Insight
A while back, during a check-in on therapy progress, a client expressed how while they’ve gotten useful insights from our sessions, their life didn’t seem to change in any significant manner. As a therapist, if you’re inexperienced, as I was back then, you tend to absorb such comments immediately and solely as a sign of […]
Sentimentality as a Superpower: Seeing Beauty in a Cold World
I met a friend for dinner a while back. For a long time, she’s been a very sentimental person, someone who feels deeply for people. Being so has brought upon several heartbreaks, hurt, and sadness in her friendships, romantic relationships, and professional ones. As she’s gotten older, working in the corporate sector, she tried to […]
I Decided to Shave My Head Bald
I’m 28, and I’ve been noticing hair loss since I was 25. On Wednesday, I decided to shave my head bald. If I’m going to be bald one day, I thought it’s best that I get used to it. While I felt very liberated afterwards, I was extremely conflicted beforehand. A part of me accepted […]
A Team Confession
Team Confession: this piece exists because we had absolutely no idea what to write. This is Faith, hi! I’m a writer and I help Mag and Gary behind the scenes of Encompassing. I’m here to start off this piece which was initially sent out as a newsletter…Of all our newsletters, this one is our favorite […]
‘I Work Relationally in the Here-and-Now’ —What Does My Therapist Mean?
What is Relational Therapy? You might’ve heard many therapists say they work “relationally” and in the “here-and-now”. I must admit: it sounded odd to me at first, but I’ve come to see its powers. During my sessions, naturally, my clients talk about other people. But they are recounting what had already happened. They are describing […]
Existential Therapy Techniques: Tools for Meaning, Anxiety, and Personal Growth
What gives life meaning? How do we cope with uncertainty, anxiety, and the weight of our own choices? These are not just philosophical questions. They are deeply human concerns that often surface in therapy, especially during times of change, loss, or transition. Existential therapy focuses on helping people confront these big questions with honesty and […]
Frequently Asked Questions on Existential Therapy Techniques
Existential therapy techniques are the practical ways therapists help clients face core questions about existence, things like meaning, freedom, responsibility, and the reality of death. These aren’t a collection of rigid skills or step-by-step tools like you’d see in cognitive behavior therapy. Instead, existential techniques are rooted in philosophical conversations and honest self-exploration. One of […]
Playing the Game: Existential Authenticity in A System You Cannot Escape
Since young, I loved to run. When 10-year-old me first learnt about the Singapore Sports School, it was a no-brainer to commit 6 years to living on campus, training every day on weekdays, even during holidays. But most people then—and even now, but I believe less so—said that “In Singapore, there’s no future in sports”. […]
Money vs. Meaning: Living on My Own Terms in Singapore’s Rat Race
Most of my friends secured jobs before graduation and began working immediately afterwards. Although I felt the pressure to do the same, it did not sit right with me to do so. I wanted to discover a path on my own terms. For one, I was scared to enter the “real world.” I did not […]