Parenting Therapy in Singapore, Asia

Exhausted. Not just tired…depleted. Running on empty for so long that it’s hard to remember what it feels like to have energy. Every decision feels harder than it should. Every request from our child feels like one thing too many. We wonder if we’re just not cut out for this.

Parenting burnout isn’t the same as regular tiredness. It’s a state of chronic physical and emotional exhaustion that comes from prolonged stress without adequate support or relief. We’re not failing…we’re experiencing a very real response to carrying too much for too long.

What parenting burnout looks like:

Emotional exhaustion

Feeling depleted, irritable, and disconnected from joy. Small things set us off. Going through the motions but not feeling present.

Loss of parental satisfaction

The things that once felt meaningful…bedtime stories, school projects, family dinners…now feel like obligations. Can’t access the warmth we used to feel.

Emotional distance from our children

Physically present but emotionally unavailable. Catching ourselves being short with them, impatient, or simply checked out.

Why burnout happens:

• Constant demands without breaks or support
• Perfectionist expectations about what “good parenting” looks like
• Lack of time for our own needs or identity outside parenthood
• Managing our child’s big emotions while suppressing our own

How parenting therapy in Singapore can help:

In our work together, we’ll explore what’s driving the exhaustion and help reclaim space. Learning to recognise when we’re carrying more than necessary and building practices that protect our capacity to show up. Many parents also find support through our work-life balance therapy when burnout extends beyond parenting.

There’s no single answer. Every parent will give a different stage… infancy, toddlerhood, the teen years. And they’re all right. Because the hardest stage is the one we’re in right now, with the particular child we have, in the specific circumstances of our life.

The question itself reveals something important. Looking for reassurance that this difficulty is normal, that it will pass, that we’re not uniquely struggling. And here’s what’s true: every stage of parenting brings its own challenges. None of them is easy. All of them ask something different from us.

Why do different stages feel hard:

Infancy and early years

The physical exhaustion is relentless. Sleep deprivation affects everything. We need it constantly, and our entire life reorganises around this tiny human’s needs.

School-age children

Managing more complex emotions, school pressures, social dynamics, and the beginning of our child developing their own identity separate from us.

Adolescence

Our child is pulling away while still needing us. Navigating bigger risks, more independence, and the reality that we can’t protect them from everything anymore.

What makes any stage harder:

• Lack of support or partnership
• Our own unresolved experiences from that age
• Unexpected challenges like neurodivergence or illness
• Juggling work, relationships, and parenting simultaneously

How therapy helps across all stages:

Rather than waiting for the “hard stage” to pass, existential therapy helps navigate whatever stage we’re in. We’ll explore what this particular phase is asking of us, how it’s touching our own vulnerabilities, and how to find our footing when everything feels unstable. Working with a parenting therapist provides support tailored to where we are right now, not where we think we should be.

Researching therapy approaches. CBT, DBT, attachment-based, systemic, existential. The options are overwhelming, and it’s not clear which one will actually help. Want to make the right choice, but also exhausted and just need support.

Here’s what matters more than the therapy type: the fit between us, the therapist, and the approach. The “best” therapy is the one that resonates with how we think about life, parenting, and change.

Different therapy approaches for parenting:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Focuses on identifying and changing thought patterns that affect your parenting. Helpful if you’re caught in cycles of worry, catastrophic thinking, or rigid beliefs about what “good parenting” looks like.

Attachment-based therapy

Explores how your own attachment history affects your parenting. Useful if you’re noticing patterns from your childhood showing up in how you relate to your child.

Systemic family therapy

Looks at the whole family system rather than individual problems. Effective when family dynamics or co-parenting issues are central.

Existential therapy

Addresses the fundamental questions parenting raises about meaning, identity, freedom, and responsibility. Helpful when you’re struggling with who you are as a parent, what kind of life you want to build, and how to stay connected to yourself.

Why do we use existential therapy?

Parenting isn’t just a set of behaviours to modify or skills to learn. It touches everything… who you are, what you value, what your life means. Existential therapy creates space to explore these deeper questions while also addressing the practical challenges you’re facing.

What to look for in any approach:

• A therapist who understands our specific situation
• An approach that makes sense
• Space to explore both practical challenges and deeper questions
• Feeling heard rather than judged

If still unsure whether existential therapy fits our needs, our FAQ page provides more details about how we work. We also offer parenting counseling that addresses both immediate concerns and deeper existential questions.

Decided to seek help. Now faced with lists of therapists, websites, and profiles. Everyone seems qualified. Everyone sounds supportive. How do we actually choose?

Finding the right therapist isn’t about credentials alone. It’s about fit… someone who understands our experience, respects our values, and creates space to explore what we’re genuinely struggling with.

What to look for in a parenting therapist:

Relevant training and experience

Check for proper credentials (licensed psychologist, counsellor, or therapist) and experience working specifically with parenting issues. Not all therapists specialise in this area.

Approach and philosophy

Different therapists work in different ways. Some focus on practical skills and strategies. Others explore deeper emotional and existential questions. Read about their approach to see if it resonates with how we think about parenting and change.

Cultural understanding

We all know that parenting in Singapore can come with specific cultural expectations and pressures. A therapist who understands the Asian family context, multigenerational dynamics, and local pressures around achievement and success will be more helpful.

Practical considerations

Location, availability, fees, and whether they offer online sessions all matter. Therapy only works if we can actually attend consistently.

Finding a parenting therapist near me:

Start with referrals

Ask trusted friends, GP, or our child’s paediatrician for recommendations. Personal referrals often lead to good matches.

Search professional directories

The Singapore Psychological Society and Singapore Association for Counselling maintain directories of registered practitioners.

Read therapist websites carefully.

Look for therapists who speak directly about parenting challenges we’re experiencing. Do their words resonate? Does their approach make sense?

Book initial consultations

Most therapists offer a first session or chemistry session. Use this to assess fit. Do we feel heard? Can we be honest? Does this person understand what we’re dealing with?

Questions to ask potential therapists:

• What’s your experience working with parenting issues?
• What’s your approach to therapy?
• How long do parents typically work with you?
• What does the process look like?

At Encompassing, we offer a Chemistry Session specifically so we can determine if we’re the right fit for the journey. Learn more about how we work together.

Probably come across these terms: Authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved. They’re everywhere in parenting books and articles. But wondering: which one am I? Which one should I be? And do these categories even capture the complexity of real parenting?

These four styles come from research by developmental psychologist Diana Baumrind. They’re useful frameworks for understanding general patterns, but they’re not rigid boxes. Most parents move between styles depending on the situation, stress level, and their child’s needs.

The four parenting styles:

Authoritative (high warmth, high boundaries)

Setting clear expectations and boundaries while remaining responsive to our child’s needs. Explaining reasoning, listening to our child’s perspective, and adjusting when appropriate. Research suggests this style tends to support healthy development.

Looks like: “I understand you’re upset about bedtime, and I hear you. Sleep is important for your body, so bedtime stays at 8 pm. Let’s talk about what would make bedtime feel better for you.”

Authoritarian (low warmth, high boundaries)

Prioritising obedience and control. Rules are strict and not open for discussion. Discipline is swift. Expecting children to follow directions without question.

Looks like: “Because I said so. That’s the rule, and we don’t discuss it.”

Permissive (high warmth, low boundaries)

Nurturing and responsive, but struggling with setting or enforcing boundaries. Avoiding conflict, giving in to demands, and having difficulty saying no.

Looks like: “I know you’re supposed to do homework first, but okay, you can play video games. I don’t want to fight about it.”

Uninvolved (low warmth, low boundaries)

Detached from our child’s life. Providing basic needs but little emotional support or guidance. This often happens when parents are overwhelmed, depressed, or dealing with their own crises.

Looks like: Minimal interaction, little awareness of child’s activities, limited emotional availability.

Why are these categories not enough:

Real parenting is more complex than four boxes. We might be authoritative with one child and more permissive with another. We might shift styles when stressed, tired, or triggered. Cultural context matters too… what’s considered “authoritarian” in one culture might be standard parenting in another.

What matters more than our style:

Rather than trying to fit ourselves into a category, existential therapy helps explore what kind of parent we actually want to be. What values matter to us? What relationship do we want with our child? How do we want to show up when things get hard?

We’ll look at patterns without judgment and help develop an approach that feels authentic.

Considering therapy, and someone suggested family therapy. But something doesn’t feel right about bringing everyone together. Wondering if that’s the wrong instinct… shouldn’t the whole family be involved?

Sometimes family therapy is exactly what’s needed. But sometimes individual parenting therapy is more appropriate, especially when we need space to process our own experience without managing everyone else’s reactions in the room.

When individual parenting therapy makes more sense:

We need space to explore our own experience.

If struggling with our identity as a parent, our own unresolved issues, or questions about who we are beyond our role, we need room to focus on ourselves without worrying about our child’s or partner’s reactions.

There’s an unsafe dynamic.

If there’s abuse, ongoing high conflict, or a power imbalance in the family, family therapy can actually reinforce harmful dynamics. Individual therapy provides a safer space to process what’s happening and decide how to respond.

Our child is very young.

Infants and toddlers can’t meaningfully participate in family therapy. If struggling with early parenting, individual work makes more sense.

We’re in crisis.

If experiencing parental burnout, postnatal depression, or significant anxiety, we need support for ourselves first. Once more stable, family therapy might become appropriate.

Co-parenting is contentious.

If our partner and I are in significant conflict about parenting, individual therapy helps each of us clarify our own perspective before attempting to work together.

When family therapy is appropriate:

• Communication patterns in the family need addressing
• Everyone is willing and able to participate
• The issue affects the whole family system
• There’s enough safety for honest dialogue

We can always start with individual therapy:

Many parents begin with individual parenting therapy and later decide whether family or couples work would be helpful. We don’t have to know the answer now.

At Encompassing, we offer both individual and couples therapy. We can help determine what makes the most sense for our situation.

Seen both terms used. Parenting counselling. Parenting therapy. Are they the same thing? Does it matter which one we choose? Already overwhelmed, and now have to figure out terminology too.

Here’s the truth: in practice, the terms are often used interchangeably. Both involve a trained professional helping navigate challenges, explore emotions, and develop new ways of coping. The distinction matters less than finding someone who can actually help.

The technical differences:

Counselling

Traditionally focuses on specific issues or life transitions. Shorter-term. More present-focused. Practical guidance and support for concrete challenges.

Might address: Adjusting to new parenthood, managing stress, making decisions about childcare, and coping with a specific parenting challenge.

Therapy (or psychotherapy)

Traditionally involves a deeper exploration of patterns, underlying issues, and personal growth. Longer-term. More exploratory. Addresses how past experiences shape current struggles.

Might address: How your own childhood affects your parenting, identity struggles, existential questions about meaning and purpose, and deeper patterns in relationships.

Why the distinction is blurry:

Many practitioners use both terms. The work often overlaps. What starts as counselling for a specific issue might deepen into therapy. What begins as therapy might include practical guidance that looks like counselling.

At Encompassing, we use both terms because our work encompasses both. We provide practical support for immediate challenges while also creating space for deeper exploration of what parenting means.

What matters more than terminology:

• Does this person understand what we’re struggling with?
• Does their approach make sense?
• Do we feel safe and heard in the room?
• Are we making progress toward what we want?

Our approach combines both:

Through existential therapy, we address both the practical challenges facing us and the deeper questions parenting raises. Might come in needing help with toddler tantrums and discover also grappling with questions about who we are and what kind of life we want to build.

If still unsure what we offer, our FAQ page provides more details about our approach.

Drowning in parenting advice. Every website, book, and Instagram account has opinions. Parents have advice. In-laws have advice. Friends have advice. Everyone knows what we should do, except we’re still confused and exhausted.

Here’s what most parenting advice gets wrong: it assumes there’s a right way to parent. One approach that works for every child, every family, every situation. But parenting isn’t a formula. It’s a relationship… complex, constantly changing, deeply personal.

Where people typically seek parenting advice:

Books and articles

Helpful for learning about child development, understanding what’s age-appropriate, and getting ideas for approaches. Less helpful when they make you feel like you’re doing everything wrong.

Parenting courses and workshops

Provide structured learning and practical skills. It can be useful for specific challenges like sleep training or behaviour management. Often miss the emotional and relational complexity.

Online communities and social media

Offer peer support and normalisation. Realising we’re not alone. But they can also create pressure to perform perfect parenting and anxiety about whether we’re doing enough.

Family and friends

Provide personal connection and lived experience. But their advice reflects their values, children, and circumstances… which might be very different from ours.

What’s different about parenting therapy:

It’s not advice

Therapy isn’t about someone telling us what to do. It’s about helping discover what makes sense for us, our child, and our family. We don’t have a script for how anyone should parent. We have questions that help find our own answers.

It addresses the person, not just the parent.

Most parenting advice focuses on techniques… how to handle tantrums, set boundaries, improve behaviour. Therapy recognises that we can’t separate parenting from who we are as a person. Our struggles as parents are connected to our struggles as humans.

It creates space for complexity.

Parenting advice tends to be simple and prescriptive. Therapy acknowledges that nothing about parenting is simple. Our child is unique. Our history matters. Our circumstances are specific. We work with all of that complexity rather than trying to simplify it away.

When to choose therapy over advice:

• We’ve tried the advice, and it doesn’t work
• Struggling with deeper questions about identity and meaning
• Need space to process emotions, not just learn techniques
• Want to understand patterns, not just change behaviour
• Feeling lost about who we are as parents

At Encompassing, we don’t offer parenting advice. We offer a space to explore our experience, understand what’s driving our struggles, and discover what feels authentic. That’s the difference between advice and therapy.