DEPRESSION COUNSELLING

Are you feeling down lately? Is depression taking over your life? Feeling emotionally numb and can’t seem to be interested in anything? Speak to one of our counsellors or psychologists today!

Depression is one of the most common mental health issues. At least 15 per cent of us are likely to suffer from depression at some point in our lifetimes. That is not even accounting for the countless undiagnosed cases. But there is good news! Depression is highly responsive to treatment. In our years of working with depression counselling in Singapore, we’ve seen truly life-changing results.

Wondering how to know if you have depression? Do you think that you could benefit from expert guidance and help? You’ve come to the right place.

What is Depression?

Depression is a mood disorder that causes persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, and loss of joy. It is different from the mood fluctuations that people regularly experience as a part of life.

Whats the difference between depression and being sad?

SADNESS

Sadness is an emotion
Sadness is brief
A specific reaction
Temporarily changes your mood
It is subjective

DEPRESSION

Depression is a mental illness
Depression persists much longer
An abnormal general state
Changes your life
It is diagnosed

While a feeling sad is an integral part of depression, they aren’t the same. When you’re experiencing it, however, the difference between sadness and depression is hard to pinpoint.Sadness is a natural reaction to a problematic situation in life. It is an emotion that you feel in response to something that has happened. On the other hand, depression is a mental illness, rather than a passing feeling or emotion.

According to the DSM-5, if you have depression, you will be experiencing one of these two symptoms:

A depressed mood throughout the day, most days.
A significant loss in all or most activities throughout the day, most days.

In cases of depression, you will also experience four or more of the following symptoms daily or almost daily during a single two-week period:

Unintended weight loss/weight gain, or a decrease/increase in appetite
Observable delay in thinking and reduced physical movement
A feeling of fatigue or energy loss
A feeling of worthlessness or overwhelming guilt
Difficult thinking/concentrating or indecisiveness
Persistent thoughts of death, suicide attempts or contemplation

It is important to note that these symptoms should not be a result of any kind of substance abuse or other medical condition.

Like any other illness, depression has a set of symptoms that help mental health professionals diagnose your condition. To help identify depression or any other issue, therapists often refer to a standardised diagnostics tool: the DSM-5. Officially known as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, the DSM-5 is the modern gold standard in diagnostic criteria and covers nearly 200 different mental health conditions.

Note: Depression can look different from person to person. For example, one common issue in men’s mental health is that depression might show itself as anger rather than sadness. Men and women simply show symptoms differently. Likewise, older people might experience depression differently than younger people. Ultimately, it’s tough to know with certainty, especially when you are caught in the middle of it. That is why it’s crucial to see a medical professional if something feels like it’s not right. Reach out to us and put your mind at ease whether you are a perfect match for the symptoms listed above or not.

There is a common misconception that depression is caused by having too much or too little of particular brain chemicals. In reality, however, depression is caused by a wider scope of things. This includes physical factors like mood regulation in the brain as well as genetic predisposition. Though there is indeed a physical component, depression is often pushed to the surface by stressful life events.

Ultimately, for those dealing with depression, the underlying causes and the identification of symptoms is a secondary issue. These technical factors are best left to experts who specialise in the field of mental health. When you are suffering from depression, the truly crucial matter at hand is treatment. Finding the right therapist and proactively working to improve the quality of your life is the most pertinent issue in front of you.

When it comes to the cost of therapy in Singapore, the prices depend on the type of mental health professional that you choose. Our current rates are as follows:

Counsellor-in-training: $50/hr

Counsellors: $150/hr

Psychologists: $180/hr

Senior Psychologist: $250/hr

For in-person therapy in our Singapore offices, there is a $40 surcharge added to the fees above. Looking for an in-home therapy session? Some of our therapists offer home-based sessions for a $50 surcharge.

On the search for affordable therapy in Singapore? We offer prorated fees on a case-to-case basis.

Why Seek Depression Counseling in Singapore?

Depression is a common condition that affects a growing number of people. Cases of depression in Singapore have been on the rise since 2020. Fortunately, our modern society is finally ready to discuss and treat depression.

As depression becomes more common, or perhaps just most commonly acknowledged, depression counselling in Singapore is becoming commonplace. A study by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) found that 81.8 per cent of us are ready to seek professional help for mental health issues.

What Therapy is most successful in treating Depression?

People often ask us what is the fastest way to treat depression. What types of therapy have been found most effective in treating depression? While our counsellors and psychologists are trained in a wide variety of techniques, the truth is that it is not a one-size-fits-all problem.

There is no quick fix that is going to change everything. Achieving and maintaining good mental health is a lifelong journey and we will each take different paths. For example, depression is connected with anxiety in some people and so anxiety counselling is a fundamental component. Younger people may need a type of special needs counselling. Some people do well with hypnotherapy. Islamic counselling for depression as well as Christian counselling is a common focus for religious-minded individuals.

New mothers may want to look for specialised postnatal depression counselling. While often overlooked or simply unrecognised by overwhelmed new parents, postnatal depression is quite typical. In fact, in Singapore, the Ministry of Health (MOH) is working on a targeted campaign to increase awareness, postnatal depression screening, and treatment of this common issue.

Ultimately, every solution will be unique. Each person will arrive with a different set of needs and our therapists will create a bespoke treatment plan to meet each need.

DR. Wong Ling Yuan

Head Clinical Psychologist

PsyD Clinical Psychology
Member of American Psychological Association
Board Approved Behavioral Analyst (BCBA)
Specialties: Special Needs, Parenting, Relationship Concerns, LGBTQ+, Child development, Life coaching, and Men’s issues
Approach: A blend of Humanistic, Cognitive Behavior, and Psychodynamics therapies. For persons with special needs, they and their family may be helped by approach of holistic applied behavior analysis.
Language: English, Mandarin, Cantonese

Amanda Xavier

Clinical Psychologist

Masters in Clinical Psychology
Full Member of Singapore Psychological Society
Full Member of Malaysian Society of Clinical Psychology
Specialties: Millenials and Gen Z with anxiety, depression, self-esteem and self-worth issues, relationship issues, OCD, ADHD, LGBTQ+ related concerns, identity formation
Approach: Person-centred approach with primary concepts of Acceptance and Commitment-based Therapy (ACT), blending bits of CBT, emotion-focused therapy, and self-compassion
Language: English, Conversational Malay

Shakti Sahai

Senior Clinical Psychologist

M.Phil in clinical psychology
Rehabilitation Council of India
Specialties: Anger management, Body image, Eating disorders, Personality disorders, Relationship issues
Approach: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Positive Psychotherapy, Schema Therapy and Psychodynamic approaches
Language: Hindi, English

Pragati Pritmani

Professional Counsellor

Masters in Counselling
Member of Singapore Association for Counselling
Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA)
Specialties: Young adults, Millennials, Identity exploration & concerns, Relationships, Anxiety
Approach: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, blending elements of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as well as Mindfulness
Language: Hindi, English

Mandd Fernando

Clinical Hypnotherapist

Diploma in Clinical Hypnotherapy
Certified NLP Master practitioner
Professional Member of Complementary Therapist Accredited Association
Specialties: Trauma, panic attack, fast phobia release, stop smoking and stop alcohol, addiction to gadget, insomnia, acute stress, impostor syndrome, study anxiety, procrastination (LGBT are welcome)
Approach: Hypnotherapy, NLP, Parts therapy, Mindfulness
Language: English

Quek Kwang Yong

Counsellor-in-training

Bachelor of Science (Civil Engineering)
Post Graduate Diploma (Counselling Psychology)
Specialties: Students, Adults, Elderly, Family, Anxiety, Stress, Self-Esteem, Life Transitions
Approach: Integrative approach of Person-Centered, Psychodynamic, Cognitive and Family Systems
Language: English

Starting with Depression Counselling in Singapore

Starting with depression counselling is no easy task. This difficult condition often robs people of their drive and makes it a real challenge to get on the journey to better mental health. If you are here now, don’t wait until it’s too late!

You don’t have to suffer in silence! Depression treatment will transform you and turn you into the person you’re truly meant to be. Are you ready to get started? Take the first step to mental wellness by scheduling a free 15-minute chat with a professional. You can get to know our mental health professionals and get on the path to wellness.

Simply email hello@akindplace.co or start chatting with us on WhatsApp right now.