Counselling is a collaborative process. I believe in empowering my clients with the tools to overcome their life challenges.
Edmund Chong
My Professional Qualifications & Certifications
- – Master’s in Professional Counselling (Swinburne University, Australia)
- – Certificate in Choice Theory and Reality Therapy (William Glasser Institute)
- – Diploma in School Counselling (National Institute of Education, Singapore)
It’s okay not to be okay.
When I started working after graduation, I felt plagued by self-doubt. All my friends seemed to lead a better life than me, they posted photos online showing how they were enjoying themselves. They also had higher salaries and could afford to buy a house.
Seeing these posts made me compare myself with them. Before long, I started wondering if my life was lousier than my friends because I didn’t do as well academically.
Despite my negative thoughts, I could conceal my unhappiness from the people around me.
At work, I functioned normally. But deep down, I kept berating myself. I blamed myself for not achieving better grades in university. I also wondered if I was in the “right” job. Most of the time, I felt down.
The turning point came when I finally decided to seek help to organise my thoughts. I knew that I couldn’t turn back time. I also didn’t want to be depressed forever so I went to see a counsellor.
My counsellor was very empathetic. She listened carefully to my concerns and helped me sort out my feelings and accept what I couldn’t change.
I also learnt useful skills to manage negative feelings and thoughts.
Besides that, she also guided me to decide on a career path. At that time, I was unsure if I should switch careers to become a counsellor because doing so would mean that I will be working in a drastically different field from my major in Bioscience.
I also wondered if changing gears meant that I had wasted the four years of my university life. Counselling helped me to firm up my decision to become a licensed counsellor and psychotherapist in Singapore to help others.
Becoming a counsellor in Singapore
Since my mind was set on becoming a counsellor, I acquired a Diploma in School Counselling from the National Institute of Education in 2011. Since then, I’ve worked as a school counsellor for over a decade, helping students manage issues such as stress, social anxiety, and mood issues like depression and anger management.
In 2019, I set up my private practice Healing Space Counselling & Psychotherapy to provide individuals with a safe, non-judgemental space to heal from their life circumstances.
I am deeply passionate about working with children and youths, so I volunteer with the charity organisation Camp Vision during my free time.
Besides counselling, I also run corporate workshops to help employees better manage common issues such as stress, burn out and more.
Additionally, I am a registered practicum supervisor for students who are doing a degree in counselling.
My Specialities:
I am trained in Choice Theory so I use it, along with other theories in Positive Psychology, Jungian Analytical Psychology, and mindfulness to design strategies that help you to take control of your mental health.
My Approach:
I believe in empowering you to improve your situation. As a counsellor, I guide you to understand yourself better and manage your difficulties more effectively. The strategies that I use are derived from my specialities.
Your feelings are valid so I will not force you to do what you are not comfortable with because I believe it’s important for you to decide what’s best for your life.