Cheryl Chan

Masters of Counselling (Monash University) | Certification in Fertility Coaching & Counselling | Training in Gottmans Method for Couples | Certified in Clinical Anxiety Treatment | Acceptance and Commitment Therapy | Cognitive Behavioural Therapy | Emotional Freedom Techniques | Positive Psychology | BSc Econ in Finance (The Wharton School) and BA in International Relations (University of Pennsylvania)

Counselling to Adolescents, Individuals, Couples and Families

Executive Coaching for Founders, Management and Professionals

Following an almost two-decade long career in investment banking in Singapore, Hong Kong and New York City, I was excited to fulfil my lifelong passion in counselling by joining the team at Counsellingconnectz in 2018, where we focus on helping families through life’s challenges. Already fascinated with psychology and neuroscience when attending college in the U.S.A., it was really in the banking world that I experienced what I supposed to be a huge social experiment in psychotherapy. Mediating disputes between project team members, handling the stress levels and expectations of capricious clients, negotiating with and for these same clients, and even managing covert office politics. Such and other situations in finance provided prime training ground for my future therapy sessions. These include helping clients make sense of thoughts and emotions that have become overwhelming, and for couples where sharing sensitive feelings and beliefs in mediation with a third party is useful.

In therapy, we speak sometimes about life’s stresses and how to navigate these. Many are aware that the release of the hormone adrenaline is part of the body’s stress response, making our hearts pound harder and faster. Interestingly, oxytocin - also known as the “cuddle hormone” because it is released when you hug someone – is also pumped out by the pituitary gland in times of stress. Oxytocin’s release motivates us to seek support, to talk to someone about how we feel instead of bottling it up. When life is difficult, your biological stress response wants you to be surrounded by people who care about you. In turn, connecting with others creates resilience, protects your body physically as well as psychologically, and promotes healing.

You are not alone. Together with your community, my therapy sessions can provide a safe, supportive space and are part of the body of support helping my clients to become resilient and courageous. My approach blends a variety of modalities, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, however every session is tailored to my clients’ specific needs and goals, where the ultimate destination is an empowerment whereby you can take an active role in your own emotional well-being.

Special Interests

• Couples and Relationship Therapy
• Fertility Coaching, Women’s Health (pregnancy and post-partum)
• Executive and Life Coaching, Stress Management and Negotiation Skills for professionals
• Counselling adolescents and their families
  

Languages

• English
• Mandarin

Memberships

• APACS (Association of Psychotherapists and Counselors Singapore)
• ANZICA (Australia and New Zealand Infertility Counsellors Association)
• ASPIRE (Asia Pacific Initiative on Reproduction)