Services

Information shared and discussed in sessions are largely confidential. We will seek your written consent to speak with your teachers to gather information that will be used in formulating the treatment plan. We do not share any content that was discussed in session to anybody, except with your explicit and written consent. 

These are the special situations when the psychologist is obligated by duty of care and has to break confidentiality:

• When legally mandated by the court of law
• When there is an imminent or suspected physical danger/harm to oneself or others

In the above situations, the psychologist will inform the client first, prior to releasing the information.

Standard sessions are 50 minutes. The frequency of sessions depends on the severity of the issue. Research shows that weekly therapy sessions are associated with positive outcomes for clients. At the initial stage of therapy, clients experience greater benefits when they attend regular weekly sessions. Over time, as clients make gains in therapy, we encourage clients to discuss this with the therapist and to taper off the frequency of sessions accordingly.

Typically, most people need an average of 8-12 sessions to notice improvement in functioning. However, it is ill-advised to prescribe a fixed number of sessions as it varies from one person to another. Some of the factors impacting progress would include individual motivation, age, ability to gain understanding and acquire skills, severity of issue, and parental or school involvement and support. To gain the greatest benefits from therapy, it is advised that clients attend weekly sessions, do the assigned homework, and prepare for each session by asking questions.

You are not crazy if you talk to a psychologist! It is common for youths to worry about going to a psychologist for fear of being judged by others. Reaching out for professional help is not a sign of weakness, but an important first step in taking self care! In fact, many teens find it helpful to meet with a therapist and learn ways to manage their day-to-day problems. 

The teenage years is a crucial period of developmental transition into adulthood as the teenager faces opportunities for growth and development. Teens are often at risk for anxiety and depression. These are some key challenges we can help your teen with:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Bullying (in school or social media)
• Life changes (moving to a new school, parents’ divorce)
• Gender identity issues
• Traumatic event

At Sage Cocoon, we seek to understand the unique challenges faced by youths today. 

Potential benefits: Therapy sessions may help teens to understand the underlying reasons for their feelings, thoughts, and behaviours. Sessions also seek to provide teens with support and tools to navigate through these difficulties. The support of a psychologist can also help teens to improve self-confidence, understand themselves more, communicate better, and live emotionally balanced lives.

Therapist or psychotherapist are umbrella terms that refer to any professionals working in the field of mental health. Within Singapore, unlike our western counterparts, mental health professionals are not formally regulated by any legislative body, and could refer to psychologists, counsellors, or psychotherapists. For this reason, it is highly recommended that individuals who are searching for qualified mental health professionals to look up the Singapore Psychological Society (SPS) and/or Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC) for listings of mental health professionals who are registered with them.

A psychiatrist is primarily trained as a medical doctor who specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. As a medical professional, a psychiatrist can prescribe medication, but usually does not provide therapy. A psychiatrist often refers patients to a psychologist or counsellor for additional psychological treatment. 

Psychologists trained in the US must complete a doctoral degree in psychology (at least 6 years postgraduate training and 3 – 4 years undergraduate). Psychologists have received extensive training in the study of mental disorders and are equipped to conduct psychological assessments (e.g., IQ cognitive test, ADHD test, Autism test, other diagnostic tests). As a result of their training, psychologists tend to work with clients with more severe mental disorders. 

Counsellors typically obtained their master’s degree in counselling. Counsellors mainly work with clients to address their relationship issues, life goals, and develop healthy solutions to problems that cause emotional distress. 

These are some signs that you should see a therapist: When your moods feel off for a prolonged duration, you have physical symptoms such as headaches as a result of emotional problems, unexplained weight loss or gain, drastic change in sleep habits, use of unhealthy coping skills such as drinking, your relationships are affected by your emotional state, or you are no longer able to concentrate at work when you were previously able to. Here is the Psychology Today article to learn more about when to reach out for professional help.