Mental Health Care is Self-Care: Online Counselling Services in Singapore
We've seen world governments scramble to grapple with the rising cases of COVID-19 in 2020, yet amid the pandemic, concerns about mental health also surged, with many feeling depressed, anxious, isolated, and hopeless about the future.
Singapore entered the circuit breaker period in April 2020 with the aim to pre-empt the spread of COVID-19. In this same month, the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) Mental Health Helpline saw a peak among callers, who cited concerns like anxiety related to working and studying from home, and social isolation. Still, in the same month, the National CARE Hotline (NCH) was launched by the government to support Singaporeans facing mental health concerns during the pandemic. By the end of May 2021, the NCH had received over 45,000 calls.
What does this tell us? If, pre-pandemic, mental health could easily be relegated to the backseat as a secondary health concern, then the pandemic had shown us that our mental health is only as fragile and important as our physical health.
If you or someone you love are in need of emotional and mental support during this health crisis, here are four online counselling services in Singapore which you can check out in your own time.
Singapore Counselling Centre
Singapore Counselling Centre's (SCC) online (video) counselling is convenient and safe for those who are unable to head to the centre's premises or are wary of going out in public amid the pandemic. SCC offers a broad range of counselling services, from depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and eating disorders, to relationship and marital counselling, and youth counselling, among others.
CPH Online Counselling
CPH Online Counselling, which started in April 2020, is a free-of-charge, two-year pilot online counselling service supported by the Ministry of Social and Family Development. They specialize in providing emotional support relating to marital, divorce, and parenting issues. Those concerned about privacy need not worry, as patients can be anonymous.
Talk Your Heart Out
Talk Your Heart Out (TYHO) is an online-counselling platform that aims to deliver mental health care that is passionate and empathic. To schedule an online therapy, you only need to sign up on its website, choose your preferred therapist based on your needs, then book a session. You can speak to your therapist via video, audio, or a text-based live chat, as well as in-person.
Safe Space
Safe Space offers both online and offline counselling services for individuals, couples, and families. One of Safe Space's features is the real-time matching of a patient to a relevant therapist based on a series of questions the patient must answer about their current emotions and needs. Interested individuals can read the profiles of Safe Space's licensed and experienced therapists and their specializations on its website for a more personalized treatment.
Subscribe to The Beat's newsletter to receive compelling, curated content straight to your inbox! You can also create an accountwith us for free to start bookmarking articles for later reading.
