Question 1

How do I find a therapist I can trust in Singapore?

Accepted Answer

Check their training and read recent reviews. Counselling and psychotherapy aren't licensed professions in Singapore, so the meaningful check is the Singapore Association for Counselling register, whose members have met training, supervision and ethics requirements. Ask directly what qualification they hold. Locallista lists screened mental health professionals, couples counsellors, coaches and parental guidance specialists in Singapore. Contact details are visible after you sign up.

Question 2

How do I choose between counselling, therapy and coaching?

Accepted Answer

Start from what you want help with. For anxiety, low mood or anything affecting daily life, start with a mental health professional. Couples counselling is for working on a relationship together, parental guidance for parenting questions, and coaching for goals like work or confidence rather than mental health care. If medication might be part of the picture, start with a doctor. Open the category that matches the need.

Question 3

How do I find a therapist who suits me?

Accepted Answer

Open the right category, read recent reviews and contact one or two people with a short note on what you'd like help with and whether you prefer in person or online. Ask whether they offer a short intro session, because fit matters as much as credentials. Reviews on Locallista are usually collected by phone after the sessions. If you're in crisis, contact the emergency services straight away.

Question 4

What should I agree before the first session?

Accepted Answer

Agree the practical side up front: the session fee, how long sessions last, how often you'll meet and the cancellation policy. Ask whether sessions are in person, online or both. You don't need a referral for private counselling or a private psychologist, so you can book directly. A GP referral helps if you want subsidised care in the public system.

Question 5

What's the difference between a counsellor, a psychologist and a psychiatrist?

Accepted Answer

A psychiatrist is a doctor and the only one of the three who can prescribe medication. A psychologist has postgraduate training in psychology and may do assessments and structured therapy. Counsellor is the least defined title in Singapore, which is why the register and recent reviews matter most for that one.

Question 6

Will my insurance cover therapy?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes for psychiatric treatment, rarely for counselling, and it varies a lot by plan and by employer. Check your policy wording before the first session rather than after. Ask the practice whether they can issue the kind of receipt your insurer wants, and keep every receipt in case you claim later.

Question 7

Is what I say kept confidential?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with narrow exceptions that any professional will explain at the start, mainly around serious risk of harm. If you're worried about your employer knowing, seeing someone privately and paying yourself keeps it separate from a company insurance claim. It's also fine to ask how your notes are kept before you begin.

Question 8

What do mental health & therapy services cost in Singapore?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the service and your situation. As a guide, coaching in Singapore charge around S$390 to S$650 a session, mental health professionals around S$150 to S$300 a session, and couple counseling around S$200 to S$350 an hour. Open the category for the full price list, and treat a written quote as the figure that matters.

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