Think you need therapy, but not sure where to look and how to start? In the first episode of Adult Conversation, CLEO's associate editor Sophie Hong and artist Tan Yang Er share about what therapy sessions are like, how they found their therapists, and some other things about seeking therapy in Singapore (like costs!).
Singaporean artist Tan Yang Er, 26, better known as Yang, has been going through therapy for one and a half years.
She started seeing her therapist in January 2018 after suffering burnout from work, and “interestingly, it was after I won the MAMA award”.
Yang had won the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) award for Best Visual Art Director for her work on The Sam Willows’ music video, “Keep me Jealous”.
“When I came back, I just spiralled,” said Yang in the interview. “I was working non-stop, and even after winning the award I felt like I didn’t deserve a rest.”
From there, Yang just kept wanting to do more and chase accomplishments, “without taking care of myself”.
Things progressively got worse, till a point where she thought, “it’s either suicide, or I see a therapist.”
With help, Yang has moved forward to the point where she can talk about her past struggles openly now. She credits therapy for not only saving her life, but also increasing the quality of relationships around her.
Like Yang, CLEO's Associate Editor Sophie Hong also shared that it was a happy event, specifically, a promotion at work, which triggered her breakdown.
“People think that… you should be celebrating and having fun, but with that comes a whole set of other pressures.
“I felt the ‘imposter syndrome’ and I was breaking down," shared Sophie. Thankfully, a friend recognised the signs and encouraged her to seek help.
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One key component to therapy is finding a therapist that "fits you".
"Finding a therapist is also like finding a friend, it's a relationship... It takes a journey to find a therapist," shared Yang, who found her therapist through a friend's recommendation.
Said Sophie: “Another thing to note, you don’t have to keep going for therapy once you start on it. Just know that it’s always an option. You can start when you want, you can stop when you want."
Yang also shared how therapy has changed her life: "Therapy has empowered me, and educated me. I want to live life to the fullest. I want to experience it... the highs, the lows. But in order to experience the lows safely, I need to learn how to manage that emotion."
HELPLINES
- Samaritans of Singapore (SOS): 1800-2214444
- Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-2837019
- Sage Counselling Centre: 1800-5555555
- Care Corner Mandarin Counselling: 1800-3535800
Additional text by: AsiaOne