Welcome to our mental health blog!
Never stop learning with our blog bites. Here, we'll share strategies and insights into counselling, psychotherapy, psychology and common concerns. From relaxation strategies and self-improvement tools to managing anxiety, depression or other mental health concerns, as well as introductions to different therapeutic approaches, we’ve got it all covered!
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Sibling Rivalry: Why Your Kids Keep Fighting and What Parents Can Do
Why are my kids always fighting? Sibling rivalry can leave parents exhausted and wondering when to step in—or whether they’re making things worse. Counsellor & Parenting Coach, Paula Brunning, explains why siblings fight and shares practical ways to help children manage jealousy, regulate emotions, communicate better and turn everyday conflicts into lifelong relationship skills.
Nice vs Kind: Why Being "Too Nice" Can Damage Relationships More Than You Think
Many people believe being nice makes them a better partner, parent, friend or colleague. But constantly putting other people's comfort before your own can lead to resentment, weak boundaries and emotional exhaustion. Integrative Therapist, Calista Goh-Therond, explains why understanding the difference between being nice and being kind can help you build healthier relationships based on honesty, respect and genuine care rather than approval.
Why Your Child Has Tantrums: Understanding Difficult Behaviour
If your child has frequent tantrums, refuses to listen, hits siblings, or argues over everyday routines, you're not alone. Many parents worry they have a "difficult child," but behaviour is often more complex than simple disobedience. Supervised Marriage & Family Therapist shares understanding why children misbehave can help parents respond in ways that reduce conflict and strengthen the parent-child relationship.
Unstacking Grief in Third Culture Kids: Understanding Layered Loss
Repeated moves, interrupted friendships and changing ideas of home can leave Third Culture Kids carrying losses that others may not recognise. Counsellor & Parenting Coach, Paula Brunning, explores how the Unstacking Method helps Adult TCKs and internationally mobile families understand layered grief, build emotional safety and make sense of experiences accumulated across countries and life stages.
Overcoming the Reluctance to Seek Child Counselling in Singapore
When your child is struggling, the instinct to protect them is fierce, but sometimes it manifests as a quiet hesitation to seek professional help. If you are feeling guilty, anxious, or reluctant about sending your child to therapy, you are not alone. Discover how to deconstruct the good parent myth and embrace a collaborative, empowering new perspective on emotional care.
When Motherhood Meets Anxiety: Understanding Postpartum OCD and Finding Hope
Becoming a mother can bring immense joy, but it can also trigger unexpected fears that feel confusing and frightening. If you are experiencing distressing intrusive thoughts, overwhelming anxiety, or a constant need to check and seek reassurance after the birth of your baby, you are not alone. Counsellor & Parenting Coach, Paula Brunning, explains how understanding postpartum OCD is the first step towards recovery, helping you recognise that these thoughts do not define you and that effective, evidence-based treatment is available.
Growing Up Between Worlds: How Moving to Singapore Affects Expat Children Emotionally
Many expatriate children appear to adjust well on the surface while quietly struggling underneath. Parents often notice changes only later — withdrawal, anxiety, emotional outbursts, academic stress, or difficulty fitting in socially. These reactions are more common than many families realise. Relocation affects children differently depending on age, personality, and previous experiences. Counsellor & Parenting Coach, Lim Swee Chen, explains why early support can make the transition significantly easier.
Why Boredom is Great for Kids
"I’m bored!" It’s a phrase that can instantly trigger a parent’s guilt or a frantic rush to find entertainment. But what if empty time is actually the greatest developmental gift you can give your child? Learn why boredom is crucial for your child’s development and how you can hold the boundary and step back with confidence.
Understanding Your Child’s Mental Health: What Every Parent Should Know
Many parents wonder why their child suddenly becomes withdrawn, emotional, anxious, or constantly attached to screens. Often, these behaviours make more sense when we understand what is happening inside the developing brain says psychologist & supervised counsellor, Ewelina Sawicka.
Why Parenting Feels So Hard (And Why You're Not Failing)
Becoming a parent is often described as one of life’s most joyful experiences—but for many, it also brings unexpected stress, self-doubt, and emotional overwhelm. If you’ve ever wondered, “Why does this feel so hard?” or “Am I doing this right?”, you’re not alone. Counsellor & Parenting Coach, Paula Brunning, shares that parenting rarely matches the expectations we carry into it, and understanding this gap is the first step toward finding balance, confidence, and support.
Grief in Chinese Families: Why Different Generations Mourn So Differently
Grief in Chinese families is rarely simple. When someone passes away, different generations often respond in very different ways — sometimes creating tension, confusion, or even conflict. Counsellor & Parenting Coach explains how understanding these differences can help families move through loss with more clarity and less misunderstanding.
Doctor Recommended CBT for Your Child? Here’s What It Actually Means
When a doctor recommends CBT for your child, it can feel both reassuring and confusing. What exactly is CBT, and how will it help your child manage anxiety? Counsellor & Parenting Coach, Paula Brunning, explains understanding how this evidence-based therapy works can give you confidence in supporting your child’s emotional wellbeing and progress.
When a Child Loses a Pet: How to Support Grief That Adults Often Overlook
When a child loses a pet, adults often underestimate the depth of the grief. But for many children, this is their first experience of loss — and it can shape how they understand love, attachment, and death. In Singapore, where pets often become emotional anchors in busy or expatriate families, this loss can feel even more significant than adults realize. Psychologist & Supervised Counsellor, Ewelina Sawicka, explains why.
Is Discipline or Trust More Important in Parenting? What the Marshmallow Experiment Really Shows
Research shows that children’s ability to wait is strongly influenced by trust and predictability in their environment. When children trust that promises will be kept, they are more likely to delay gratification. Research shows that children’s ability to wait is strongly influenced by trust and predictability in their environment. When children trust that promises will be kept, they are more likely to delay gratification.
Feeling Lost After Becoming a Parent? Understanding Identity Shift
Many parents don’t feel burnt out — they feel lost. Somewhere between caring for everyone else, they stop recognising themselves. This quiet identity shift — sometimes called a parent identity crisis — is more common than people realise. Psychologist Ho Shee Wai explains why it happens and how you can find your way back.
Expatriate Parenting: Raising your Children in a New Country
Moving your family to Singapore as an expatriate can feel like a dream, until the honeymoon fades and real parenting begins. Without grandparents or familiar friends you carry the invisible work of helping kids feel safe, seen, and settled. Let’s explore how how you can best support your family during the transition.
Breathe for Calm: Family Emotional Health
In today’s fast-paced world, many children and parents feel overwhelmed, anxious, and constantly “on edge.” The good news is that calm can begin with something as simple as a breath. Counsellor & Parenting Coach introduces easy, science-based breathing techniques families can use together to strengthen emotional regulation, reduce stress, and build lifelong resilience.
Modeling Holiday Priorities: How Parents Can Create Calm, Connection & Meaning for Their Kids
The holiday season promises joy, connection, and festive magic—but for many parents, it also brings overstimulation, expectations, and an endless to-do list. Children don’t learn holiday values from what we tell them; they learn from what we model. When our behaviour shows connection, gratitude, empathy, and emotional regulation—even in busy seasons—we give our children a powerful roadmap for how to navigate stress and celebrate meaningfully. Counsellor & Parenting Coach, Paula Brunning, discusses what will help you prioritise what truly matters and teach your children the heart of the holidays through your everyday actions.
Asking Questions as a Strategy to Build Cooperation and Problem Solving in Your Child
Instead of telling your child what to do, try asking questions that spark thinking, problem solving, and confidence. Discover how curiosity-based parenting builds independence and strengthens your bond with Counsellor & Parenting Coach, Paula Brunning.
How Do I Motivate My Child or Teen? A Practical Guide
Every child wants to do well—when they feel they can. If your child or teen seems “unmotivated,” it’s usually not laziness. It’s a signal: I’m overwhelmed, unsure, or exhausted. Psychologist, Ho Shee Wai offers calm, practical steps to rebuild motivation at a pace that actually works—without shouting matches or endless nagging.