Family Therapy & Counselling

Our family influences almost every aspect of our life, from our first moments to our last. Our family impacts how we grow and develop at different life stages – as children, youths, adults and even as we age. It influences how we see ourselves, how we view others and how we perceive the world.

Our family is an important source of support, encouragement, and love but sometimes that might not be the case for some individuals and families. Tension can arise in the family and family members can sometimes experience interpersonal difficulties with each other at various stages of family development or when family circumstances change. This creates stress within the family unit – affecting healthy family functioning, couple relationships within the family, and even the mental health of individual family members.

The goal of family therapy and counselling is to work towards improving the health and functioning of the family. Family therapy and counselling services can be beneficial for many reasons. It provides a safe platform through which families can grow in mutual understanding, deepen connections, improve communications, resolve conflicts, and address past hurts and unresolved issues, with the help of a professional counsellor.

A family unit undergoes changes as it progresses through different stages of family development. The stressors faced by the individuals, couples and families can vary at different stages of family development. For instance, the challenges faced by a family with young children will look very different from the challenges faced by a family with teenagers, or at the stage where the children have grown up and are leaving home to start lives and families of their own. Regardless of the stage of family development, family therapy can help individuals and families navigate these stressful times together to improve the emotional and mental health of the family members while also strengthening the bonds within the family unit.

Family therapy and counselling services are also recommended in situations where there are additional struggles such as:

  • Raising a child with special needs
  • Supporting a family member with severe illness or addictions
  • Caring for a family member with mental health issues or other conditions such as dementia
  • Grieving the loss of a family member
  • Divorce, separation and/or transition to step-family formation

Such challenges pose additional strain on the family. Through our counselling services, individuals and families can be supported in various ways such as acquiring the skills to better cope with these stressors. Actively taking steps to seek out family therapy and counselling services to help with managing the trying situations at home more effectively, can go a long way in improving family functioning as well as the mental health and well-being of family members. At In Focus, we provide families with a constructive and safe space for those difficult, but highly necessary, conversations among family members to help family members. The conversations are facilitated by a professional counsellor to help family members including children, youth, adults, and even elderly, better understand the dynamics within the family and to work through the interpersonal issues and family challenges.

Our counsellors and therapists at In Focus help individuals, couples and families deal with these different issues such as bereavement, caregiving adjustments and stress, relocation, interpersonal difficulties and conflicts among family members, as well as other stressors or mental health concerns arising at the various different stages of the family life cycle.

Benefits of family therapy and counselling include:

  • Gaining a deeper understanding of the interactional patterns and dynamics in the family
  • Learning more helpful ways of interacting with and supporting each other
  • Developing skills and tools to better resolve conflicts and interpersonal difficulties within the family
  • Deepening bonds and connection within the family

Informed by a combination of approaches like Choice Theory Reality Therapy (CTRT), Emotion-focused Therapy (EFT) or Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT), Systemic Therapy and other therapeutic approaches, In Focus seeks to support families through the challenges that they face.

Our counsellors and therapists are here to help your family build stronger connections and bonds as well as foster a deeper sense of understanding and intimacy regardless of the nature of the challenges couples and families might be facing. Contact us today to find out how we can support you and your family through family therapy and counselling.

Family therapy and counselling can be complemented by therapy and counselling for couples and individuals to further strengthen the work done at the family level. Contact us to find out more about In Focus’ counselling services for couples and individuals and how these can come together to support the family’s growth and healthy functioning.

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ABOUT US

At In Focus, we empathise with our clients as they go through myriad of life’s problems, stresses and challenges which are overwhelming at times. As these happened to us too. The only difference is, it is our profession to help others overcome these life hurdles so as to live life to the fullest.

 

OUR SERVICES

We have a range of services available for your consideration depending on your needs. You can get in touch with us for coaching services, corporate consultation, professional training, counselling and psychotherapy services. Please visit our services page to see what we offer.

CONTACT US

Phone: +65 8725 9303

Email: enquiry@in-focus.com.sg

 

 

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Katina Halkas

Master of Guidance and Counselling (MGC)


Counselor


Katina holds a Masters degree in Guidance and Counselling from James Cook University (Singapore), and is a Provisional Clinical Member of the Singapore Association for Counsellors.  Katina has experience working with couples and individuals in both local and expatriate communities in Singapore and is also a volunteer counsellor at a women’s care centre.  She has worked with both men and woman dealing with a variety of emotional concerns including anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, anger issues, self-harm, grief, as well as relationship/family issues and work-related stress.


Katina aims to create a safe, supportive and non-judgemental environment for clients to explore any issues or concerns they are facing and uses a collaborative approach in helping clients identify goals and changes they want to make in their lives; and to reach a greater sense of self-awareness and wellbeing.


Katina has a strong commitment towards her ongoing professional development, attending regular supervision and taking part in training and workshops several times a year to broaden her knowledge and skills in counselling.


Katina has trained in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, Gottman Method Couples Therapy (Level 1 & 2), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) as well as Career Development and Transition Coaching.  She is currently working towards her certification in Reality Therapy/Choice Theory.


Katina is originally from South Africa and is also a Greek-Cypriot national.  She worked in executive recruitment (headhunting) while living in South Africa and later moved to the US for a number of years before relocating to Singapore.  She has lived here for over 13 years with her husband and has two teenage boys.

Chan Pei Lin

Master of Guidance and Counselling (MGC)

Counsellor Masters in Guidance and Counselling (MGC), James Cook University Bachelor of Arts (Psychology), University of Buffalo New York State

I have always had a keen interest in working with children and youth. I find it fulfilling and meaningful to be working, supporting and guiding them, and I now have more than eight years of experience in this area. After graduating from the University of Buffalo, New York State with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, I started working with children and youth with Special Needs in early intervention. From my interactions with my clients over these years, I have come to see that being able to provide the emotional support that they and their families need is very important.

Being diagnosed with dyslexia and tactile defensives (Sensory Integrative Disorder), I remember the unconditional and judgement-free support I received from families and friends that got me through the various challenges. Therefore, I aim to offer the same unconditional support and judgement-free interaction to all my clients. Through my personal experience, I understand how crucial it is for individuals to develop a strong emotional foundation and a support network, especially those in similar circumstance. Therefore, I strongly believe in journeying and supporting individuals through stressful times, and in working with their loved ones through the strengthening of the bonds within the family unit.

I am trained in the major counselling and therapeutic approaches and also in Choice Theory Reality Therapy and Behavioural Therapy. My work is informed by Person Centred Therapy, Emotion Focused Therapy, and Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy. Beyond children and youth, I have counselled clients in other settings and age groups including young adults and families. I am particularly interested in supporting people in building resilience and skills to cope with stress, anxiety adjustments and overall socio-emotional needs. Given my own personal and work experience, I firmly believe that everyone deserves a chance in a fulfilling life. To better support my clients, I am currently pursuing my certification for Choice Theory and Reality Therapy after obtaining my Masters in Guidance and Counselling at James Cook University.

Evelyn Rochelle Koh

Principal Counsellor, Counselling Psychotherapist, Clinical Supervisor

Master of Social Science (Counselling), CTRTC, EFT, EFCT
Clinical Supervisor & Instructor (Senior Faculty of William Glasser International & William Glasser Institute, Singapore)

Certified Human Behaviour Analyst (DISC)
Certified PREPARE-ENRICH

I developed a passion in counselling when I started out as a school volunteer counsellor working with youth. I saw the transformative power of the counselling relationship on the youths in school and even later in life beyond school. This was a life changing experience for me and I was spurred to setup my own private counselling and psychotherapy practice in 2004. That was a time when there were few counselling and consultation services in Singapore. Since then, I have been working with youths, couples, parents, working adults on their emotional issues and mental health and well-being through counselling and psychotherapy for close to 20 years.

Beyond helping my clients within the counselling room, I believe in tapping on the multiplier effect to bring healing and strength to individuals, and relationships between couples and within families. I thus expanded my work and I now devote a large portion of my time towards raising the skills and competencies of the helping profession through lecturing, training and consultancy services.

My area of passion and specialisation is Choice Theory, Reality Therapy, Lead Management (CTRTLM) because it is highly empowering. I thus find great joy in training counsellors, therapist, social workers, coaches, leaders and managers in this area.  I am also trained in Emotion Focused Therapy, Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy and Gottman Couples Therapy and my work is also informed by therapeutic models such as Positive Psychology, Humanistic Therapy, Experiential Therapy and Systemic Family Therapy.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with organisations across different sectors, ranging from Youth Centers, Family Service Centers and Specialist Centers to the Health Promotion Board (HPB) and Ministry of Education (MOE). The latter two involved projects where I was able to share my passion for helping youth in Singapore. With the HPB, I helped develop the Peer Support Program for youth and conducted training for youth leaders from tertiary institutions and for those involved in the online peer support network “Youthpals”. With the MOE, I conducted cluster training for school counsellors and teachers on counselling and therapy skills to better help our students.

It is also my firm conviction that all situations of loss and pain can be opportunities for deep healing, growth and connection. I have thus been committed to providing regular training on the topic of “Grief and Loss” to social service practitioners through the Social Service Institute (SSI).

Curriculum Vitae

  • Registered Singapore Counselor with Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC)
  • Registered Clinical Supervisor with Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC)
  • Registered Social Service Practitioner with Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW)
  • Professional member of the American Counselling Association (ACA)
  • Senior Faculty member as Approved Instructor and Supervisor of William Glasser International and William Glasser Institute, Singapore. At William Glasser Institute, Singapore, Evelyn is serving in the Executive Committee to advocate Dr. William Glasser’s teaching in Choice Theory Psychology, Reality Therapy and Lead Management.
  • External Lecturer/ Clinical Supervisor, Swinburne University of Technology
  • Clinical Supervisor, James Cook University Singapore, Monash University
  • Associate Adult Educator, Social Service Institute
  • Trained in Gottman Couples Therapy, The Gottman Institute
  • Trained in Emotion-Focused Therapy, York University, EFT Clinic
  • Trained in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy, International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy, Canada