My Approach to Helping
Hi, I am JK, a registered counselor.
“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it. Embracing our vulnerabilities is risky but not nearly as dangerous as giving up on love and belonging, and joy—the experiences that make us the most vulnerable. Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”
― Brene Brown
I strongly believe in counseling as a way to help with one's well-being. As a trauma survivor and domestic violence survivor, I advocate for kids’ and teens’ voices. Being a client for years, the experience has helped me relate better with my clients to accompany them along the journey of healing or self-discovery.
I believe in holistic well-being. Work, life, mental health, food, shelter, art, music, coping skills, friends, family, etc, are part of life and can impact our lives differently. I endeavor to help clients find their balance, meet them where they are, and help them walk the journey together. In the session, My goal as a counselor is to create a safe, nonjudgmental, and kind atmosphere to build a trusting relationship with my client. I apply a collaborative approach and work with my client throughout counseling, self-discovery, and healing.
I believe in a client-centered approach as a way to better serve my clients and help them reach one's potential. Hence, I resonate strongly with this quote.
Collected 2000 clinical hours, 200 peer external supervision hours, and 90 personal therapy hours, and attended roughly 180 workshops, training, online courses, and conferences.
Training attended: Gestalt therapy, Expressive art therapy, mindfulness techniques, person-centered therapy, emotion-focused therapy, lgbtq+ affirmative approach, cognitive processing therapy, trauma therapy, choice therapy, Trauma-focused CBT, CBT & resilience-building Intervention.
I provide career counseling & supervision to counselors, especially freshly graduated counselors, counselor trainees, or counselors.
More Info About My Practice
Areas that I am trained in :
Well-being, resilience-building, trauma, Depression, anxiety, grief, coaching, Academic, work-related issues & LGBTQ
MS. COUN., K.B., P.A.(HELP)
BA.PSY(HONS)(HELP)
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP:
1. Register Counsellor of Lembaga Kaunselor Malaysia (KB08811PA08415)
2. Member of American Counselling Association ( ID # 6549238)
3. Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist for Individuals (CCTS-i)
Training attended:
1. Supporting Victims of Domestic Violence by University of Sheffield
2. The 10 Core Competencies of Trauma, PTSD, Grief, and Loss by Dr. Eric Gentry & Dr. Robert Rhoton
3. Master Clinician Series: The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study by Dr. Vincent Felitti
4. Unseen Wounds: Contribution of Psychological Maltreatment to Child &
5. Advanced Workshop on Grief & Loss by Robert A. Neimeyer, Ph.D.
6. Meaning-making while Suffering by Dr. Mark Yang,Psy.
7. QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Program by Lee Kok Han, QPR Institute
8. Evidence-Based Trauma Treatment & Intervention by Dr. Eric Gentry & Dr. Robert Rhoton
9. Certified Clinical Trauma Professional Intensive Training Course (CCTP) by IATP & PESI
10. Real World Safety: Protecting Youth Online and Off ( Bullying), Child Safety Matters Prevention Education Programs
11. Ethical Issues Related to the Practice of Online Clinical Supervision, ACA
12. Expanding Perspectives: Systemic Approaches to College Students Experiencing Depression, ACA
13. A Constructive Approach to Help Counselors Work With Clients Who Express Discriminatory ACA
16. SPARCS: Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic
17 Stress: A Guide for Trauma-Focused Groups, NCTSN
18. Secondary Traumatic Stress in Professionals Treating Child Sexual Abuse,NCTSN
19. CBT for Anxiety with John Ludgate Ph.D.
20. Grounding Techniques in Tele-Therapy by Jessica Horder, MS, LMHC
21.COVID-19 and Telebehavioral Health: Ethical Considerations During a Public Health Emergency,ACA
22. Trauma Therapy Innovations: Intensive Trauma-Focused Therapy
23 . Responding to LGBTQ Youth after Sexual Abuse, NCTSN
24. LGBTQ Youth & Young Adults in School, College, Careers,ACA
25. Developing Competence in Working With LBGTQI+ Communities: Awareness, Knowledge, Skills, and Action
26. How Should a Psychologist Advise a Heterosexual Man Who Has Sexual Thoughts About Men? by American Psychological Association
27. Introductory Competencies for LGBTQ- Affirmative Counselling by American Counselling Association
28. Developing Competence in Working With LBGTQI+ Communities: Awareness, Knowledge, Skills, and Action , ACA
29. Choice therapy and Reality therapy certificate
30. Suicide in Schools: Prevention and Intervention, Mental Health Academy, Australia
31. An On-line Training Course for Cognitive Processing Therapy, Medical University of South Carolina
32. A course for trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, Medical University of South Carolina
33. Certified Family Trauma Professional (CFTP) by Dr Robert Rhoton
34. Advanced Training for Trauma Treatment of Complex PTSD by Dr Robert Rhoton
35. Trauma-Focused Therapy
36. Emotion-focused therapy level 1
Publication
1.Amarachi,.O., Jun,K.Ng., Ifeanyichukwu,A.O. (2020) 'It Feels Like I Am Weighed Down By Societal Demands': A Mixed Method Study of Gender Norm Attitudes and Psychological Wellbeing in a Sample of Nigerian Youths. 16(5). European Scientific Journal
2.The Relationship between Adverse Childhood Experience and Self-regulation (pending)
Interview
1.1.Interview by Wiki Impact on “Being a Counselor”
2. Interviews by RTM FM Sabah on “Trauma”, “Mental Health” & “Coping during pandemic”.
Workshop
1. Finding calm in the midst of the Pandemic, the ICMS Mental Health Workshop
2. Self-care, Sri KDU International School
3. Mental Health, Sri KDU International School
4. Stress management, TARC
5. Trauma-Informed practice, SEAMO
6. Trauma and resilience, INTI International College University
How Psychotherapy Can Help
My approach is :
Collaborative + Experimental + experiential + trauma-informed, existential + person-centered + systemic approach + lgbtq affirmative approach.
My approach is rather holistic to help with growth, discovery, and maximizing potential rather than a "fix me" or "fix my problem and move on" approach.
I believe counseling and healing is a journey that will benefit you. Hence, at times, I will have a client who comes in once a month, twice a month, or four times per month, depending on the nature of the struggle and their financial ability. They then explore and experiment with what they have learned or progressed in the session. They will then schedule another session with me after that.
The population that I work with :
Working adult or young adult
My View on the Purpose of Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a process of healing, building rapport, discovery, rediscovery, reflection, process, thinking, learning, accompaniment, unlearning, and growing.
It is like going to the gym, except that, this is our mind doing the workout.
I am the trainer to walk the journey with you; you are the client who is training your muscle.
What I Love about Being a Psychotherapist
To walk the journey with my client.
It provides a layers of meaning for me, to walk the journey with my client, as a counsellor.
Through the process of the healing journey, to accept, to embrace, to learn and to support my client.
My Role as a Therapist
My role as a therapist is to accompany you and walk the journey with you together as a counselor. I need to provide unconditional regard, non-judgmental, and safe space for my client. I will meet you where you are, and follow your pace to progress in the session.
A counseling space that is:
(1) Non- judgemental
(3) Meet you where you can be who you are
(4) you feel safe and comfortable
We will work together as a team to walk the journey of discovery and healing.
On the Fence About Going to Therapy?
Take your time.
There will be a time when you are ready. It may take some times.
For me, when I am not ready, there is no way anyone can force me into therapy.
However, when I feel I am ready, I want to change, I am ready to embrace the challenge and start the journey to be a better person, I will start my journey of healing.
I am here to wait for you, to start the journey of healing with me when you are ready and you think I am a suitable candidate for you to consider.
Important Factors for Choosing a Therapist
Seeking a therapist is like a relationship. You need to look for someone who clicks with you, resonates, have chemistry with you. Qualification, beliefs, values, personality and training are important to consider while choosing a therapist.
I hope you can gain some insights about who I am as a person as well as a therapist to consider if I may be a suitable counsellor to walk the journey with you.
How My Own Struggles Made Me a Better Therapist
My struggle as a human and counselor.
I am a human first, and then I am only a counselor. I have been in therapy sessions in the past years on and off as part of my journey of healing. I have grown and learned to become a better human and counselor. Yes, there will be times that I struggle, where I experience low or triggered by a series of events. These experiences helped me relate to my client. They provide a lens for me to understand my client in order to build a good rapport with my client.
I believe my struggles as a human being make me a better counselor; as the saying says, being human is a process of being, and the same goes for being a counselor; it is a process of being.
Hence, I will continue to learn, continue to do my best, and continue to be the best possible therapist at that moment in time, to journey with you, to walk the healing path with you, and to grow together with you.
Why Going to Therapy Does Not Mean You are Weak or Flawed
Therapy is a process of discovery, reflection, and healing.
It does not mean that I am weak or flawed if I am attending therapy.
In fact, if anything, therapy means empowerment, bravery, and resilience.
You are seeking ways to grow, reflect, and process in order to become a better person.
In the 15 years of therapy, I have learned about coping strategies, ways to reflect, and becoming a better person, and it helps me to be a better counselor, to reflect, grow, and be humbled in the process of counseling.
My View on the Nature of 'Disorders'
Label ("disorder") helps us to understand the syndrome. I see my client as more than what the label is.
The client may struggle and have displayed syndromes.
The client may struggle with regulating themselves.
The client may find it difficult to accept that he or she is seeing a therapist.
The client may find it difficult to entertain the thought of taking a pill.
But, they are more than that. They are human first before they are associated with any of the disorders.
So, managing the disorder or syndrome is just a means to help the client to regulate and stabilize themselves.
The "disorder" is just one of the lenses for a counsellor to understand or interpret the clusters of symptoms and behaviors.
For me, as a counsellor, I am more curious to know, what happened to you?
The Duration and Frequency of Therapy
It depends on the nature of your concern. It depends on your availability, your pace and your financial status. I will always discuss this part of the therapy with my client to come out with a plan that is catered toward what could work for me and the client considering the effectiveness of the healing journey and therapy session. Respecting client's concerns and decision on this part is essentially important.
As for me, as a client, I constantly check in with my therapist for at least once a month, that is to ensure I provide quality healing and counselling service at my best, in order to journey with you with my best possible self.
If you have concern about this, kindly personal message and we can have a chat.
