A Little More About Me
With six years of experience in therapy and counselling, my passion lies in connecting with people and helping them with the obstacles they face.
I believe that every individual is unique and filled with infinite potential, even though it is sometimes untapped. This potential can be unleashed by untangling troublesome thoughts and implementing positive changes.
I help my clients achieve this through an integrated and holistic approach to healing: using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectal Behavior Therapy, and Mindfullness and Compassion-based strategies. While I remain focused on creating a safe space with empathy and expertise, my process is also collaborative and exploratory.
I work with both adults and adolescents, individuals and couples — guiding them toward self-awareness and inner resourcefulness that can translate into healing, growth, and change. I particularly enjoy working with young adults, helping them through a phase of life that provides crucial self-realization, exploration, and direction.
My mission is to empower you toward making positive changes.
My Values
Professionalism
A holistic approach, years of expertise, and my collaborative practices take center stage.
Respect
I lead with integrity — valuing your time and understanding your boundaries.
Confidentiality
I’m here to create a safe space, nurture honest conversations, and protect you.
Commitment
When we’re in session, you are my priority. My goal is to help you help yourself.
Qualifications
M.Soc.Sc. (Professional Counselling)
Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
CBT for Personality Disorders workshop
Becks Institute, Philadelphia, USA
Diploma (Counselling)
Kaplan Higher Education Institute, Singapore
Member of Singapore Association of Counselling (SAC)
International affiliate member of American Psychological Association (APA).
Outside of Work…
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Mentor
I volunteer as a mentor at Talk To Me! - an India-based non-profit organization. Talk to Me! aims to improve conversational English language skills and social skills by guiding underprivileged youth between the ages of 13-20. As a mentor, I have fostered a relationship with my mentee with regular conversations - nurturing their confidence and empowering them to dream big.
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Global Citizen
My passion for helping individuals discover their inner potential led me to make a career change after 30 years of working in Human Resources. While I am currently based in Singapore, my experiences in the USA and India — as well as my travels — have led to me understand and accept people with different cultures, upbringings, and identities.
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Volunteer Counsellor
I volunteer as an associate counsellor at a Singapore government-affiliated Family and Community Service Care Corner unit, under their Project StART program. Project StART provides community-based services for people affected by family violence. I counsel victims of violence and abuse on their emotional and psychological wellbeing.
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Human
I am a mother, a wife, and a friend. Like you, I have my strengths, weaknesses, and times when I don’t have everything figured out. I’m human. When I’m not working or volunteering, my hobbies include nature walks, trekking, playing golf, yoga, cooking, and travel. I also enjoy spending time with my family - even if it’s virtual now because of the pandemic.
“From our very first session, Chitra made me feel very comfortable and created a safe space… I am blessed to have her help me in many ways.”
KK, SEPTEMBER 2020
“The problem is never the problem. It is only a symptom of something much deeper.”
VIRGINIA SATIR, Developer of Systemic Family Therapy, SFT