About Us

Counsellor

AssocMAPACS, PCMSAC, MCoun, MLitt (Managing in the Creative Industries) (Dist), GradDip Counselling, BA (Psych) (Summa Cum Laude), Dip Art Therapy

 

The Lion Mind

Vanessa is a mental health clinician with The Lion Mind. She has more than three years of experience providing counselling, coaching, and psychotherapy to young adults and working adults suffering from stress, anxiety, depression, social anxiety, interpersonal problems, trauma, self-esteem issues, and life transitions. Vanessa works well with the women population, the millennial generation, and working adults to successfully overcome mental health issues and achieve positive life outcomes.

 

Clinical Knowledge & Skills

Vanessa has a Master of Counselling from Flinders University, Australia, a Graduate Diploma in Counselling from Swinburne University of Technology, Australia, a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) from the University of San Francisco, USA, and a Diploma in Art Therapy from the College for Educational and Clinical Art Therapy (CECAT), Australia. Her other qualification includes a Master of Letters in Managing in the Creative Industries.

Vanessa adopts an integrative counselling approach to tailor to the needs of each client. She is well-versed in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Person-Centered Approaches, Psychodynamic approaches, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), and Transactional Analysis (TA). Outside of clinical practice, Vanessa has interests in existential and transpersonal psychology, which explore the spiritual and transcendent aspects of the human condition. She adopts a holistic view of mental wellness, attending to the psychospiritual domain of the individual to understand one’s higher nature and purpose in life.

 

Professional Membership

Vanessa is an Associate Member with the Association of Psychotherapists and Counsellors Singapore (APACS), a Provisional Clinical Member (membership no. D1114) with the Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC), and a certified coach by Collective Change Institute, and was credentialed by International Coach Federation (ICF) as Associate Certified Coach (ACC).

 

Other Experiences

Vanessa brings with her a wealth of experience spanning the Arts, Human Resources, and Education sectors, which she skilfully integrates into her professional practice. She has dedicated years to teaching visual art, guiding children as young as 3 years old to teens in honing their artistic talents across various mediums, including drawing, sketching, and water-colouring. Her deep passion for nurturing creativity in young minds is matched by her commitment to serving the broader community. Vanessa has also been actively involved in outreach efforts, particularly supporting seniors through her work with an Active Ageing Centre. In this capacity, she has played an integral role in fostering social engagement and promoting well-being among older adults, ensuring they remain connected and empowered within the community. Her multifaceted expertise and compassionate approach have made her a valuable asset in both her educational and community-focused endeavours.