{"id":3998,"date":"2024-07-01T01:44:05","date_gmt":"2024-07-01T01:44:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev-alumn-nus.pantheonsite.io\/alumnus\/?p=3998"},"modified":"2025-07-15T16:07:56","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T08:07:56","slug":"come-in-lets-talk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/2024\/07\/01\/come-in-lets-talk\/","title":{"rendered":"Come In, Let\u2019s Talk"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

<\/p>\n

WHO SHE IS<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Dr Charmaine Lim is a psychologist who is passionate about democratising mental health care. She advocates for accessible mental health services through Talking Therapy, a psychotherapy clinic she started.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cI would go home and just cry,\u201d recalled clinical psychologist Dr Charmaine Lim. \u201cIt was so heartbreaking to hear\u00a0about the abuse and trauma that my clients at Boys\u2019 Town had faced, despite being so young.\u201d
Those early experiences strengthened her resolve to make mental healthcare more accessible, especially to vulnerable communities. That is precisely what she has done with Talking Therapy, the mental health clinic she started with the aim of democratising mental health care. Dr Lim specialises in care for individuals, offering various forms of therapy. She also prides herself on being an LGBTQ-friendly counsellor.\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cI got into psychology to help people, so these services are a way of making an impact,\u201d she said, explaining her decision to start\u00a0Talking Therapy.\u00a0But there are days when the 35-year-old needs to trade the psychologist\u2019s chair for the client\u2019s one. \u201cMost days, I can get by with a cuddle from my dog Pumpkin or spending time with my family and friends, but there are days when I do benefit from the perspective of a psychologist,\u201d she said. \u201cHelping myself helps me help others better too.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cA common misconception is that you have to have poor mental health to see a psychologist,\u201d she continued. But that\u2019s not always the case: for some, the process of psychotherapy \u2014 simply talking to a psychologist \u2014 can be a useful and routine way of understanding and managing your emotions.\u00a0
It is a misconception she tries to correct with the patients she sees. \u201cSome of my clients are guilty about coming for therapy, because they feel that there are others who are worse off who would benefit from a session,\u201d\u00a0Dr Lim shared. \u201cBut I remind them that you can drown in one inch of water.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

PSYCHOTHERAPY 101\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"2\"<\/p>\n

WHAT IS PSYCHOTHERAPY?\u00a0<\/strong>
Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, provides support for individuals dealing with mental health, emotional or interpersonal challenges.\u00a0<\/p>\n

ENHANCE SELF-UNDERSTANDING<\/strong>
From managing persistent feelings of sadness and anxiety to addressing relationship issues and enhancing self-esteem, therapy offers a safe and supportive space for exploration and healing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

NOT JUST FOR SEVERE CHALLENGE<\/strong>
It is important to note that psychotherapy isn\u2019t solely for those experiencing severe challenges; anyone seeking self-understanding, behaviour pattern exploration or healthier coping strategies can benefit.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

SINGAPORE\u2019S EVOLVING ATTITUDE TOWARDS MENTAL HEALTH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Singaporeans are becoming more aware of this, as evidenced by the findings of the\u00a02022 National Population Health Survey<\/em>. The survey found that although mental health had worsened, more are willing to seek help. \u201cIt\u2019s a welcome trend \u2014 because just a few years ago, people were afraid to speak about mental health at the workplace, for fear of ridicule, or worse, losing their job,\u201d Dr Lim observed.

Over her 11 years in the mental health space, Dr Lim has seen it evolve dramatically for the better. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot more awareness, especially among important stakeholders like corporates.\u201d She has been part of that change, serving as a wellbeing specialist partner for NUS staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this role, she supported lecturers, university administrators and researchers. \u201cHaving that avenue for employees to come forward and share their struggles in a safe space is so important,\u201d she explained. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen how it improves team morale and overall satisfaction across the organisation.\u201d In 2023, she then served as Associate Director and Lead Clinical Psychologist in the University Counselling Services for students.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Dr Lim on a volunteer trip to Cambodia.<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n

FINDING HER CALLING<\/strong><\/p>\n

Given her affable demeanour, Dr Lim\u2019s chosen career seems like an obvious fit. But this wasn\u2019t always the case. \u201cBefore NUS, I completed a diploma in hospitality and tourism,\u201d she explained, adding that she was part of the teams that put together massive events like the Youth Olympic Games and the annual F1 Singapore Grand Prix. \u201cI even took a leave of absence during my time at NUS to work on F1.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

But she decided to give a career in psychology a shot after graduating from NUS. \u201cI was excited by the chance to connect with others,\u201d she recalled, adding that volunteering stints with the Institute of Mental Health and migrant workers\u2019 welfare groups only cemented her decision.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Having that avenue for employees to come forward and share\u00a0their struggles in a safe space is so important.<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Her first full-time stint as a counsellor at Boys\u2019 Town was an eye-opener. \u201cIt was there that I really began to contextualise the theories I had learnt in school,\u201d she said. \u201cMy team was great; I remember my supervisor telling me to put aside the theories for the first few sessions and just spend time to connect with the boys. That really made the difference.\u201d\u00a0

After all these years, Dr Lim still gets immense satisfaction from seeing her clients improve. \u201cThere\u2019s something deeply fulfilling about accompanying them through their struggles and triumphs, witnessing their resilience in the face of adversity, and ultimately seeing them emerge stronger and more empowered. The moments when clients recognise their progress and reflect on how far they\u2019ve come is very rewarding.\u201d\u00a0
\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

TALK IT THROUGH<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"3\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

Talking Therapy is an Alum<\/em>PERKS merchant offering NUS\u00a0\u00a0alumni a discount on their first individual therapy session.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Check out more Alum<\/em>PERKS merchants at\u00a0nus.edu.sg\/alumnet\/alumnuscard<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Photos courtesy of Dr Charmaine Lim<\/h6>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Even as she helps the community improve their mental health, Dr Charmaine Lim (Arts & Social Sciences \u201912) is also mindful about safeguarding hers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4000,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_theme","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3998","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-impact"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3998","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3998"}],"version-history":[{"count":30,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3998\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7500,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3998\/revisions\/7500"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4000"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3998"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3998"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alumni.nus.edu.sg\/thealumnus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3998"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}