Counselling is an enabling process that provides alternative ways to think, feel and behave in a healthier manner.

In a counselling process, a counsellor works with an individual to overcome difficulties and change maladaptive or unhealthy emotional, behavioural or cognitive aspects. This leads to a more adaptive pattern of thought and behaviour and a satisfactory change in the individual.

Students, working professionals, couples, and parents may seek counselling for different issues. Some of these issues are interim setbacks experienced and at other times, could be emotional traumas or hurts experienced over a period of time. Because of the intensity of the feelings and hurts experienced which remain unresolved, their day-to-day coping and management become unhealthy.

It is a common myth that counselling is only for people who are mentally ill.  Counselling is, in fact, helpful for any person with cognitive abilities.

Counselling helps individuals to gain a better sense of awareness, and acceptance, eventually attaining emotional balance. Counselling guides individuals to learn and adopt life skills that will allow better and healthier coping with life’s challenges.

At Hummingbird, we offer in-person and online counselling services to adults and youths from 15 years old.

Any concern or experience, from an everyday concern to a unique circumstance or situation can constitute a reason to seek help from a Counsellor. Counselling addresses concerns across many life stages, events, and circumstances.

You should consider getting counselling support when something causes distress and interferes with some part of life, particularly when:

• The issue causes embarrassment or makes you want to avoid others.
• The issue has caused your quality of life to decrease.
• The issue has negatively affected school, work, and relationships.
• You’ve made drastic changes in your life or developed unhealthy habits to cope with the issue.

There is no fixed recommended number of sessions that we would recommend for individuals to see the counsellors. It varies from person to person depending on factors such as the individual’s progress and what the counsellor feels would be suitable for him/her. You may discuss this with your counsellor during your sessions.

On average, counselling sessions can range from 2 and 10 sessions.

During counselling, your personal growth, development, and self-understanding are facilitated by a counsellor who guides you in developing an action plan to cope with and even overcome your issues. This empowers you to adopt more constructive life practices for a happier and more meaningful life.

Yes, at Hummingbird we value client confidentiality. All information and written records disclosed during and pertaining to sessions are confidential and may not be revealed to anyone without the client’s written permission, except where disclosure is required by law.Sometimes a counsellor may share details about a session or a client with a team member or their supervisor to gain clarity and seek suggestions on the way forward. This is done without divulging personal details of the client such as their name, course in which they are studying etc. It is done for the express intent of enhancing theo quality of the service and for the benefit of the client. This is termed shared confidentiality.

Our counsellors will generally find out more about you and the issue that you are currently facing in the first engagement session. That is why the first session is usually 75-mins which includes 15-mins of general information sharing.

At Hummingbird, we believe that no two individuals and situations are the same and thus there is no typical therapy session.  All Hummingbird sessions are deeply personal and centred on your needs as a client.  Our counsellors are trained to provide the support and guidance in a manner that is most comfortable to you.

Hummingbird sessions are nonetheless goal-focused and you will work with your counsellor to determine the steps that you will need to take to achieve your goals.

Prior to your first session, it is essential that you complete and return the Conversation Starter form that was sent via email to you.  Information on this form provides your Counsellor with useful information about you and your unique situation and issue. It helps your counsellor prepare for your first session.

It would also be useful for you to think through the issues that you would like to address with your counsellor.

Sometimes counselling doesn’t “work” right away. Even in an ideal therapeutic situation, it can take time for symptoms to improve. – months or years. Going for counselling (therapy) and seeing no change may cause frustration. Perhaps you haven’t found the right therapist, so it’s worth it to continue your search for help. If you’re still experiencing any of the symptoms above, therapy should still be an option. Don’t stop your quest to improve your mental health. Keep in mind different approaches may be better for different issues. If you didn’t feel heard in your previous counselling session (therapy), or if your symptoms have changed since your last counselling (therapy) session, a different counsellor might be exactly what you need to move forward.

Research has found that the human brain only fully matures at about 23-25 years old, and the brain matures faster in the limbic system (emotional brain) than in the prefrontal cortex (thinking brain). This is why we sometimes experience children or teenagers behaving in ways that could appear to be emotional, illogical or lack consequential thinking. Because of this, experiential learning is important for youths to learn new ways of behaving and expressing themselves in the world.

We would recommend that either both parents or at least one parent see the counsellor for a couple or individual session first, respectively. However, this is not compulsory, and our counsellors may see the youth directly. The parents should preferably be around after the session in the event that the counsellor wishes to speak with them after meeting with the youth.

The number of sessions needed may vary from individual based on factors such as the child’s strengths, weaknesses and personality, the problems raised to be addressed, support in the environments that the child is in (i.e. home, school, etc.), and frequency of sessions.

Different schools may provide different forms of counselling. In general, counselling in the school context focuses on difficulties in school such as behavioural issues or peer relationship problems. Private counselling/therapy, on the other hand, provides a neutral and non-judgmental space to address deeper, underlying emotional difficulties that youths face which may be fuelling the behavioural issues exhibited.  Addressing the underlying issues help children and teens to better adapt to the challenges they face in different situations and respond in more appropriate ways.

Coaching facilitates personal or professional development, growth, and improvement by providing support, guidance, and feedback to individuals or groups. At Hummingbird, our coaches work with our clients to set goals, develop strategies to achieve them, and overcome any obstacles or challenges.

Coaching helps individuals enhance their self-awareness, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and develop skills and behaviours that can help them to achieve their goals and reach their full potential. It can also help in overcoming limiting beliefs, fears, and doubts and in developing a more positive mindset and attitude toward themselves and their abilities.

Coaching and counselling are both processes that involve providing support and guidance to individuals or groups, but they differ in their focus, goals, and methods.

Coaching is primarily focused on helping individuals to achieve specific goals or objectives, whether they are related to personal or professional development. Coaching is generally future-oriented and the emphasis is on action and progress.

If you need support and guidance in identifying your strengths and weaknesses, set goals and develop strategies to achieve them, coaching is likely what you need.

Hummingbird provides three types of coaching services – career transition, executive and life coaching. In general, all three services are similar in approach and processes, but they differ in their focus:

• Career transition coaching supports PMETs and Senior Executives, through the challenge and process of exploring, finding and moving into a new job or career.
• Executive coaching is focused on helping executives and leaders improve their professional performance. Executive coaches work with clients to identify areas where they can improve their leadership skills, such as communication, decision-making, time management, and strategic thinking.
• Life coaching is a type of coaching that focuses on helping individuals achieve personal goals and improve their overall quality of life. A life coach works with clients to identify areas of their life where they would like to make improvements, such as relationships, career, health, or personal growth.

Still not sure what kind of coaching you require? Send us a query through our Contact Us form and let us work together with you on the right kind of coaching.

Yes, we provide packages for our clients. Your coach / counsellor will advise you on a suitable package, if it is appropriate. However, you do not have to sign up for a package. You can opt for single session bookings. Should you feel that you would like to consider a package at any point, do check with your coach / counsellor on what would be the best arrangement suitable for you.

No, we do not provide any government subsidies, grants, or financial aid.

Your appointment is only confirmed after payment is received. This is to ensure the commitment and priority of your booking with our coaches and counsellors. Payment for sessions is non-refundable. If there is a need to reschedule after confirmation of the session, please email your coach / counsellor with admin@hummingbirdcc.com.sg in copy. Please refer to the terms of agreement for rescheduling policy

You can pay via PayNow or credit card directly through our payment gateway found in our corporate website www.hummingbirdcc.com.sg  Alternatively, you can transfer to our bank account number (WhatsApp us for more details) before the start of each session. Kindly take note that we do not accept cash. Your session will only be confirmed after payment has been made.

When a client pays in advance for a session, it signifies their level of commitment to the process. Additionally, it allows the coach/counsellor to prioritize the session by reserving that time slot and ensuring that they are available to attend to the client’s needs without any other appointments conflicting.