Frequently Asked Questions

The short answer is Yes and No.

We have intentionally reframed our counselling and therapy work as Resilience Coaching for purpose of removing the stigma of seeking help. Many clients expressed feeling less restrained sharing their growth journey with others when they wish to.

In terms of approach, we use a mix of different counselling, therapy and coaching approaches according to the clients’ needs and nature of each case.

TSC is a multi-disciplinary team. Our coaches are mostly from social work, counselling and psychology background.
Our professional training include:

• Master of Social Work
• Master of Counselling
• Master of Arts (Applied Psychology)
• Master of Human Capital Management
• Master of Medical Science in Human Nutrition

Other additional qualification:

• Advanced Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist (ACCTS)
• Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist – Individual (CCTSI)
• Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist – Family (CCTSF)
• Certified Multichannel Eye Movement Integration Practitioner (CMEMIP)
• Certified Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Society of NLP
• Clinical Exercise Physiology
• Choice Theory / Reality Therapy
• Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy
• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
• Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) Therapy
• Certified Coach, International Coaching Federation
• Certified Coach, Enterprise Coaching Programme

Professional Membership / Accreditation:

• Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC)
• Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW)
• Social Work Accreditation and Advisory Board (SWAAB)

Coaching, counselling and therapy solutions delivered online are just as effective as those delivered offline. According to The Journal of Affective Disorders’ published research in March 2020 on online counselling, there is very little difference in client disclosure, empathy levels, attentiveness and participation when using online counselling.

1. Ensure that you will be at a conducive environment for uninterrupted sessions.
2. Ensure you have a stable internet connection and digital facilities for online sessions.
3. Turn on the video and audio Zoom functions during the sessions.
4. Be appropriately dressed for sessions.

In your first session, your coach will ask questions about you, your goals, current situation and strengths. The information will help your coach understand your coaching goals and how to support you.

During the coaching sessions, be prepared to:

• Make observations about yourself
• Ask questions like “What is 1 thing that you absolutely want?”

The professional code of ethics considers your information to be confidential. No content of the sessions, verbal or written may be shared with another party without your/your legal guardians’ written consent. However, these are some exceptions:

a) Suicidality and Potential Harm
If Client discloses a plan or threat to harm self and/or others, the Coach must notify Client’s family and appropriate state agencies.

b) Abuse of Children and Vulnerable Adults
If Client discloses, or it is suspected, that there is abuse or harmful neglect of children or vulnerable adults, the Coach must report to the appropriate state agencies.

c) Abuse of Controlled Substances / Illegal Drugs Consumption
If the Client is assessed to be abusing controlled substances and/or consuming illegal drugs, the Coach must report to the appropriate state agencies.

d) Court Orders
In cases where a court order has been issued and records have been subpoenaed, the Coach has the legal responsibility to comply.

An online coaching session normally lasts about 45 minutes to 1 hour. However, the first coaching session might be longer.

Depending on nature of the case, coaching objectives and the needed momentum for optimal outcome,
for the first 3-4 sessions, we might recommend weekly sessions to lay the foundation, focusing on your self-regulation.

Subsequent sessions might be spaced out intentionally over 2 weeks to once a month.

• Coaching Frequency is ultimately based on client’s coaching needs and jointly decided after discussion with client.

• Coaching Frequency is also reviewed based on coaching needs, with the aim of helping clients gain competency and confidence over time.

• Optional personal coaching app: Between the online coaching appointments, the coach gets real-time updates on your progress through the coaching app and do a mid-week check-in with you via the app.

TSC attends to those aged 18 and above for individual work.

Parents/caregivers keen on enrolling your child (below aged 18),
we are open to work with you on one condition:

You must participate in the coaching for family work (via individual or joint sessions with your child).

• Your coach will discuss the arrangements for joint and individual sessions with you and your child. Recommendations would vary according to coaching goals, your family life stage and child’s developmental needs.

• As a caregiver, it is also important that you look after your emotional resilience to care effectively for your children.

• Through your active participation, you’re also normalising and modeling for your child help-seeking behaviour and self-care, removing psychological barriers and embracing growth.

We understand that schedules sometimes change and unexpected urgent events crop up. You can change your appointment time.

However, please contact us 24 hours in advance.

Example:

If your scheduled appointment is Thursday at 2 p.m., you will need to contact TSC latest before Wednesday 2 p.m.

A full session fee will be charged if an appointment is missed or cancelled at short notice, less than 24 hours notice. No refund thereafter.

No refund for discounted sessions.

The Synergy Collective (TSC) is a registered private entity and not funded by any agency. Fees are stated in the Resilience Coaching webpage.

Payment is expected before the start of sessions. Payable through Bank Transfer, PayNow; UEN: 202025014D or scan the SGQR using your preferred payment app.

If you need arrangement for instalments, feel free to discuss your situation with us. We’re open to work out the details with you.

Certainly! TSC uses the (zoom) online platform. As long as you have a good internet connection and digital facilities, we can still connect.

Certainly! Geographical boundaries and nationalities should not limit learning. In fact, cross-cultural coaching can lay amazing foundation for developing cultural competency which is a critical skill in many social and work settings.

TSC is a multi-disciplinary team. Our coaches are professionals mostly from social work, counselling and psychology background.
Our professional training include:

• Master of Social Work
• Master of Counselling
• Master of Arts (Applied Psychology)

They are also accredited members of professional agencies such as:

• Singapore Association for Counselling (SAC)
• Singapore Association of Social Workers (SASW)
• Social Work Accreditation and Advisory Board (SWAAB)

In addition, different coaches are certified practitioners in various psychotherapy practices such as:

• Advanced Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist (ACCTS)
• Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist – Individual (CCTSI)
• Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist – Family (CCTSF)
• Certified Multichannel Eye Movement Integration Practitioner (CMEMIP)
• Choice Theory / Reality Therapy
• Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy
• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
• Guided Imagery and Music Therapy (GIM)
• Salutogenic Asset Focused – Narrative Exposure Therapy (SAF-NET)

1. Ensure that you will be at a conducive environment for uninterrupted sessions.
2. Ensure you have a stable internet connection and digital facilities for online sessions.
3. Turn on the video and audio Zoom functions during the sessions.
4. Be appropriately dressed for sessions.

Your mental health coach will process with you your responses in the Pre-Consult Questionnaire.

During the Resilience Consult, your Mental Health Coach might clarify:

• Why you sought help and hope to achieve from the consult
• Your current symptoms
  (frequency, duration and intensity of the symptoms you’re experiencing)
• Your current situation

The information will help him or her make an initial assessment of your situation and how he/she might be able to support you.

During the consult, be prepared to:

• Make observations about yourself
• Ask questions like, “What is 1 thing that you absolutely want?”

A consult session usually lasts about 45 minutes according to each one’s needs and readiness.

Some clients need only one session to discover what they need to do to improve their current situations. There are also clients who have found the online consult session to be helpful and request for more.

We believe clients can play an active role in determining how many sessions you need, depending on your goals and level of distress.

For clients who would benefit more from regular and deeper work on specific concerns, we recommend that you consider taking up our Resilience Coaching instead. While we make the recommendations, you are ultimately in control on which options work for you.

Online consult is a brief consultation and is not the appropriate platform to immediately resolve an acute distress or an enduring mental health illness.

However, if you are unsure about your symptoms or where to seek help, we can discuss and explore with you the possible support you might need.

It is Not Meant for Emergency Support:

If you feel that you are experiencing intense acute distress, crisis or in danger of harming yourself/others, it is crucial for you to contact the emergency services for help or go to your nearest hospital’s A&E Department;

1. Emergency Contacts resource list
2. IMH Emergency Hotline – 6389 2003 / 6389 2004 (24hrs)

If you feel that you need deeper work in addressing your acute distress or enduring mental health concern, you might want to explore our Resilience Coaching.

If you are unsure, you may book Resilience Consult first for an emotional health screening to clarify the support types you need.

TSC attends to those aged 18 and above for individual work.
Those below age 18 would require consent from a parent/legal guardian.

For parents/caregivers who are concerned about your children’s condition, you are encouraged to take up the Resilience Consult for yourself.

As a caregiver, it is also important that you look after your emotional well-being to care effectively for your children.

We understand that schedules sometimes change and unexpected urgent events crop up. You can change your appointment time.

However, please contact us 24 hours in advance.

Example:
If your scheduled appointment is Thursday at 2 p.m., you will need to contact TSC latest before Wednesday 2 p.m.

A full session fee will be charged if an appointment is missed or cancelled at short notice, less than 24 business hours notice. No refund thereafter.

No refund for discounted sessions.

The professional code of ethics considers your information to be confidential. No content of the sessions, verbal or written may be shared with another party without your/your legal guardians’ written consent. However, these are some exceptions:
a) Suicidality and Potential Harm
If Client discloses a plan or threat to harm self and/or others, the Coach must notify Client’s family and appropriate state agencies.

b) Abuse of Children and Vulnerable Adults
If Client discloses, or it is suspected, that there is abuse or harmful neglect of children or vulnerable adults, the Coach must report to the appropriate state agencies.

c) Abuse of Controlled Substances / Illegal Drugs Consumption
If the Client is assessed to be abusing controlled substances and/or consuming illegal drugs, the Coach must report to the appropriate state agencies.

d) Court Orders
In cases where a court order has been issued and records have been subpoenaed, the Coach has the legal responsibility to comply.

Certainly! TSC uses the (zoom) online platform. As long as you have a good internet connection and digital facilities, we can still connect.

Certainly! However, if you need specific advice regarding formal support system from your home countries, there might be some limitations to what we know. Nonetheless, we can still explore with you where and how you might access those support or discover other alternatives.

TSC is a multi-disciplinary team. Our trainers are professionals mostly from healthcare, mental health, counselling, social work, nutrition and child development background.

Our professional training and accreditation include:

• Master of Social Work
• Master of Counselling
• Master of Arts (Applied Psychology)
• Master of Human Capital Management
• Master of Medical Science in Human Nutrition
• Advanced Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist (ACCTS)
• Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist – Individual (CCTSI)
• Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist – Family (CCTSF)
• Certified Multichannel Eye Movement Integration Practitioner (CMEMIP)
• Certified Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Society of NLP
• Certified Coach, International Coaching Federation
• Certified Coach, Enterprise Coaching Programme
• Registered Midwife

1. Ensure that you will be at a conducive environment for uninterrupted sessions.
2. Ensure you have a stable internet connection and digital facilities for online sessions.
3. Turn on the video and audio Zoom functions during sessions to enhance participation.
4. Bring your reflection and clarification to the following session for more fruitful learning (if you are attending courses that are run over few modules).

Most of our courses are designed with certain group dynamics for learning. No changes are allowed once your booking has been confirmed, unless supported with valid reasons such as emergencies.

The Synergy Collective (TSC) is a registered private entity and not funded by any agency. Course fees are stated in the respective course materials.

Payment is expected before commencement of the courses. Payable through Bank Transfer, PayNow; UEN: 202025014D or scan the SGQR using your preferred payment app.

Certainly! TSC uses the (zoom) online platform. As long as you have a good internet connection and digital facilities, we can still connect.

Certainly! Singapore is a melting pot of many cultures. Having participants from different cultural backgrounds makes the learning more vibrant.

We would like to explore more with you to identify your training needs before sharing our recommendations.

To connect with us:

• Book an e-meeting for discussion.
  In the booking page, you may share some key points about the learners’ profile and learning goals before we meet for discussion.