Counselling recommendations

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  1. #1

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    Counselling recommendations

    Can anyone provide any feedback or recommendations for English-speaking counsellors? Not specifically couples or relationship counselling, but general life counselling. (Just the regular ups and down, challenges, disappointments, confusion,... which also affects relationships.)

    I have seen the websites of Resource and St. Johns. Resource provides a list of counsellors with some background info. St. Johns does not have any info on individual counsellors on the website. It would be good to get some personal feedback about specific counsellors. Earlier threads in Geoexpat have some comments about some counsellors, but not much.

    Maybe one idea would be switch counsellors if one is not happy with the counsellor's approach? But I am worried that might lead to "counsellor shopping" without seriously trying to listen and change oneself.

    Cost is also an issue - I understand that Resource and St. Johns provide a sliding scale, but I am not sure if independent Caucasian counsellors would be affordable for common people. Not everyone can afford to pay HKD 1k per session.

    Any personal experience or feedback will be great. Thx.

    Last edited by swikky; 16-06-2017 at 09:09 AM.

  2. #2

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    St. John's is HKD 600,- per session on average, depending on your income.

    Scarlett Mattoli is an excellent and experienced counsellor, but others there are good as well.


  3. #3

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    I 2nd St. Johns. Not sure where my family would be without Dr. Mark


  4. #4

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    If you can find an independent counsellor for $1k per session, you're doing well. My last experience a few years ago it was $1.6k per session.

    I have heard good things about St. John's.

    Good luck with everything.


  5. #5

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    Alternatively if you are OK with online stuff I've heard good things about betterhelp.com (I haven't used it but have a few friends who have really liked using it). Not sure the price but know its cheaper than here.


  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kiz:
    Alternatively if you are OK with online stuff I've heard good things about betterhelp.com (I haven't used it but have a few friends who have really liked using it). Not sure the price but know its cheaper than here.
    How interesting. I'm not sure it would be for me as I'd want sessions without some face-to-face time, for each party to 'read' the other but have also heard of some counsellors who do both face-to-face and supplement with Face Time, etc., sessions.

  7. #7

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    If you're ok with Skype TO, I can wholeheartedly recommend Mary Ackerman.
    Ex-St. John' s and now based out of Melbourne.


  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Fiona in HKG:
    How interesting. I'm not sure it would be for me as I'd want sessions without some face-to-face time, for each party to 'read' the other but have also heard of some counsellors who do both face-to-face and supplement with Face Time, etc., sessions.
    From what I understand you can do skype like sessions through the app you book on your counsellors schedule, and can also do texting conversations. So from my understanding you could book an hour long session over skype like technology with your counsellor every day for the same price as just once a week or whatever (I'm pretty sure it was a monthly payment).

    And I have exhausted all of my knowledge of it. I thought it was a pretty cool concept.

  9. #9

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    Thanks everyone for your responses.

    Kiz, Betterhealth seems interesting. It looks like they charge USD 70 per week for unlimited contact. That works out to HKD 500+, which is roughly equal to one face-to-face in St. Johns. The question would be whether 1 face-to-face is better than unlimited written counselling. I am not sure at the moment.


  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by swikky:
    Thanks everyone for your responses.

    Kiz, Betterhealth seems interesting. It looks like they charge USD 70 per week for unlimited contact. That works out to HKD 500+, which is roughly equal to one face-to-face in St. Johns. The question would be whether 1 face-to-face is better than unlimited written counselling. I am not sure at the moment.
    you can chat to them over skype like video calls from what I understand as well

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