REORIENT CLINICAL PSYHOLOGY

Supporting Mental Health in Hong Kong

At REORIENT Psychology, we are committed to supporting our clients’ mental health through collaborative online and in-person consultation. Psychologists should be empathetic and sensitive to clients’ different cultural backgrounds and lived experience. We believe firmly that in a mental health support program, psychologists should be transparent and mindful not to become a crutch to their clients. It is the role of a psychologist to be a guide and a support--to assist their clients in growing and developing on their mental health journey.  

image credit: HKMOA Wong Siu-ling (1909 – 1989)

What to expect when you contact a clinical psychologist for mental health support?

When you first contact a clinical psychologist, you will go through a structured, intake process so that our team can understand your background, experiences and any mental health issues you feel you are facing. The intake process allows our team at REORIENT Psychology to assess which of our clinical psychologists may be able to best assist you with your mental health concerns. This intake process can take place over the phone or via email if it feels too daunting to talk about mental health in the first instance. Learning about you is crucial if a psychologist is to be able to help. After all, you are the most important person on your mental health journey.   

What to expect during your counselling sessions with REORIENT Psychology

At Reorient Psychology, we believe there is no one-size-fits-all therapy, so an individualised treatment plan will be discussed after assessment and reviewed throughout your engagement with your psychologist.

For most people, the first psychology session will comprise an assessment where the psychologist will speak with the individual, and/or family when relevant (e.g., when working with children). The psychologist will seek to formulate a treatment plan with you by the end of the first session, but we recognise that some clients may require more time to feel comfortable reaching that point on their mental health journey.

By the end of the second session, the psychologist will be able to give you an indication of the number of sessions that will be required and will also make a recommendation on frequency.

Katsushika Hokusai Japanese ca. 1830–32

  • Anyone can benefit from mental health support if they feel like psychological challenges they are experiencing are impacting their quality of life. It is perfectly normal to experience ups-and-downs in our mental health as we transition through different stages of life, or from the stress from the busy Hong Kong lifestyle. There are many strategies to manage mental health which you can explore with a psychologist here at REORIENT.   

  • We would recommend someone to see a clinical psychologist if their mental health concerns have been sustained for a period, seem to be getting worse, or are starting to significantly impact their study, work, family, relationships etc., but a lot of people would also prefer to start therapy early, before it gets to that state.

  • A clinical psychologist in Hong Kong charges around HK$2000 per 50 minutes one-to-one session for mental health support.

    Here at REORIENT Psychology, we offer a flat rate of HK$1800 for each 50 minutes individual therapy appointment. Whereas for relationship/couple counselling, the cost will be $2100 per 50 minutes consultation.

  • Not everyone needs a diagnosis to benefit from seeing a clinical psychologist. Even if you don’t meet the benchmark for a formal diagnosis, seeing a psychologist can still be beneficial for your mental health. It is important to recognise that any mental health concern is valid if it is causing you distress. For therapy to work, we aim to understand how a problem is maintained by examining any underlying vicious cycle or influencing factors. Depending on where you are in your mental health journey, a psychologist may recommend different levels of treatment. For example, someone with emerging symptoms who is highly motivated to work with prescribed self-help resources might find bi-monthly sessions appropriate. For others, they may find they prefer weekly therapy sessions with a psychologist to support their mental health through more frequent troubleshooting, skill-learning, treatment and reflection.

  • Therapy takes different lengths of time for different people. The duration of therapy also varies depending on individuals’ mental health concerns. For mild to moderate levels of anxiety and mood problems, clients might work with their psychologist for around 10 sessions. Sometimes, a break is recommended so clients can build their autonomy using the tools gained from therapy and return for troubleshooting or advanced intervention as needed. When working with clients recovering from trauma or complex trauma may take longer, a psychologist may recommend more frequent sessions initially (e.g., 1-2 sessions every fortnight) with the aim of spacing them out as treatment progresses (e.g., monthly sessions with occasional phone check-ins). Such an approach helps to build stamina and autonomy while allowing the psychologist to adequately address mental health concerns.