Counselling and psychotherapy are two practices that are closely related which uses “talking therapy” to help improve people’s overall mental wellbeing. Both refers to the process by which people share, explore, and resolve difficult issues in their lives, supported by the knowledge, skill and presence of a trained professional.

Traditionally, counselling has been referred to as a shorter term process that focuses on an isolated experience and not something that relates to the past or is a repeating pattern in your life. Psychotherapy, on the other hand, concerns more on understanding how your past experience affects your present life, addresses the deeper roots of unhealthy ways of thinking and behaving, and looks at how you relate to your “core” self and others.

In practice, however, many counsellors work with a person’s deeper issues and patterns, and many psychotherapists are also trained to work in a short-term, issue-specific manner.

Koa Counselling & Wellbeing provides evidenced-based therapies and tools across both practices to suit your needs and comfort.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating mental health issues including bipolar disorder, personality disorders, and schizophrenia. Psychiatrists have a medical degree and can prescribe medication.

A psychologist is a health professional who assesses, diagnoses, and treats mental illness. They use various techniques including psychotherapy and psychological testing to help people manage their mental health, but cannot prescribe medications.

A psychotherapist is either a registered counsellor or psychologist who is professionally trained in psychotherapy. They think and work at a deeper process level considering how the structure of the client’s personality is affecting their experience of relationships and being in the world. Stress, depression, anxiety, trauma, phobias, eating disorders, or other similar mental health conditions can be supported by a psychotherapist. They will guide you back to your childhood and discuss different life circumstances up until the present day to get a good idea of how you were shaped and influenced. They will also help you grasp a better understanding of your feelings, actions, and thoughts and help you identify emotional and behavioral issues tied with life challenges.

Counsellors work at a more immediate level generally focusing on a current issue or a specific difficulty that is affecting the client’s life. They help clients identify goals and aspirations, and come up with viable solutions to problems that cause them emotional distress, anxiety or relationship conflict. They are great at improving communication, self-esteem, and promoting positive behaviour. They do not diagnose or treat mental illnesses. This is a good option for people who are already aware of their wellbeing and want to resolve issues with insightful guidance.

Some degree of anxiety is normal especially as we navigate our way through life during uncertain times like these (ie. pandemic, economic recession, life transitions). But when your anxiety or depression starts to become overwhelming or unmanageable, or when it starts to interfere with your daily life - it may be time to seek professional help.

Early signs of anxiety or depression may include feeling sad on most days, losing interest in hobbies or friends, overthinking problems, experiencing mood swings, changes in your sleep pattern and/or appetite, feeling restless, suffering from poor concentration, tiredness or feeling that life has no meaning. You can learn more about depression here and anxiety here.

Session rates for Individual Counselling HKD$1800 for 60 minutes. A standard session for Couples Counselling is HKD$2700 for 80 minutes.

We offer fees on a sliding scale for those who have financial challenges on payment.

For The Thrive Program and Corporate Wellbeing Workshops, please contact us directly for fee details here.

Our first counselling session will be an assessment session for us to get to know you, gain insight to your presenting emotional issues and problems, understand your goals for therapy and to collect information about your history. We will also share the recommended therapeutic approach, answer any questions you may have and work with you on an initial treatment plan with solutions. By the end of the session, we should have clarity on what you need help with and how we can work together to get the help you need.

How many sessions needed depends on what you want to work on. Some clients find their issues addressed in a few sessions, while other prefer a longer term counselling process. In other words, the number of therapy sessions you attend is entirely up to you and what you feel comfortable with.

We usually see clients on a weekly basis as counseling and therapy requires consistency and commitment to see progress. But if your schedule does not permit that cadence, bi-weekly sessions can also be arranged.

We can provide counselling and therapy in English and Cantonese.

Yes, we offer online counselling as we recognize some clients prefer the flexibility and mobility of this approach.

You can book a counseling appointment directly through the website by contacting us here.

In any event, counselling and therapy sessions canceled or rescheduled with less than 24-hours notice will be charged the full session fee. In case of sickness, this fee will be waived if a doctor’s note is provided before the session time.