Dr Majeed Khader
Chief Psychologist,
Ministry of Home Affairs
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
The Psychology Scene Beyond COVID-19: Forensic/Criminal Psychology
In his Keynote Speech, Dr Majeed will talk about COVID-19's impact on the psychology scene and how undergraduates can upskill themselves to prepare for entering the workforce in the future.
A forensic psychologist by training, Majeed Khader is the Director of the Home Team Behavioural Sciences Centre under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Singapore. Dr Majeed is also the Chief Psychologist of the Singapore Police Force. A trained hostage negotiator, his previous operational duties include being the ex-Deputy Commander of the Crisis Negotiation Unit and a trainer with the negotiation unit. He teaches criminal psychology part time as an Assistant Professor (Adjunct) at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Nanyang Technology University.
For the past 27 years, Dr Majeed has overseen the development of psychological services in the areas of stress, resilience, employee selection, deception psychology, leadership, crisis negotiations, crime profiling, and crisis psychology. For his work, he was awarded the National Day Public Administration Award (Bronze) in 2006 by the President of Singapore and once again the Public Administration Award Silver in 2014.
Panel overview
Interested in knowing more about the psychology scene beyond COVID-19? Join us for this panel discussion with 3 distinguished guests with extensive experience in their various specialisations. Participants will also be given an opportunity to personally ask the panellists their questions.
Dr Denise Dillon
Associate Dean Research (Psychology and Education) and Associate Dean Research Education,
JCU Singapore Campus
PANELLIST
The Psychology Scene Beyond COVID-19: Environmental Psychology
Dr Denise Dillon lives and works in Singapore as a full-time academic at JCU Singapore. She is an environmental psychologist and certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide. Her research interests focus on biophilia and nature connectedness as well as more broadly surrounding aspects of human-nature interactions. Enjoying the best of two worlds (psychology and literature studies), she has also published research in the field of eco-criticism.
Dr Geraldine Tan
Director / Principal Registered Psychologist,
The Therapy Room
PANELLIST
The Psychology Scene Beyond COVID-19:
Clinical Psychology
With more than two decades of experience working with individuals that are diagnosed with psychology difficulties, her clients span from the young ones with learning disabilities like dyslexia to autism and adults with depression, anxiety, personality disorders to marital issues. Geraldine is a ACTA-accredited Trainer and has conducted corporate and professional training, workshops and talks for numerous multinational corporations (MNCs) and small and middle-sized enterprises (SMEs). Being referred to as the “people’s psychologist”, Geraldine is sought after by the media and has been featured widely in the media, including magazines, television and the internet to educate the public about the different disorders.
Dr Paul Englert
I/O Psychologist & Executive Coach,
Founder of OPRA Psychology Group
PANELLIST
The Psychology Scene Beyond COVID-19:
Industrial and Organisational Psychology
Dr Paul Englert is the Singapore-based founder of OPRA Psychology Group, a company that worked with businesses to help recruit, develop, and retain high performing staff through customised HR solutions, coaching and psychology applied to work. Established in New Zealand in 1997, OPRA is considered as the premium I/O psychology business in Asia-Pacific with clients like Microsoft, Nokia, Red Hat and Starwood Hotels. OPRA was sold to Assessment and Talent Management solutions company PSI in 2021. Born and educated in New Zealand, Paul has over two decades of experience in the field of I/O psychology. Paul is widely published in academic and industry publications, such as Industrial and Organisational Psychology and International Journal of Selection and Assessment, and is also regarded as a thought leader in his field by the wider HR and I/O community.
Ms Padma Jairam
Counselling Psychologist,
Padma Jairam Counselling Psychologist
Session 1A
Working as a Counselling Psychologist
in SPS and IMH
Padma will be sharing how her journey as a counselling psychology Masters student in Vancouver prepared her for her experiences as a prison psychologist and a counselling psychologist at IMH. Both positions also provided an overlap in allowing her the fulfilling opportunity to work with the forensic population.
Padma is a trained lawyer, former MOE teacher who has a decade of experience in teaching all levels and all streams and, a counselling psychologist who had the good fortune to train in one of Canada’s key forensic mental institutions in Coquitlam, British Columbia. Additionally, Padma has also worked with various NGOs through her work with war refugees, and survival sex workers in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Ms Pearllyn Kang
Specialist Psychologist,
SpLD Assessment Services ,
Dyslexia Association of Singapore
Session 1B
Working as a Psychologist in DAS
This talk aims to provide you with an overview of the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) and its services. You will also be introduced to the field of assessment of specific learning differences as well as the role of a psychologist in the DAS.
Pearllyn started working at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS) in October 2016 and holds the position of Specialist Psychologist. She conducts psycho-educational assessments for children to determine their learning profile and is involved in research projects at the DAS. Pearllyn graduated from the Nanyang Technological University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Honours). She has also completed the Certificate in Dyslexia and Literacy Teaching (SpLD) conducted by the DAS Academy.
Ms Cheak Ching Cheng
Clinical Psychologist,
The Psychology Practice
Session 1C
Clinical Psychology at The Psychology Practice
Curious about what it is like working in the private practice? How is it similar or different from working in government hospitals or the community? Ching Cheng will be sharing about her experiences as a clinical psychologist working in various settings and the challenges and joy she faces.
Ms Cheak Ching Cheng is a Clinical Psychologist at The Psychology Practice. Prior to joining private practice, she was a senior clinical psychologist at the Institute of Mental Health where she worked extensively with different populations in a variety of community, inpatient and outpatient settings. Passionate about supporting people with emotional difficulties and invigorated by the deep human connection in her therapy sessions, Ching Cheng strives to be fully present with her clients as she walks with them in the journey towards personal growth. She is also a certified Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) therapist and registered psychologist with the Singapore Psychological Society.
Dr Julie Goldstein
Psychologist and Gestalt Therapist, Meaningmakers
Session 1D
Gestalt Psychology in Singapore
Our aim for the talk is to convey to you, the uniqueness and excitement practicing gestalt therapy here in Singapore, some of the ideas of gestalt therapy that inspire us, how gestalt therapy conceives of change, how gestalt is inherently a relational therapy, and the unique place of the gestalt therapist in the therapy room and beyond. As a gestalt therapist we feel there is also a responsibility to share our process with you candidly and authentically, and mix in some self-disclosure tools as we would in the therapy room, to hopefully benefit your journeys and increase your awareness of choice.
Julie Goldstein did her psychology training at the University of London and her therapy training at the Gestalt Centre in London. She is a qualified academic and clinician, currently accredited in the UK and Singapore. She follows the code of ethics of the Association for Humanistic Practitioners (UK), takes part in ongoing networks and regular supervision and engages in personal and professional growth. Julie has been in private practice since 2008; before coming to Singapore, she has worked at the University of London as Lecturer and Course Coordinator, and in a more clinical capacity at Bereavement Services, and at a human rights organization supporting asylum seekers and refugees. In Singapore, she has worked in private practice for almost 10 years with people from different backgrounds. Julie’s approach is relational, experiential, humanistic, and culturally-sensitive. Julie specializes in trauma and bereavement, anxiety and post-traumatic stress, depression, addictions, fertility and family planning, couple therapy (Gestalt, EFT), family therapy (Integrative), and uses other creative approaches and modalities in her work.
Attendees of this session should come prepared with:
- an orange/mandarin or something that can easily peel
- pencils and paper
- a stress ball or something you can squeeze like a small cushion
Ms Chan Jing Yi
Educational Psychologist,
Ministry of Education (MOE)
Session 1E
Educational psychology in MOE
During the session, Ms Chan Jing Yi will share how she works with schools to support students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) in mainstream schools. Psychology undergrads will have the opportunity to interact with her to find out more about the work she does in MOE.
Ms Amanda Lee
Senior Child Protection Officer,
Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)
Session 1F
Working as a Child Protection Officer in Child Protective Service
Every child deserves a safe and nurturing home environment free from violence. The Ministry of Social and Family Development’s Child Protective Service is the lead agency for protecting children and young persons from abuse and neglect in Singapore. Join us to learn about the art and science of child protection work, and hear about the joys and challenges of a Child Protection Officer.
Amanda graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and is currently working as a Senior Child Protection Officer in the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s Child Protective Service (CPS). As an investigation officer in CPS, she is trained to conduct social investigations using trauma-informed practices, and collaborates with multiple stakeholders to ensure holistic assessments of
children’s risk and safety. Amanda’s interest lies in the field of developmental psychology and the impact of social and environmental factors on the human psyche, and she enjoys deepening her knowledge on therapeutic intervention through multi-disciplinary approaches.
Session 2B
Ms Ong Chui Ngoh
Senior Art Therapist,
Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH)
Mr Mahesh Iyer
Art Therapist/ Programme Executive,
SAMH
Crafting Mental Wellness with Art
This talk will explore the specialized creative intervention of art therapy used to support individual mental wellness. The talk will be delivered in the form of a roleplay between the presenters performing as client and therapist to provide you with a glimpse of a typical individual art therapy session. The interaction within the roleplay intends to voice common thoughts and concerns that a client might feel in his/her initial experience with art therapy. It hopes to remove any stigmas or false notions associated with the practice. Participants will be encouraged to join this session and experience the process with us. The presentation will conclude with some key points on the creative process, its integration and application to support mental wellness.
Suggested Materials for participants: spare magazines, newspapers; scissors; glue; colour pencils/markers.
Chui provides therapeutic interventions with a diverse group of participants, ranging from children, youth to adults, at both individual and group level. As part of her outreach to the community, she also facilitates workshops and talks for institutions, social services and corporate companies. Chui is a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner. SE™ is a body-oriented approach to trauma healing, resolution, and prevention. Chui loves the nature and finds it therapeutic. She has a Master in Art Therapy and a Master in Training & Development.
Mahesh is a trained art psychotherapist closely working with youth with mental health conditions. In his current role, he integrates his passion for music and sports in therapeutic means to support his clients in their journey. As part of outreach, Mahesh facilitates workshops, trainings and talks for institutions and social service agencies. Prior to this, he provided art therapy services for older adults at a sheltered home and children with special needs with an emphasis on Autism Spectrum Disorder at a non-profit organization. Mahesh also has a keen interest in practitioner-based research; his works have contributed to art therapy literature and been presented at several international art therapy conferences.
Session 2A
Dr Loo Seng Neo
Head of Business Partnership at RySense and Head of Process Auditer, RS Audit
Ms Jonea Lee
Assistant Manager, RS Audit
Psychology's Contribution to Market Research
In this session, Loo Seng and Jonea will share (i) how psychology can contribute to the Market Research (MR) industry, (ii) their experience working at RySense [a local MR organisation], and (iii) advice for psychology undergraduates who are interested to work in the MR industry.
Dr Neo Loo Seng is an experienced researcher who has conducted research in both public and academic domains for the past 15 years. Currently, he heads the Business Partnership department at RySense. RySense is a Singapore-based research organisation set up by the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) to understand what people in Singapore think, feel, and do. Prior to joining RySense, Dr Neo was a Principal Research Analyst at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). For his work, he was awarded several research awards, and has presented at many international conferences and published many peer-reviewed journals and books.
Jonea Lee is an Assistant Manager at RS Audit, which is an independent audit arm of RySense. She works with a team of auditors to audit large-scale surveys commissioned by public sector agencies. For the past 5 years, Jonea specialises in auditing field research studies, in areas such as data collection, research methodology, and data quality. Jonea graduated from Singapore Management University with a Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology).
Ms Jana Dawson
Positive Psychology Practitioner,
The School of Positive Psychology
Session 2C
Positive Psychology in Singapore
Positive psychology is a proactive, preventative science that uses evidence-based research to cultivate mental wellbeing. Positive psychology researches, measures and educates on complex constructs such as psychological wellbeing, strengths, emotions, resilience and positive mental health. The current volatile environment has highlighted the need for a “wellbeing focus”. In Singapore, Positive Psychology is being integrated across industries, with fields such as positive organisational psychology, positive education, social psychology and personal development.
Jana is a positive psychology corporate trainer, programme developer, senior lecturer and an academic board member at The School of Positive Psychology (TSPP). She is an advocate of a strength-based approach in guiding individuals and teams to develop positive behaviours that cultivate resilient, innovative and flourishing organisations. Her multidisciplinary background in organisational and intercultural communication, positive psychology, coaching and mindfulness has fashioned her expertise in developing and delivering evidence based, culturally applicable programmes in numerous organisational contexts.
Ms Faridah Ali Chang
Principal Psychologist, Trainer and Consultant, Rainbow Centre
Session 2D
Working in Rainbow Centre's Family Empowerment Programme
The role of a psychologist has changed markedly oer the last 30 years, reflecting the need to work in a systemic and collaborative model. In this talk, Faridah will share her experience as a psychologist who takes on the role of a key worker coaching caregivers of children and youths with challenging behaviours. She will share how her background in the disability sector and collaborations with other professionals has shaped her skills in supporting the vulnerable caregiver clients whom she currently works with.
Faridah is the Principal Psychologist/ Key Worker of Rainbow Centre’s Family Empowerment Programme and the Principal Trainer and Consultant with Rainbow Centre Training and Consultancy. She has more than 25 years of experience in the Special Education sector. She shares her skills and experiences as a teacher and a psychologist in the Early Intervention and Special Education programmes with educators, parents and professional trainees. As an experienced speaker on specific disability topics, Faridah has made presentations to the public, medical organisations and tertiary institutions in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region. Faridah is passionate about increasing awareness about persons with disabilities and hopes that they can one day be integrated into Singapore and the community at large.
Session 2E
Mdm Rashida Zain
Lead Psychologist,
Psychological Services Branch (PSB),
Psychological and Correctional Rehabilitation Division (PCRD), Singapore Prisons Services
Ms Jane Quek
Senior Psychologist,
Psychological Services Branch (PSB),
Psychological and Correctional Rehabilitation Division (PCRD)
What is it like to work in PCRD?
“How is it like working with inmates in maximum security?” This is a question often posed to psychologists working in Psychological Services Branch, one of the frontline units of Psychological and Correctional Rehabilitation Division, Singapore Prison Services. In this sharing, psychologists working on the front lines will share on the rehabilitative work of SPS in reforming and reshaping lives, through the application of psychology.
Ms Rashida Zain is a lead psychologist with the Psychological Services Branch (PSB), Psychological and Correctional Rehabilitation Division (PCRD), Singapore Prisons Services, Singapore. With a background in Clinical Psychology, she provides assessments and interventions to inmates with violence and sexual violence offending history and those with comorbid mental health issues. Rashida is the Assistant Director in PSB in SPS where she oversees the general violence intervention group programme, HERO, that operates within a Transformational Environment.
Ms Jane Quek is a senior psychologist with the Psychological Services Branch (PSB), Psychological and Correctional Rehabilitation Division (PCRD), Singapore Prisons Services, Singapore. She currently supports the operational work relating to rehabilitation of violent offenders within PSB. Previously, she was a psychologist with Home Team Behavioural Sciences Centre, focusing on crisis and community preparation research. Jane has also provided psychological support to frontline Home Team operations, such as the Crisis Negotiation Unit (with Singapore Police Force). Formally trained on critical incident stress management (certified by International Critical Incident Stress Foundations (ICISF) and Psychological First Aid (endorsed by World Health Organisation) skills, she has supported numerous enforcement operations and national crises, including the Kovan Double Murder and AirAsia air crash.
Dr Thomas Saltsman
Lecturer,
Singapore Institute of Management - University at Buffalo
Session 2F
Unpacking the Paradox of Choice:
Deciphering Decisions of the Everyday and Beyond
With online shopping and streaming services, we have more choices at our fingertips than ever before. Does this lead us to shut down or does it energize us? Could too many choices have a lasting impact on our well-being? Dr Saltsman will not only examine these questions in his talk, but also explores how we can apply social psychology research to everyday choices and beyond, including academic/professional decisions.
Dr. Thomas Saltsman is a lecturer and psychology researcher with the University at Buffalo-Singapore Institute of Management. He completed his PhD in Social-Personality Psychology from the University at Buffalo in 2020, and holds a BA in Psychology with a concentration in Biomedical Physics from the University of South Florida. Broadly, his research uses a social psychophysiological approach to examine questions related to stress and coping in a modern world, including questions about choice overload, political ideology, mindfulness, tribalism and team affiliation, and experiences with nature and awe. Dr. Saltsman’s research has been featured in Forbes, The Boston Globe, Fast Company, Quartz, and others.
Ms Lissy Ann Puno
Counselling Psychologist,
International Counselling & Psychology Centre
Session 3A
Counselling Connected Relationships Post Pandemic
This talk will focus on maintaining a connected relationship amidst daily stressors and the pressures of the pandemic that are challenging couples at this time. Whether you are dating or in a marriage or in a long distance arrangement, understand what it takes to love and care for one another to avoid the buildup of disillusionment that can create disconnection. As we pursue psychological wellness in relationships, how do we create awareness to safeguard relationships at all times? Discover ways to nurture a relationship through effective and healthy relational ingredient and skills to grow in couple resilience and flourish post pandemic.
With 28 years of extensive experience practicing counselling and psychotherapy in the region as a Counselling Psychologist, Lissy is currently in private practice as one of the co founders of International Counselling & Psychology Centre. Lissy's work has covered the United States, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and now Singapore. She offers psychological wellness across the lifespan. She is a Certified Imago Therapist and workshop presenter for the internationally known workshops : “Getting the Love You Want” and “Connected Parents, Thriving Kids” and the author of three books entitled “Affairs Don’t Just Happen”, “Stay Connected” and “Couple Goals”."
Ms Alva Liow
Senior Clinical Psychologist,
Community Psychology Hub
Session 3B
Clinical Psychology in the Community
Join Alva to find out all the cool details of working as a clinical psychologist in the community, where we dive deep to where our clients are, creatively tap on resources, and work with various allies to improve our clients’ mental health and to create meaning in their lives.
Alva Liow believes in working on the ground and creatively tapping on resources to empower fellow human beings who need an extra hand or an extra voice to tide through difficulties. That is why she joined the Community Psychology Hub. As a Senior Clinical Psychologist, she has nine years of experience working with children and teenagers with special needs as well as adults and families with mental health needs. She graduated with a First Class Honours degree at NUS and a Master’s degree at JCU, during which she was elected as valedictorian twice. More importantly, she loves how psychology continues to fascinate her every day. To learn more about Alva: https://www.cph.sg/alva-article.
Session 3C
Ms Mui Leng
Senior Clinical Psychologist and Manager,
Clinical and Forensic Psychology Service (CFPS), Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)
Ms Yu Yan
Clinical Psychologist,
Clinical and Forensic Psychology Service (CFPS), Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF)
MSF's Clinical and Forensic Psychology Service
This sharing will provide an overview of the work and career opportunities at the Clinical and Forensic Psychology Service (CFPS) of the Ministry of Social and Family Development. CFPS provides psychological assessment and intervention services for those who had experienced abuse and/or display offending behaviours. Yu Yan and Mui Leng will give you an insight into their typical day at work and share their personal experiences and challenges.
Yu Yan is a clinical psychologist at the Ministry of Social and Family Development, Clinical and Forensic Psychology Service (MSF CFPS). Within CFPS, Yu Yan specializes in the provision of assessment and treatments for victims and families who have experienced intra-familial abuse. Yu Yan recently completed a secondment to a community agency, as part of an initiative to set-up an integrated psychological service to provide timely and accessible services for clients served at community child protection agencies. Prior to working in CFPS, Yu Yan also had experience working as a Child Protection Officer, conducting social investigations and providing case management services for children and young persons who have been abused or neglected by their parents/caregivers.
Mui Leng is a Senior Clinical Psychologist and Manager with the Clinical and Forensic Psychology Service of the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). She has more than 10 years of experience working in the forensic setting, conducting forensic psychological assessments and providing treatment for youths and adults who have engaged in violent and sexual offending behaviours. Passionate about supporting the growth of psychologists in the sector and developing the competency of community partners, Mui Leng provides clinical supervision to psychologists in the team and community agencies. In addition, she provides consultations and delivers trainings to partners within MSF and in the community on topics related to offender rehabilitation, such as theft intervention and child sexual abuse.
Mr Tey Beng Huan
Lecturer and Industrial and Organisational Psychologist,
Temasek Polytechnic
Session 3D
IO Psychology in Singapore
What is Industrial and Organizational psychology? As a psychology undergraduate interested in IO Psychology, how can diifferent career roles incorporate pscyhology and research for the benefit of corporate professionals? If you're fascinated by these questions, join Mr Tey Beng Huan in his talk about his career as a practising industrial and organisational pscyhologist in Singapore.
Beng Huan is a registered industrial and organisational psychologist practising in Singapore. His broad scope of work includes talent selection, training and development, individual workplace wellbeing, with a strong focus on personality, ability, creativity, motivation, team dynamics, and human factors. He designs end-to-end solutions for talent selection and development, as well as programs for individual and group learning. He also plays advisory roles in various start-ups in applying technology to selection and innovation. Beng Huan is currently a lecturer with the Centre for Applied Behavioural and Social Sciences at Temasek Polytechnic, and an associate researcher with the centre’s Behavioural Insights Collaboratory, and has conducted courses on Behavioural Insights, and Human Factors for professionals from various industry sectors since 2021. Beng Huan has lectured in various tertiary institutions and is currently an associate faculty for psychology and human resource management at Singapore University of Social Sciences. He volunteers in the Singapore Psychological Society in public education and the registry of psychologists. He also extended his voluntary military service as a Military Expert with the Defense Psychology Department. Beng Huan holds a Masters degree in Occupational Psychology (UK), a Post-graduate Diploma in Psychology (Aus), and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology (Aus). He is registered with the Singapore Registry of Psychologists and is a member of the British Psychological Society as well as the Singapore Psychological Society. He is also a certified occupational test user with the BPS Registry of Qualified Test Users and trains test users in the Asia Pacific region.
Educational Psychology with Children in the Community
Are you interested in an enriching career in early childhood learning? Dr Ernest Tan, a renowned educational psychologist, provides an overview about his career experience in child deveoplment- sharing his abilities in helping children with learning needs at preschools and early intervention centres. Find out more about what is it like to work with other professionals in assessing and developing treatment plans for the benefits of children with learning disabilities.
Ernest is Senior Educational Psychologist from Community Psychology Hub and Autism Resource Centre (Singapore). He conducts assessments and interventions for children with developmental and learning needs at preschools and early intervention centres. As a member of the trans-disciplinary team working within the community, he works alongside other child development and early childhood professionals to advocate inclusion for children within preschools.
Ernest graduated with a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) from NUS and a Master of Arts (Applied Psychology) from NTU. He is a registered psychologist in Singapore and holds memberships with the Singapore Psychological Society and the American Psychological Association. His previous work experiences were as Psychologist at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Behavioural Therapist and Case Manager for children with autism in private practice, and Associate Lecturer in Republic Polytechnic.
Session 3E
Mr Ernest Tan
Senior Educational Psychologist,
Community Psychology Hub (CPH) and Autism Resource Centre (Singapore)
Dr Kit Phey Ling
Senior Lecturer for Master of Arts (Applied Psychology) Programme, National Institute of Education (NIE)
Session 3G
The Master of Arts (Applied Psychology) Programme: Professionalising the Practice of Psychology in the Community and Education System
Would you like to help individuals in the community with physical, emotional and mental health issues to improve their sense of well‐being, alleviate their feelings of distress and resolve crises? Alternatively, do you prefer to support students' abilitities to learn through psychoeducational assessments and interventions? If your answer to either one of these questions is a resounding “YES!”, then NIE’s Master of Arts (Applied Psychology) programme may be right for you. In this sharing session, you will learn more about the roles of Counselling Psychologists and Educational Psychologists. You will also gain information on the coverage of the MAAP programme, admissions requirements, and how to prepare for application to the MAAP programme, for example, qualifications and relevant work experiences.
Dr Kit is a Senior Lecturer in the National Institute of Education's Psychology and Child & Human Development Academic Group, and programme leader of NIE’s Master of Arts (Applied Psychology) programme. She is also a practicing psychologist in clinical, educational and corporate settings, where she provides both counselling and psycho-educational assessment services, and serves as an SRP Approved Supervisor for both these disciplines. As a researcher, Dr Kit focuses primarily on qualitative studies of intervention strategies for at-risk and delinquent adolescents, individual, group and on-line counselling processes, as well as andragogical approaches for counsellor education.
Dr Brian Benjamin
Clinical Psychologist & Director,
Benjamin Psychological and Therapeutic Services
Session 4A
Cross-Cultural Differences in Practicing Clinical Psychology
Wondering how you can tailor your psychological services to anyone regardless of their cultural background? In his presentation, Dr. Benjamin will present perspectives related to providing clinical psychology services as a cross-cultural psychologist to multicultural clients. He will also present culturally informed approaches that are utilized within the training and licensing of mental health professionals in the United States. In an effort to ensure a dynamic discussion, Dr. Benjamin will engage with the audience with various questions and prompts applicable to the Singaporean landscape of clinical practice.
Dr Benjamin has trained and worked extensively with young children, adults, and couples in both California and Los Angeles. He has also established Benjamin Psychological & Therapeutic Services, an international private practice in which he continues to engage with clients based in the United States, Singapore, and other South East Asian counties.
Dr Benjamin is a licensed clinical psychologist in California and a Registered Psychologist in Singapore. He also maintains professional affiliations with the American Psychological Association, California Board of Psychology, Los Angeles County Psychological Association, San Gabriel Valley Psychological Association, Singapore Psychological Society, and the Association of Psychotherapists and Counsellors (Singapore).
Dr Leong Chan-Hoong
Head of Policy Development, Evaluation and Data Analytics, Kantar Public
Session 4B
Whither Psychology? Current and emerging trends in the discipline
Psychology has a long history as an academic subject but a short runway in Singapore. This presentation will briefly discuss the various public agencies that apply the principles of psychology for work, followed by an introduction to the range of consulting work in the public and private sectors where psychology play a major role in shaping conceptual, methodological, and analytical frameworks. Dr Leong will also introduce the emerging forms of multi-disciplinary studies where psychology plays a major role in policy and decision making.
Leong Chan-Hoong, PhD, is Head of Policy Development, Evaluation, and Data Analytics at Kantar Public, a global policy consulting firm that specialises in the government and non-profit sectors. Prior to this, he has held various academic positions, including Associate Professor at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, and Senior Research Fellow and Head of Social Lab, at the Institute of Policy Studies, National University of Singapore (NUS). He read a PhD (Psychology) from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand (2006), and M.Sc.'s on Statistics (2011) and Applied Geographic Information Systems (2019) from the NUS. His research focuses on immigration, inter-racial relations, national narratives, & human-environment interactions. Chan-Hoong is a Fellow and elected governing board member of the International Academy for Intercultural Research (IAIR), where he chairs the Rae and Dan Landis Outstanding PhD Dissertation Award Committee. He has served as Consulting Editor for the International Journal of Intercultural Relations (IJIR 2013-15) and Asian Journal of Social Psychology (2018 - now). Chan-Hoong is a Council Member for the National Integration Council in the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth, and he is the Singapore national representative for the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR). He has consulted widely for various government agencies (e.g., defence, education, population), statutory boards (e.g., People’s Association), and international organisations including the Israel Science Foundation and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.
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Ms Halitha Banu
Psychologist,
Home Team Behavioural Sciences Centre (HTBSC),Home Team Academy (HTA),Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
Session 4C
Working as a Psychologist at HTBSC
Ever heard of the Home Team Behavioural Sciences Centre (HTBSC)? Curious to find out what they do? In this session, Ms. Halitha Banu will share more about the different branches within HTBSC and how the different streams of work use psychology to support the operational effectiveness of the Home Team.
Ms. Halitha Banu is a psychologist with the Resilience, Safety and Security Psychology Branch at the Home Team Behavioural Sciences Centre. Her research interests include issues of national security, resilience, and social cohesion. Ms. Halitha Banu has presented her research at various conferences and conducted several trainings to enhance the operational effectiveness of officers from various agencies. Beyond work, Ms. Halitha Banu is also an active volunteer with the Victim Care Cadre of the Police Psychological Services Department.
Ms Kimberly Chew
Clinical Psychologist & Clinic Manager (Clinical), Annabelle Psychology
Session 4D
Clinical Psychology at Annabelle Psychology
Curious to know how it's like working in Annabelle Psychology? Join Kimberly, who can share more on her daily work at the clinic. Kimberly has an interest in the treatment of psychological concerns in children. Prior to private practice, she has worked in different clinical settings in local hospitals and in the community, working extensively with children with neurodevelopmental disorders and their families in early intervention and special education.
Kimberly is experienced in the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders, personality disorders (e.g., Borderline Personality Disorder and Narcissistic Personality Disorder), somatic symptom disorders (e.g., chronic pain and gastrointestinal disorders), dissociative disorders, and trauma. She conducts child and adolescent psychological assessments as well as provides individual and group therapy to children and teenagers with socioemotional and behavioural difficulties. She also has a special interest in treating Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Intellectual Disability (ID), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Global Developmental Delay (GDD), and attachment difficulties.
Dr Goh Boon Yeow
Specialist Adult Educator (Facilitation),
Singapore Institute of Management - University at Buffalo (SIM-UB)
Session 4E
Educator Experiences in Public and Private Education
Through this talk, undergraduates will be able to get a better understanding of different aspects of working as an Educational Psychologist. Namely – qualifications needed to work in the public sector, pay and differences, job scope in the public and private sector and career advancement within the organisation.
Dr. Goh Boon Yeow, an educational psychologist, has taught in Singapore University of Social Sciences since 2008. He also teaches at University at Buffalo held in SIM GE. As a professional counsellor, he profiles the motivation of children. He has more than 20 years of experience in the field of education ranging from pre-primary school to university levels. He also has experience managing voluntary organisations.
Dr Emily Ortega
Head of Psychology Programme, School of Humanities and Behavioural Sciences,
Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
Session 4F
Becoming (not a Clinical) Psychologist
in Singapore
Interested to learn about the various fields of psychology, their differences and what it is like to study and practice Psychology? Join Dr Emily for her talk on Becoming (not a Clinical) Psychologist in Singapore and the SUSS Master of Psychology programme!! Associate Professor Emily Ortega heads the psychology undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).
Emily has published her research in international journals and has contributed book chapters in Secrets of Asian Sport Psychology, The International Handbook of Positive Psychology, and Women and Sport in Asia. Emily is a highly experienced Sport Psychologist who has worked with some of Singapore’s best athletes, helping them to achieve their sporting aspirations to consistently perform at their very best in high-level competitions such as the SEA Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Olympics, and World Cups.
Ms Sun Sun Yap
Research Associate/Lecturer and Clinical Music Therapist,
IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems
Session 4G
Music Therapy and Synchrony Research in Neurology
Join Ms Sun Sun's interesting session on music therapy, using the Biopsychosocial approach in a neurological setting. She will also share her research in nonverbal synchrony using a motion energy analysis (MEA).
Sun Sun is a clinician researcher working in the field of neurology. Born in Singapore, her work as an artist brought her to Europe and eventually settling in Austria, where she pursued her BSc and MSc in Music Therapy from IMC University of Applied Science Krems. Since 2015, she has specialised in providing music therapy to patients with neurological conditions. Her area of research interest includes music therapy, neurology, synchrony, empathy and chronobiology.
Building a Career in Research
Want to know more about psychological research? Interested in building a career in research? Hear Dr Andy Ho share about his extensive career in research and what is needed to build a career in research!
Dr Andy Ho is a social scientist, psychologist and educator who specializes in the public health and mental health, life and death education, psychosocial gerontology, integrative therapy, and community empowerment. He is the founder of a number of internationally acclaimed psycho-socio-spiritual interventions for advancing holistic wellness among general and clinical populations, including Aspiration and Resilience through Intergenerational Storytelling and Art-based Narrative (ARTISAN) for loneliness alleviation and citizen empowerment; Mindful-Compassion Art-based Therapy (MCAT) for burnout prevention and resilience building; Family Dignity Intervention (FDI) for advancing holistic palliative care; and Narrative e-Writing Intervention (NeW-I) for augmenting paediatric palliative care and bereavement services. He has authored over 120 top tier publications as well as presented in more than 180 keynotes, plenary and invited lectures. Dr Ho is the first Asian Recipient of the ‘ADEC Academic Educator Award’ in 2018, while receiving the ‘Nanyang Education Award’ Award from NTU in 2019, and conferred the ‘Distinguished Alumni Award’ by the University of Hong Kong in 2020. His social and scholarly contributions are recognized with distinction by academic, professional and government bodies around the world.
Session 3F
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Dr Andy Hau Yan Ho
Deputy Head and Associate Professor, Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University