Therapy words, in plain language.
The terms you'll see on practitioner profiles and hear in a first session, explained the way we'd explain them across a table.
Who's who
Clinical psychologist
Trained to understand and treat a wide range of mental health difficulties.
Clinical psychologists hold a postgraduate degree in clinical psychology and are trained in psychological assessment and evidence-based therapy for difficulties from everyday stress to more complex conditions. They don't prescribe medication.
Registered counsellor
Trained to help people work through life's difficulties in talking therapy.
In Malaysia, counsellors are registered with the Lembaga Kaunselor (Board of Counsellors). They're trained in therapeutic conversation and often work with stress, relationships, family, grief and life transitions.
Art psychotherapist
Uses making, as well as talking, as the way in.
An art psychotherapist is trained in both psychotherapy and art-making. You don't need to be any good at art. The point is to express what's hard to put into words.
On our team: Hao Xin
Supervised trainee
A counsellor completing their training under a qualified supervisor.
Trainee counsellors are in the final stages of their training and see clients under close clinical supervision. Their sessions usually cost less, which makes therapy more accessible.
On our team: Calvin, Ching Ching, Yen
Psychiatrist
A medical doctor who can diagnose and prescribe.
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialise in mental health and can prescribe medication. Safe Space doesn't have a psychiatrist on the team, but our practitioners regularly work alongside them.
Ways of working
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Working on the link between thoughts, feelings and actions.
CBT helps you notice patterns of thinking and behaviour that keep a difficulty going, then try out alternatives in real life. It's structured, usually involves practice between sessions, and has strong evidence for anxiety, low mood and sleep problems.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Making room for difficult feelings while doing what matters.
Rather than trying to get rid of painful thoughts, ACT helps you hold them more lightly and move towards the life you want anyway. It draws on mindfulness and values.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
Skills for intense emotions and relationships.
DBT combines acceptance with change. It teaches practical skills in four areas: mindfulness, tolerating distress, regulating emotions and handling relationships. It's often used when feelings come on fast and strong.
Practitioners who use it: Cloyee
Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT)
Understanding and reshaping the emotions underneath.
EFT treats emotions as useful information. With couples, it helps partners step out of repeated conflict loops and reach each other again. With individuals, it helps you understand and change painful emotional patterns.
Practitioners who use it: Calvin, Ching Ching, Yen
Systemic and family therapy
Looking at the relationships around a difficulty, not only the person.
Systemic therapy sees problems in the context of families, cultures and relationships. Sessions may include more than one family member, and focus on patterns between people rather than blame.
Practitioners who use it: Evelyn, Tracy, Calvin, Ching Ching, Yen
Person-centred therapy
A warm, non-directive space to find your own answers.
Person-centred therapists offer empathy, acceptance and honesty, trusting that people can grow when they feel understood. You lead what's talked about.
Art psychotherapy
Clay, paint and collage as a way to say what words can't.
Making something together with a trained therapist can bring feelings to the surface gently. It's used with children, teenagers and adults, and often helps after trauma or loss.
On our team: Hao Xin
Words you'll hear
Confidentiality
What you say stays between you and your practitioner, with a few limits.
Your practitioner will explain the limits in your first session. They usually involve a serious risk to your safety or someone else's, or a legal requirement.
Screening vs diagnosis
A check-in points you somewhere. It doesn't label you.
Screening tools such as the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 are short questionnaires that show whether a difficulty is worth looking at more closely. A diagnosis can only come from a qualified professional who knows your full picture.
Psychoeducation
Learning how your mind works, so it feels less mysterious.
Understanding what's happening, such as why anxiety feels physical or why grief comes in waves, is often a relief in itself. It's built into our workshops and most therapy.
Clinical supervision
Practitioners talking their work through with a senior colleague.
Supervision is how therapists keep their work safe and sharp. It's confidential, and it's standard good practice. We also offer supervision to practitioners outside Safe Space.
Not sure what comes next?
Take it one step at a time. Any of these is a fine place to start.
Individual therapy
One-to-one time with someone who listens, at a pace that suits you.
Find your fit
A short Vibe Check to point you to someone who suits you.
Meet the team
See who we are and the languages we work in.
Not sure which approach suits you?
You don't need to choose. Tell us what's going on on the free call, and we'll suggest the practitioner and way of working that fit.