We're always joking about slaving our lives away, but that's only because it's true – very often, living, studying and working in Singapore can feel like being in a pressure cooker. 

According to a Singapore Mental Health Study (published September 2021), one in 13 adults in Singapore have thought about suicide at some point in their lives. 

If you suspect that you or a loved one may be fighting mental illness, know that affordable (and even free) help is available. You can even consider getting mental health insurance.

Free counselling in Singapore

Many churches and other religious organisations have volunteers who help with counselling. It may be problematic though, if you are practising another religion.

But there's no harm in finding out what they may have to offer. Some churches like Wesley Methodist Church explicitly state on their website that they have non-religious counselling as well. 

Where to get free counselling help

Affordable counselling services in Singapore

If budget is a concern, then the free counselling services are the first ones to check out.

However, with all free (or heavily subsidised) healthcare services, it may be hard to get a first appointment. And if you decide to continue, the time between sessions will probably be longer than recommended.

If you can afford to pay a bit for counselling, there are some affordable and subsidised options too.

Aware (for women only)

Aware is a gender-equality advocacy group that helps women fight discrimination and other issues.

The counselling fees are charged at two per cent of your salary per session if you earn more than $3,000 per month.

For example, if you earn $3,000 monthly, you will pay $60 per session.

For those who earn lesser than $3,000 per month or are not working, it will be $35 per session.

For sexual assault and harassment cases through the Sexual Assault Care Centre, the first three sessions are free.

Shan You

Shan You is a non-profit organisation with Buddhist roots, but is not religious – they just follow the generic guiding values of compassion, mindfulness, morality and wisdom.

It charges $80 per session (50 to 60 mins) for an individual, and $100 per session (65 to 75 mins) for a couple or a family.

The fees are already subsidised, but if it's still too expensive for you, ask if you are eligible for additional fee subsidy, based on a financial assessment.

Counselling and Care Centre

Counselling and Care Centre is a non-government, non-profit, registered charity offering professional counselling services.

Counselling is $180 per hour, which seems steep. However, they have a subsidy system that offers lower rates as long as you earn less than $10,000 monthly.

You have to be a Singaporean or PR though.

Also, do note that if you make an after-hours appointment (available on Monday and Wednesday only) beyond 5.30pm, there is a $10 hourly surcharge.

If you cancel your session, you will still need to pay 50 per cent of the fee. 

Calvary Community Care

Known as C3, this social service agency was founded by the Calvary Baptist Church in 2010 and provides support to children, youth and seniors.

Their counselling service is for youth aged 13 to 25 and have experience with youths who face abuse and trauma, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, grief, self-harm and have demonstrated thoughts of suicide.

They encourage youths to get parental consent before going for counselling. Some may find it challenging, but they can call or write in for advice, before going ahead with counselling.

Wings Counselling Centre

Wings Counselling Centre, formerly known as Ramakrishna Mission Counselling Centre, was launched as a pilot project with assistance from National Council of Social Service.

It started off focusing on guidance for troubled youth in neighbourhood schools, but it's since evolved to offer support for families and other individuals as well.

Counselling is $80 for the first session, and $60 for each follow-up session thereafter. Full and partial waivers are available at the discretion of the centre.

Grace Counselling Centre

Grace Counselling Centre is Singapore's first Christian counselling centre, formed in 2009. But although a Christ-centred organisation, they do non-religious counselling too.

The fees are slightly steeper than those above: for individuals, it's $150 for a one-hour session.

The $180 fee applies to its counselling psychologist (Kirby Chua). The sessions are all held online via Skype, Zoom, FaceTime or WhatsApp.

Face-to-face counselling sessions are available too and the fees vary from $150 to $300 (for home visits). 

Singapore Counselling Centre

Singapore Counselling Centre offers professional counselling in not just English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil, but Chinese dialects like Cantonese and Hokkien too.

Their services are also available seven days a week, which may be good for those working on the weekdays.

SCC offers different rates for individuals, couples, families and children and youth.

A one-session package is$192.60 for individuals, $246.10 for couples, $171.20 for children and youth and $374.50 for families.

You can buy up to 10-session packages, and save 10 per cent to 20 per cent on the per-session rates. There's also a choice to see senior counsellors, but they are slightly more expensive.

It All Starts Hear SG

It All Starts Hear SG offers a volunteer-based programme coined the "Hear Bud" service. Here, trained volunteers with different levels of expertise offer counselling services.

You have the options of either speaking to an intern counsellor for a one-time admin fee of $10 for 10 online Zoom sessions or alternatively speak to experienced counsellors either in-person or via Zoom for $50 onwards per session.

Marriage counselling in Singapore

As expected, marriage counselling is more costly than individual therapy. However, there are still some wallet-friendly options you explore as a couple to seek some resolve in your marriage:

Reach Community Services

Reach Community Services is a charitable organisation established in 1999.

The organisation currently has six different community touch points across the island – Bishan, Sin Ming, Shunfu, Bukit Batok, Jalan Membina, and Bukit Gombak Vista.

At these centres, the services offered include counselling for pre-marital, marital, and extra-marital affairs.

Each counselling session is priced between $80 to $120 per hour. An additional $20 applies for counselling sessions after office hours.

The Enneagram Singapore

The Enneagram Singapore specialises in couples counselling through the use of enneagram as a tool to develop a deeper awareness and understanding of an individual.

There are a range of counselling services that The Enneagram Singapore offers. This includes affair, relationship, and discernment counselling which each cater to varying problems you might face in your relationship.

The first individual or couple session will be priced at $150 for a two-hour session.

Subsequent hourly sessions will cost $100. If the session extends an hour, additional $25 will apply in blocks of 30 minutes.

Shan You

Shan You is a non-profit organisation with Buddhist roots, but is not religious – they just follow the generic guiding values of compassion, mindfulness, morality and wisdom.

It charges $100 per session (65 to 75 mins) for couple counselling.

The fees are already subsidised, but if it’s still too expensive for you, ask if you are eligible for additional fee subsidy, based on a financial assessment.

The Counselling Paradigm

The Counselling Paradigm is led by experts who specialise in anger management, anxiety, and marriage counselling in Singapore. They conduct their sessions both in-person and via video.

Couples and family counselling sessions are $210 per 60-minute session.

On weekdays, the last session available is at 7.15pm and on Saturdays, the last session ends at 2pm.

Alternatively, you can sign-up for four sessions at a 10 per cent discounted rate.

Wings Counselling Centre

At Wings Counselling Centre, counselling is $80 for the first session, and $60 for each follow-up session thereafter. Full and partial waivers are available at the discretion of the centre.

Wings Counselling Centre is incredibly cost-effective, especially given the additional waivers that it potentially offers.

The Share Co.

The Share Co. offers access to a fully online, on-demand network of therapists versed in English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil.

What makes The Share Co. unique is the immediate access to therapists that it offers.

You don’t have to make prior appointments or fill up long questionnaires explaining your predicament. Download the app and you’re good to go.

You’ll be charged a flat fee of $120 every session that can last anywhere between 45 minutes to an hour.

Singapore Counselling Centre

Singapore Counselling Centre (SCC) offers counselling sessions both online and in-person.

Singapore Counselling Centre offers different rates for individuals, couples, and families.

A one-session package is $192.60 for individuals, $246.10 for couples, and $374.50 for families. They also offers packages of four, six, eight or 10 sessions which can save you up to 15 per cent. 

Talk Your Heart Out

Talk Your Heart Out offers online counselling services even beyond office hours on the weekends. Spearheaded by volunteers, the programme seeks to offer access to affordable counselling services to the general public.

Each couples therapy session ranges from $140 to $180. An additional $40 applies if you opt for an in-person session.

Mental stress vs mental illness

There is a difference between feeling troubled or stressed and clinical mental illness. Depending on which you are struggling with, counselling may or may not be enough or even helpful.

Counselling involves talking about your difficulties and working through your problems with a counsellor. It is usually the first step to seeking help.

However, if you or a loved one suspect a mental disorder, it may be better to see a psychiatrist instead.

As a medical professional, they would be able to diagnose your condition and prescribe the right medication for it (if needed).

Using Medisave for mental illnesses

If you didn’t know, Medisave can be used for psychiatric treatment too. For inpatient treatment, you can use up to $150 per day for daily hospital charges, capped at $5,000 per year.

Those aged 60 and above may withdraw another $200 per year under the Flexi-MediSave scheme.

Since Jan 1, 2021, the enhanced MediSave500/700 scheme has enabled patients with complex chronic conditions to use up to $700 each yearly, while those with simple chronic conditions can use up to $500 each yearly.

Outpatient treatments for 20 chronic diseases include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, dementia and anxiety. You’ll have to pay a 15 per cent co-payment though.

For reference, these are the charges at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).

Subsidised outpatient charges at IMH:

Subsidised inpatient charges at IMH:

For hospitalisation, you will be given financial counselling on your estimated bill size upon admission. A deposit is typically collected at the same time, even if you use Medisave (unless your Medisave fully covers it).

For IMH, Medisave cannot be used for outpatient fees and tests (except on approved chronic disease management diagnoses), and hospital stays for less than eight hours.

You will not be denied admission if you cannot cough up the cash. Instead, those with financial difficulties will be referred to their in-house medical social workers.

Know someone in a deep mental funk? Share this to recommend some avenues for seeking help. 

This article was first published in MoneySmart.