Jean Tan, Clinical Psychologist
Undergraduate:
Bachelor of Arts, University of Melbourne, Psychology and Economics
Post-graduate:
Master’s in clinical psychology, National University of Singapore
Master of Arts in Applied Psychology (Counselling), Nanyang Technological University
Jean is our clinic’s director, mother of two and has a pet silkie hen. Above and beyond her leadership and mentoring role she is also a seasoned clinician. Jean has spent the past 22 years sharpening her clinical acumen while making concrete contributions to both private and public institutions, in both clinical and educational settings. Over the years she has journeyed with clients from all walks of life, from diverse age groups and helped clients with their complex mental health needs. In parallel with her employment, Jean has been supporting, a faith formation ministry in a local church. She also pays it forward by lecturing at a local university to help form the next generation of mental health professionals. She was also the pioneer member of IMH’s taskforce for adult ADHD. You will see in Jean the convergence of deep compassion, keen insight, and well-honed clinical ability.
Honing Her Craft
Jean first cut her teeth while working as a school psychologist in a local non-profit with a social service mission. She worked with children and adolescents in conducting assessments and interventions with learning and behavioural difficulties, for example Attention-Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). She had to conduct extensive psychometric assessments for patients and help clients develop a tool chest of skills and dispositions to manage their stressors and learn how to deal with their difficulties.
2007 marked a turning point in Jean’s journey in mental health. She joined the Ministry of Health’s Institute of Mental Health as a clinical psychologist. She treated various psychiatric conditions such as Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia, and, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. In this role she had to work with clients from diverse age groups and backgrounds.
Jean carefully balances a cold hard clinical ability to seek insight into client’s problems with a warm gentle and kind approach to bringing her clients to wholeness. Other duties she had including being tasked with the responsibility of being Lead Psychologist in IMH’s satellite clinic and she also had to coach and supervise other clinical psychologists.
Clinical Strengths
At the core of Jean’s work in mental health is an evidence-based approach. She has multiple approaches in her ample toolbox that all have a clear track-record of success, from Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Systemic Approach, EMDR, Mindfulness. Jean is keenly aware of the efficacy of emotion focused therapy and schema therapy and existential approaches. She finds that CBT is particularly effective as it is evidence based and when combined with the creative adaptation of mindfulness practice is helpful for day-to-day living.
Jean’s strength largely lies in the ability to identify, recognize, diagnose, and treat mental health difficulties in a broad range of clients. Another facet of Jean’s therapeutic strength is that she has a knack of establishing meaningful clinical relationships with teens and young adults. She really enjoys interacting with young people and helping them through their mental health difficulties. Teenage clients are often misunderstood but Jean manages to establish trust and make headway where other seasoned therapists might take more time or require more resources. She is comfortable with helping younger clients work through their mood difficulties and a multitude of complex and comorbid mental health conundrums. She’s particularly effective at handling teen anxiety, panic attacks, OCD, and, school refusal.
Jean is an adaptable, open minded and motivated individual. She truly believes in the collaborative process with clients and genuinely desires their independence through deep healing and meaningful coping strategies. At her core, Jean is a clinician with keen insight and a genuine desire to help. In her you will have a therapist that is compassionate about what she does and she desires for all clients to take meaningful “risks” in life, appreciate life with its challenges.
Services Offered
Assessment & Evaluation
Psycho-educational Evaluation
Psychotherapy of Clinical Disorders
General Counselling Clinical
Psychological Evaluation