Relate Malaysia is running a trial to test out the efficacy and accessibility of a nonprofit psychotherapy program via online videoconferencing.
There are only 1 psychologist to 100, 000 people in Malaysia. With such a low ratio, we need to think about how to make psychotherapy accessible geographically and economically.
We are conducting a pilot study where you will be offered psychotherapy by a Masters-level Counseling candidate from Monash University Malaysia. Your psychotherapist will be supervised by two licensed Clinical Psychologists/Counsellors.
Each session will last for 50 minutes and the cost is RM 50 per session.
We only have spaces for 30 people.
FAQ
1. How effective is psychotherapy vs. medication?
This recent study published in one of the top medical journals (Journal of American Medical Association, Psychiatry) shows that psychotherapy is slightly more effective than medication alone for most disorders. .
In addition, patients who undergo psychotherapy have a lower relapse rate than patients who only take medication.
Huhn, M., Tardy, M., Spineli, L. M., Kissling, W., Förstl, H., Pitschel-Walz, G., ... & Leucht, S. (2014). Efficacy of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy for adult psychiatric disorders: a systematic overview of meta-analyses. JAMA psychiatry, 71(6), 706-715.
2. If I do not have a mental health condition, will I benefit from psychotherapy?
Yes. Psychotherapy improves long-term mental health by helping you to learn healthy coping styles, processing through difficult and stressful experiences, healthy emotional expression and beneficial thinking patterns.
3. How many sessions do I need before I get better?
There are no fixed number of sessions. Some people get better after 3 months, some after a year. It depends on the severity and chronicity of the problems at hand. Please discuss this further with your therapist.
4. How does psychotherapy work?
Psychotherapy works by changing thoughts, feelings and behaviour. It is based on a trusting and affirming working relationship between the therapist and the client.
It isn't "just talking", but talking about specific things with a trained professional with the goal to promote mental health.
It has also been shown to cause neurochemical changes in the brain!
5. So should I take medication or just go for psychotherapy?
The research shows that a combination of psychotherapy and medication is the most effective treatment for many mental health conditions.
We recommend a thorough and complete mental health assessment and for you to go through all your treatment options with your doctor. You can then make an competent informed decision about your treatment plan.
Relevant links
1. What happens in a therapy session?
2. Questions to ask your therapist
If you are interested in participating in our trial, please leave your contact details below.
If you are having a mental health crisis and feel like harming yourself or someone else, please call 999 or go to the Emergency Room of the nearest public hospital as soon as possible.
