PHP Learning Journey to IMH

On 8th July 2019, braving the sweltering Singapore sun, and the leftover feelings from the recently elapsed Mid-Year Common Tests, our intrepid Peer Helpers continued their quest to learn more about helping. This time round, they were to learn about the many ways peer helping manifests in the real world, be it through community services or the medical profession! This variety was reflected in the places which they had the privilege of visiting – Youth Centre@Teck Ghee, Singapore Anglican Services Centre @ Hougang, and the Institute of Mental Health.

The Peer Helpers started by heading to the Youth Centre@Teck Ghee, where they were first treated to a talk from the three accompanying counsellors – Ms Woo, Ms Kah Hwee and Mr Liu. Ms Woo discussed her journey in the Psychology profession, bringing us from her initial interest in Psychology, to her studies in the UK and US and her professional journey in Singapore. Along the way, she dispensed many insights into why one may want to go into the psychology profession, the concrete steps that one must take to become a certified psychologist in Singapore, as well as the importance of having children earlier and taking care of them in the first 24 months. Mr Liu followed with his own personal story of how his involvement in the Church led to his engagement with youth work. At the same time, he also shared about his previous work of being a Church Youth Leader and a counsellor Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Ms Kah Hwee then discussed the role of Family Service Centres, the problems that they cover and her own experiences working in the Family Service Centre. Through her sharing we also learnt more about the Youth Centre@Care Corner itself, which part of REACH Family Service Centre@Shunfu, functions as a hangout place and counselling centre for children; the Youth Corner also serves as a cheap and good source of post-graduate counselling.

Afterwards, the staff at the center shared about the center’s roles in organizing fun activity for children and leadership training for the youth, while also bringing us around the center’s facilities. These included the music corner, a baking area where children could bake, in the process learning life skills such as cleaning up after themselves, along with an area for computer and console games.

Next, we headed to Singapore Anglican Services Centre @ Hougang, a step-down care service that focuses on providing psychosocial care for recovering patients to help them return back to society. These services included group counselling services, classes to help them relearn vocational skills and outings to locations such as Jewel. Housed in a 3-storey facility within the Institute of Mental Health, the Centre also provides temporary residential services for those who are unable to return to their families. Beyond discussing the types of services they offer, the staff at the Centre also candidly answered questions on the challenges that they face when helping patients, noting that they tended to be patients’ unwillingness to attend certain classes, their demanding nature, hygiene problems, as well as difficulties in bringing home habits that they learnt at the centre. Peer Helpers were also taken on a tour of the Centre, the highlight being the art room where we were able to appreciate the arts and crafts made by patients.

After a short lunch break, the Peer Helpers were brought to their final stop, the Institute of Mental Health. There, we were introduced to the state of mental health in Singapore, as well as the work of the Institute of Mental Health. Through the talk, we learnt about the most prevalent form of mental illnesses in Singapore (Depression, followed by Alcohol Abuse and OCD), as well as the worrying trend of increasing anxiety cases in Singapore. We also learnt that the work done by IMH goes beyond clinical services, and into community outreach through programs such as Beyond the Label. We were then treated to a talk by Ms Mahita Vas about her experiences with bipolar disorder. It was a highly illuminating talk which shed light on the experiences she had when she first learned that she was mentally ill, the place of family and loved ones in helping aid her recovery, as well as the importance of our generation in changing the opinions that people have of the mentally ill.

Subsequently, the Peer Helpers engaged in a discussion workshop organised by Matchsticks where we discussed our own prejudices and preconceptions of mental health.

Our journey ended with a trip to the museum within IMH, where the staff helped to explain the history of IMH and some past medical practices.

Overall, the learning journey was an eye-opening experience for Peer Helpers, allowing us to appreciate and learn more about the work these different organisations are doing to help members of the community and how we can help fight the stigma against mental illnesses together.