Expat Therapist in Singapore: Graham Kean – Psychosynthesis Psychotherapy
Summary: Graham Kean, MMC (IAC),MA (Psych); is an expat psychotherapist in Singapore, holding a Masters Degree in Applied Psychosynthesis from Middlesex University, UK, which qualifies him to work at depth with clients. His practice addresses all three levels of the human psyche- the lower, middle, and higher unconscious, making it more far-reaching than CBT, ACT, or NLP; which work only at the level of the present (“middle unconscious”). As an expat therapist in Singapore, he offers emotional support and mental health services for expats and locals, and describes himself as a “wounded healer,” having been in his own therapy for over 7 years.
- Who it is for: Expats and locals in Singapore facing career, relationship, leadership, addiction, anxiety, trauma, or mood-related challenges, seeking therapy, or wider emotional support.
- What makes him different:Works at the root (“lower unconscious”) rather than only managing present-day symptoms, so change is not a temporary “sticking plaster.”
- Credentials:MA (Psych) in Applied Psychosynthesis, Middlesex University, UK; Certified Counsellor, University of Hertfordshire, UK; Certified Thought Field Therapist (Callahan Techniques Ltd & Thought Field Therapy Training Centre, US); Master Masteries Coach (MMC), International Association of Coaching (IAC).
- Format: One-hour individual psychotherapy sessions; also available for group work.
- Contact: Get in touch to schedule a non-obligatory initial chat.
Psychosynthesis Psychotherapy: Working at Depth
Graham Kean has a Masters Degree in Applied Psychosynthesis (Middlesex University, UK) which qualifies him to work at depth with clients as a psychotherapist. Psychosynthesis psychotherapy is more far-reaching and impactful compared to CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) & NLP (neuro-linguistic programming). Psychosynthesis psychotherapy addresses all 3 levels of the human psyche:
- Thelower unconscious: your psychological past. Everything is a reenactment of the past. You bring your past into the present and do what you have always done, believing that you will get different results. The hard part here is that it is all unconscious, you are not even aware of it, you are ‘asleep’ to your ‘wounding’. All this is housed in what we call the “lower unconscious” and it represents our psychological past. This is a powerful, shadowy force from which, over your life, you have created the story you listen to about you. The voice of self-negation, that jumps in at every opportunity, manipulates your every thought and subsequent actions in the present moment. It hijacks you in the now and creates a level of crisis that stops you from making choices that serve you as you take the next step in your life.
- The middle unconscious: The eternal now, the present moment. In the here and now, the area we call the “middle unconscious”, is where CBT, ACT & NLP practitioners work. They will work with you to address the limitations you have in the occurring world. It can be beneficial in the short term, but unless you shine a light into the darkness and work at healing the wounding, these therapies of the ‘middle unconscious’, just act as sticking plasters that will soon peel off, activating all the painful self-negation patterns and actions that block your potential, creativity, values, love, intuition, inspiration, joy and freedom.
- The higher unconscious: your potential and creativity. Your potential, freedom of expression, inspiration and love energies are housed in the “higher unconscious” and it is joined to the middle unconscious, by a fragile link or line. When this line is broken you are in crisis, in breakdown, and this is when you need to seek a psychotherapist who is trained in all three levels of the psyche, not just one, with the skills and experience to guide you back on your path of self-realisation and self-actualisation.
Expat Psychotherapy in Singapore: A Holistic Approach to Mind, Body, and Spirit
As an expat psychotherapist in Singapore, Graham uses a holistic approach that focuses on the relationship between mind, body, and spirit, to address how issues in one aspect of a person can lead to breakdowns in other areas. Clients need the opportunity to work with, and through, self-created blocks and transcend the apparent limitations of their past. This is where the work begins, it is the most painful part of the journey for many, but also the most transformational, because it addresses the root cause of the issue.
Areas This Work Impacts
Emotional Support and Mental Health Services for Expats in Singapore
Moving abroad brings its own particular pressures; distance from family and established support networks, career upheaval, and the disorientation of building a life in a new culture. As an expat therapist in Singapore, Graham works with expats navigating exactly these challenges, offering expat emotional support and mental health services that addresses both the immediate stress of relocation and the deeper patterns that can surface. Whether you are searching for an expat psychotherapist, or simply someone who understands the expat experience in Singapore, his practice is built around that specific need.
Expat Psychotherapist for Singaporeans
While much of Graham’s practice serves the expat community, Graham also works closely with local Singaporean clients. Having lived and worked in Asia and in Singapore for many years, he has developed a deep understanding of local culture- the upbringing, family structures, belief systems, and cultural reference points that shape how Singaporeans experience stress, relationships, career pressure, and mental health. This cultural fluency means local clients do not need to start their sessions with explaining context; Graham already understands the pressures of navigating filial expectations, academic and career benchmarks, multigenerational households, and the wider social fabric of life in Singapore. For Singaporean clients seeking a psychotherapist who is both professionally trained at depth and genuinely attuned to the local context, this combination allows the work to move faster and go deeper, without cultural distance getting in the way.
A Wounded Healer
It is vital as a therapist to have also been in therapy. Graham has been on this journey, in therapy for more than 7 years. He has been immersed in his own darkness, knows depression, and knows what it is like to wish you would not wake up in the morning and hope it will all just go away. He has come out the other side.
As a wounded healer, he knows he will be able to guide clients through their shadows, no matter how dark they may seem. Having journeyed with many clients, there is little that has not been either his own experience, or something heard from a client. What each client brings is unique to them, and he knows he can’t ever know what it is like to be them in their experience, but he can empathise, and it is through this confidential, therapeutic connection that healing and transformation happen.
Begin Your Therapy Journey
If you are looking for an expat therapist in Singapore for emotional support, get in touch to begin your therapy with Graham Kean.
Expat Client Success Stories in Psychotherapy
“The most important aspect of working with Graham is the richness and intensity of the entire journey. In my case, this journey reached an exponential level of depth in self-knowledge that I had never experienced before.
Throughout our work together, I shed pounds of guilt and gained miles of patience. Graham helped me unpack old grudges that had, unbeknownst to me, found their way into my backpack. I came out of the journey wiser and more accepting of myself. It is fair to say that Graham helped me make peace with who I am. (If you knew me, you’d realise that this feat was far from easy.)
The best piece of advice I can offer to anyone considering working with him as a therapist or coach is: Trust the process. Nothing Graham brings to you will ever be left to chance. I wish you a journey with him as enriching and transformative as mine.”
“I have always had a deep-rooted feeling of being under serving or lesser than other people. This force has been destructive in so many ways, for example; in self-sabotaging things I’ve worked so hard for and wanted so badly. With Graham’s excellent ability helping me get to the root of my issues, I have literally let go of the darkest shadows that have defined me my whole life. Only now can I see what a huge emotional weight I have been carrying around. I’ve never felt this light and peaceful in my life. I am now more authentic, happier, and for the first time I am feeling unconditional love for, and trust in, myself. This is quite incredible to me because in all my adult life I have attempted many times to rid myself of these dark shadows through therapy, reading, seminars, workshops and other forms of help, this ‘re-birth’ has only happened through working with Graham. Graham was totally committed, caring and skilled. I strongly recommend Graham Kean.”
“I first came to Graham in an uncertain phase of life. I was struggling with the question of purpose in life, and I was uncertain of my future direction. I was seeking absolute clarity and concrete answers to questions related to career and family, as well as my mental health and spirituality. It was a tall ask.
Thanks to Graham’s caring, effective way of working, and the unique tools he offers, I got way more than I expected; a deeper connection to, and recognition of, the self. The self that is beyond the depression, the OCD and the resultant painful thought loops, that can hijack me at any time, the myriad roles I play and decisions I take in life, often without thinking.
Finding this self was not a perfect fix and it never will be, but the discovery has allowed me to let go of impossible expectations and approach life from a place of self-compassion and gratitude. When I spiral (now much less often), I am more aware and accepting of it as being part of my mental health challenges, and being able to separate it from who I really am. There is now less self-admonishment, self-judgement, and pressure to continuously correct things.
There is more self-compassion and confidence overall, there was a hidden fear that others know or will find out that “I am weak”, or that there is something wrong with me, but thanks to this detailed and holistic process I know that it is all my interpretation and nothing more, this grants me a newfound freedom.”
Local Singaporean Client Success Stories in Psychotherapy
“Graham coming into my life was nothing short of a blessing. Over 15 years, I had seen my fair share of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, grief counsellors, marriage counsellors with various diagnostic specialisations. Yet, I still hit new rock bottom after plenty of therapeutic hours during the most difficult time in my life in 2020-2023.
Singapore is deeply fortunate to have Graham. As a local myself, we are often limited in what we can access by the systemic beliefs around us, and truthfully not a single person within my mental health journey locally can, or will be willing to do what he does.
Because of our different backgrounds, Graham’s practice was liberating! Graham has an extraordinary ability, one that I do not believe is replicable. It is not only because he passionately studied both psychotherapy and coaching in order to create a structure and methodology that meets the gap of traditional therapy so prevalent in Singapore. But unlike most therapists, who simply have psychology degrees and accreditation, he is a therapist because he has an innate and powerful gift to see you, and his practice is not a means to make a living but a calling.
Graham’s presence here has transformed my life and given me freedom. And for anyone deciding they are done with life (as I was), or simply just finding that voice inside saying “I don’t want this anymore”, I cannot recommend anyone better than Graham. He saved my life in more ways than one :)”
What are the Differences Between Psychotherapy and Psychiatry?
- Psychiatry
- A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who has the legal authority to write prescriptions for psychotropic medication. Most prescribed medications are administered for anxiety, depression, or other disorders of the mind.
- Psychotherapy
- There are numerous degrees and licenses in this area. This qualification requires a minimum of a Master’s Degree. Psychotherapists have a deeper level of training in working with the causes, patterns, cycles, traumas and behaviour that often lead to the need for medication use.
Psychiatrists and psychotherapists can go hand in hand. They work together to help achieve wellness goals for the client. With their shared knowledge about psychological processes, how stress and trauma impact the nervous system, they collaborate on a treatment plan that best serves the client’s needs. Patients may also benefit from working with a psychotherapist that offers more frequent sessions than a psychiatrist. It would always be Graham’s recommendation that you seek help from a psychotherapist first before going down the medical route.
Graham has had clients who come to him on anti-depressants (SSRIs), it is so common these days, and Graham works with clients to taper their use, with a goal to come off completely. Anti-depressants are only useful in the short term, but some of Graham’s clients have been on them for years and through Graham’s interventions they have successfully stopped. This is always in conjunction with their doctor (psychiatrist). Graham can impact their recovery because psychotherapy addresses the reasons why they went on the medication in the first place. Psychiatry only prescribes the drug to regulate the mental disorder, and Graham is shocked at how easily these powerful drugs are given out. Graham has even had clients whose previous psychotherapists recommended they take anti-depressants to support them in the psychotherapy! This is not a recommendation Graham will ever make, nor should any good psychotherapist, because taking SSRIs puts an invisible layer between you and the world, which in turn puts a layer between you and your psychotherapist, and you and your healing.
Every Challenge Is an Opportunity for Growth
As we move through life we meet challenges and obstacles that limit us on our journey. The essence of the psychosynthesis perspective is that, whilst on our journey, we all have a purpose. Our journeys are unique and with each step there is the potential of actualising our truest potential. However, as we follow our path we can get lost, led astray or fall down, and we put up barriers to success. Psychosynthesis recognises that those seeking support need to address and accept their destructive and negative cycles. In this process we work to uncover a deeper sense of who we are and what we can achieve, beyond all our masks and conditioning.
In today’s fast paced and competitive world, people are confronted with issues at work, problems in the family, conflicts, unhealthy social relationships, unemployment, economic and social stress, and increasingly the pressures of living in a world of social and political crisis. This leads to feelings of anxiety, anger, aggression, and despair resulting in lack of confidence, self esteem and depression. Many of those who seek support and psychotherapy are people who are basically healthy and have the ability to function well, but who experience a sense of deep dissatisfaction with the journey they are on, a dissatisfaction with their quality of life, often described as a ‘rut’. They have a longing for fulfillment and purpose, and this is their motivation to seek help and journey with Graham.
Graham uses the powerful maps and models of psychosynthesis to support and inform his work with clients, in the form of one-hour psychotherapy sessions, and also applies it when working with groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is psychosynthesis psychotherapy?
A depth approach addressing all three levels of the human psyche: the lower unconscious (our psychological past and wounding), the middle unconscious (the present self), and the higher unconscious (potential, creativity, values, love, intuition, inspiration, joy, and freedom). It’s considered more far-reaching than CBT, ACT, or NLP because it works at all three levels.
How is psychosynthesis different from CBT, ACT, or NLP?
CBT, ACT, and NLP work in the “middle unconscious,” addressing present-day limitations. This helps short-term, but without healing the deeper wounding in the lower unconscious, it can act like a sticking plaster that peels off. Psychosynthesis works across all three levels, including the root wounding and the higher potential.
What is the “wounded healer” philosophy?
Graham Kean has been in his own therapy for over 7 years and has personal experience of depression and darkness. He believes a therapist should have done their own work, and draws on that lived experience to guide clients through their shadows.
What’s the difference between psychotherapy and psychiatry?
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can prescribe psychotropic medication. A psychotherapist holds at least a Master’s degree and has deeper training in the underlying causes, patterns, and traumas behind a person’s struggles. The recommendation is to seek psychotherapy first, before medical intervention, where possible.
Can this therapy help clients come off anti-depressants?
Yes, in conjunction with the client’s prescribing doctor, the work has helped clients taper and, in some cases, stop SSRIs entirely, since psychotherapy addresses the underlying reasons medication was needed in the first place.
What areas of life does this work address?
Career performance and development; relationships and conflict; leadership and confidence; stress, anger and grief; addiction and recovery; anxiety, fears and phobias; trauma and depressive disorders; and obsessive compulsion and bipolar disorders.
Do you offer therapy for expats in Singapore?
Yes, Graham works as an expat therapist in Singapore, offering expat psychotherapy, and broader emotional support and mental health services for expats dealing with the pressures of relocation and building a new life abroad.
Who provides this psychotherapy?
Graham Kean, MA (Psych), MMC (IAC), an expat psychotherapist and life coach in Singapore with a Masters Degree in Applied Psychosynthesis from Middlesex University, UK.