Where to Seek Urgent Help

Getting help is the most important first step in overcoming any form of mental health challenges. Here are some very important contact details to seek help.

The Malaysian Mental Health Association (MMHA)

Psychological Therapy & Support Services
Phone: +603 2780 6803 (Mon.-Fri. 9am-5pm, except public holidays)
Website: www.mmha.org.my

 

Talian Kasih 15999

24-hour Nationwide Helpline & Counselling
Phone: 15999 or WhatsApp: +60192615999
Website: www.kpwkm.gov.my

 

The Befrienders*

Emotional Support & Suicide Prevention Helpline

Klang Valley / Phone: +603 7627 2929 (24 hours)
Email: sam@befrienders.org.my
Penang / Phone: +604 2910 100 or WhatsApp: +601156706261 (3pm – 12am midnight)
Email: pat@befpen.org
Ipoh / Phone: +605 5477 933 or +605 5477 955 (1pm-10pm)
Email: sam.befriendersipoh@gmail.com
Seremban / Phone: +606 6321 772 or +606 6321 773 or WhatsApp: +60189691772 (7pm-10pm)
Melaka / Phone: +606 2250 791 (7pm – 12am midnight)
Muar / Phone: +606 9520 313 or +606 9540 313 (8pm – 11pm)
Email: sam@befriendersmuar.org
Johor Bahru / Phone: +607 331 2300 or WhatsApp: +6073312300 (4pm-10pm)
Email: sam@befriendersjb.org
Kota Kinabalu / Phone: +6088 255 788 or +6088 259 788 or WhatsApp: +60168036945 (7pm-10pm)
Email: befrienderskk@gmail.com
Kuching / Phone: +6082 242 800 (6.30pm – 9pm)
Email: sam@befrienderskch.org.my

* Please note that operating times may vary due to the ongoing Covid19 pandemic and that you can visit https://www.befrienders.org.my/centre-in-malaysia for the latest info on The Befrienders helplines nationwide.

Find A Therapist

The MMHA provides mental health support in a variety of forms to suit almost every individual’s need, including therapy services for:

individual

Individual

couple

Couple/Marital

family

Family

child

Child

psychological

Psychological Assessment

Meet Our Therapists

Yip Yoke Chew
Yip Yoke ChewCOUNSELLOR

Academic background:

MA Counselling, Major in Mental Health Counselling (Palo Alto University, California, USA)

Professional affiliation:

Member of Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA), (Member ID 10003132)

Professional license:

Canadian Certified Counsellor (License number:10003132)

Approach to therapy:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Work experience:

I am a keen advocate for the notion that “MENTAL HEALTH IS AS IMPORTANT AS PHYSICAL HEALTH”. My major role is to help people working through emotional and mental difficulties in life, to attain peace-of-mind and improve general well being. I assist individuals, couples, families and groups, from adolescents to aging adults. The populations I work with are people with anxiety, depression, OCD, schizophrenia, abuse and trauma, bereavement and loss, self-esteem issues, anger management, stress management, social skill, and relationship problems.

Nurhijjah Mat Zin (Gee)
Nurhijjah Mat Zin (Gee)COUNSELLOR

Professional License and Experience:

18 years working experience in the Mental Health field, still hunger for knowledge and experiences. I am a Registered Counsellor (KB01551/PA01148), a Certified NEO-CBT Master Practitioner, Mindfulness Love Therapy (MLT) and AD-HTP Practitioner, MMHA Mental Health First Aid Instructor and I am also Mental Health Awareness speaker.

Approach to therapy:

Life today is increasingly challenging for most of us from mild to extreme stress. Form of struggles and emotions can be overwhelming sometimes for individuals. The desire for a peaceful heart is everyone's dream. I strongly believe, everyone has the right to enjoy happiness and to feel better in achieving personal satisfaction. Past may pull and drown us, the future can be motivating yet can trigger our worries. However, both are life lessons. Let it be in our control, you and I can work together. How? We can start focusing on ‘here and now’ and self-care for better life perspectives as well as its journey.

My principle is not to judge, but to celebrate weaknesses, strengths and hardships as human nature. Feeling good can instill a sense of self -confidence and satisfaction in us.

Eugene Yeo
Eugene YeoCLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Academic background:

ClinPsych (HELP University, Msia)

Approach to therapy:

In therapy, I primarily use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy principles as a compass to my work with my clients. On the side, I also subscribe to systems theory approach as a lens in viewing the world of my clients.

Work experience:

Professionally, I have previously worked with clients from various settings; university students, AWAM, community work, private centres, and corporate as well. Through my journey as a therapist, I have well met and journeyed with clients through a multitude of different struggles; depression, anxiety, grief, stress, relational issues, self-discovery and exploration, and so on.

Hello. Tell me about you. Tell me what makes you happy, what brings you joy, what excites you. Tell me what worries you, what pains you, what stresses you. Help me understand who, what, where, when, where, how are you and all the things that have led you to the you now.

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

- The Little Prince

Ang Wen Fang
Ang Wen FangCLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Academic background:

ClinPsych (HELP University, Msia)

Work experience:

My experience stemmed from both hospital-based settings and community work in which I have worked with clients from diverse backgrounds. I work with individuals with a broad range of issues; some areas of experience are stress, interpersonal relationship difficulties, grief, trauma, anxiety, depression, OCD, and developmental disabilities.

Lee Xiao Shiang
Lee Xiao ShiangCLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Academic background:

ClinPsych (HELP University, Msia)
BSc (Hons) Psychology (Lanchester University, UK)

Professional affiliation:

Registered member of the Malaysian Society of Clinical Psychology (MSCP) (CP1-0265)

Approach to therapy:

During therapy, I practice an integrative approach of evidence-based therapy such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). I value working collaboratively in therapy. In my view, you have unique perspectives, experiences, goals, and meaning in life. They are all worthy to be explored and listened to in depth.

Work experience:

As a Clinical Psychologist, I work with clients struggling with mood, behavioral, adjustment, and relational issues.

In my work experience, I have had the opportunity to work closely with children with special needs, and have since expanded into hospital settings, NGO, private psychological centers and online mental health services. Additionally, I also team up with private universities and corporates to deliver workshops, often discussing and imparting mental health skills to keep up with current events.

On the path of pursuing better knowledge to accompany my clients, I have further completed a Certificate in Family Therapy from Australia and is currently pursuing a Graduate Diploma in Multigenerational Family Therapy with Accademia di Psicoterapia Familiare from Rome.

Jean Liong
Jean LiongCLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Academic background:

ClinPsych (HELP University, Msia)

Professional affiliation:

Registered member of the Malaysian Society of Clinical Psychology (MSCP) (CP1-0269)

Approach to therapy:

In therapy, I believe in taking a holistic approach in exploring and understanding her clients' strengths and difficulties. As Carl Rogers has once said "A person is a fluid process, not a fixed and static entity; a flowing river of change, not a block of solid material; a continually changing constellation of potentialities, not a fixed quantity of traits", I strive to explore and acknowledge those potentialities with her clients.

I believe that therapy provides individuals with a space to explore their emotional difficulties, to identify and acknowledge what their needs are, and to gain a more objective perspective of the situation that they are in. Therapy serves as an avenue for people to share and not be judged by what they feel or do. We strive instead to understand why they behave in a particular manner and to learn to identify, understand, process emotions, and to be compassionate towards themselves.

Work experience:

I hail from a diverse background of work experiences; hospital, community work, as well as the private setting. With individuals, I have worked with various clients with stress related issues, depression, trauma, anxiety, behavioural issues and developmental delays.

Tamar Chang
Tamar ChangCLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Academic background:

ClinPsych (HELP University, Msia)
BSc (Hons) Psychology (University of Derby, UK)

Professional affiliation:

Registered member of the Malaysian Society of Clinical Psychology (MSCP) and British Psychological Society (BPS)

About me:

Hi! I’m Tamar, a clinical psychologist trained in psychological assessments and psychotherapy. My job is to help people understand and resolve their life stresses when the going gets tough. I enjoy journeying with people from different walks of life – to share in their pain, celebrate in their joy and learn from their resilience.

Approach to therapy:

You are the professional of your life. I believe that everyone is unique and gifted, and have something to bring to the table. In therapy sessions, I integrate principles from Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) to guide my work, and aim to help you harness your own strengths and resources to weather the storms of life.

Work experience:

Professionally, I’ve worked with NGOs, private psychological centres and refugee agencies to make psychological support accessible to the community. I also engage in corporate health talks, university forums, and the Mental Health First Aid (Malaysia) program to advocate for mental health awareness.

My clients include adults and teenagers. Whether you are struggling with trauma, grief, stress, relationships, or emotional concerns, I’d be happy to work together to find the light at the end of the tunnel.

Ng Sze Yin (Zayn)
Ng Sze Yin (Zayn)CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Academic background:

M. ClinPsych (Help University, Msia)
Member of Malaysian Society of Clinical Psychology (CP-0325)

Work Experience:

Worked in hospital, NGOs, and private settings.
Worked with children, adolescents and adults with broad range of behavioral and emotional issues, e.g., depression, anxiety, trauma, body dysmorphic issues, eating disorder, OCD, grief, and interpersonal relationship difficulties.

I adopt Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Gestalt approaches as my main treatment modalities but also integrate different therapy approaches depending on the needs of my clients. I believe everyone has the capacity to improve their well-being as they go through the journey of self-discovery.

Psychosocial Recovery

Illness Management & Recovery (IMR)

In December 2007, a new Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) Programme was introduced. This is a structured programme which originated in the US as an evidence-based practice. It consists of 5 modules covering the following areas:

  • Introduction to the concept of Recovery.
  • Understanding of one’s own diagnosis.
  • Medication Education.
  • Social Support.
  • Coping with stress and reducing relapses.

The modules consist of instructions and lessons by Registered / Trainee Counsellor; with group discussion and sharing of experiences; reflections and workbook exercises. The programme generally takes 8 sessions, which the frequency of the sessions will be based on the needs and availability of the group. Duration of each session will be 1.5 – 2 hours.

Since December 2007, Illness Management and Recovery programme (IMR) was introduced in MMHA. IMR is a psycho-social education programme aimed primarily at helping those who are mentally ill to recover and specifically at:

  • Learn to understand one’s mental health condition.
  • Learn methods to cope with distressing symptoms and stress.
  • Learn to communicate and verbalize problems.
  • Learn to manage one’s own emotions.
  • Understand the role of medications and recognize relapsing symptoms.
  • Set goals for recovery and return to society.

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP)

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) developed by Mary Ellen Copeland, PhD. was integrated into the MMHA’s IMR in 2016. WRAP is a self-designed prevention and wellness process that is applicable to anyone who wishes to get well and stay well. It is used extensively by the health care and mental health systems throughout the world. The overview of the WRAP covers the area as below:

  • Wellness Toolbox
  • Daily Maintenance Plan
  • Triggers
  • Early Warning Signs
  • When things are breaking down
  • Crisis Plan
  • Post Crisis Plan

Apart from that, there are also 5 key recovery concepts in WRAP:

  • Hope
  • Personal Responsibility
  • Education
  • Self-Advocacy
  • Support

Caregiver & Peer Support Gathering

Having a family member or close friend being diagnosed with mental illness can be quite an overwhelming experience. 

As such, this gathering is designed for caregivers who are currently taking care of their loved ones with mental illness and people who are suffering from mental Illness.

This gathering functions as a platform for discussion on their concerns as well as a bridge to a supportive community for both caregivers and their loved ones whereby it would be held once a month. If you are interested to participate, kindly contact MMHA (03-27806803) or email us at admin@mmha.org.my for more info.

MMHA also hosts several peer support group sessions, especially for those with mental health conditions seeking to share and support others like them. These sessions vary in group size, time and frequency. Please contact us to find out more about our Peer Support Programmes.

Online Mental Health Test

Would you like to have a mental health assessment for you or someone you know, but not ready to talk to someone yet? 

There are online screening tools that can give you a snapshot of your mental health.  The test only takes a few minutes with complete privacy and instant results.

Only a licensed mental-health practitioner or doctor can properly diagnose mental health conditions. However, these online assessments can be a valuable first step toward getting treatment.

Click on any of these links (you will be taken to a different website) to begin your mental health test, provided by Mental Health America (MHA).

IMPORTANT NOTE: Online screening tools are meant to be a quick snapshot of your mental health. If your results indicate you may be experiencing symptoms of a mental illness, consider sharing your results with someone. A mental health provider (such as a doctor or a therapist) can give you a full assessment and talk to you about options for how to feel better. 

You may also contact us at +603 2780 6803 (Mon.-Fri. 9am-5pm, except public holidays) or send us a message.