Unlock a Calmer Mind: The Blueprint is in Your DNA

 

Two years ago, I had a client who was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. She found it challenging to comply with medications that were prescribed by her psychiatrist; stating that she suffers from side effects of the medications including feeling emotionally numb. Being a practitioner that uses the bio psycho social approach, I was determined to help her overcome this challenge. I talked to her at length about taking Pharmacogenomics (PGx) DNA test. The report she received helped guide her psychiatrist to the best option medication for her. The rest is history.

That was when I started working actively in collaborating with several DNA labs. All in the name of protecting my clients from all forms of harm!

Many have and are still facing the same challenges as the case above. And after a while, they will feel hopeless and think nothing works for them. Most of what is prescribed by doctors are based on past patient’s feedbacks. And many often think that DNA tests are only about ancestry or screening for fatal illnesses. The truth is whether it’s finding the right medication or the perfect supplement, your body already has the answers. Personalised Mental Health DNA Screening goes beyond general advice. It looks deep into your genetic makeup to provide a roadmap tailored exclusively to you.

What’s Inside Your Report?

Pharmacogenomics (PGx):

Guessing with prescriptions stops here. Analysis of how your genes metabolise antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, and mood stabilisers. Find the medication that works for you - at the right dose - while minimising side effects.

Nutrient DNA Insight:

Your brain needs specific fuel. The DNA test screens for genetic markers that affect how you absorb B vitamins, Vitamin D, Omega-3s and Magnesium - all critical players in mood regulation and focus.

Specialised Counseling:

Data is only powerful if you know how to use it. I have been trained to sit down with you to translate your results into a clear actionable plan for your lifestyle and wellbeing. 

When you choose DNA-Informed Care, you get:

1. Faster Results: Skip months of medication adjustments.

2. Precision Wellness: targeted nutrient support for your unique deficiencies.

3. Empowerment: Understand why your body reacts the way it does.

Stop guessing. Start knowing.

Book your DNA test screening today by contacting Ms Johana at +60189136688

Hard Truth On Being A Private Practitioner

"Theory is a major element in professional knowledge. Doubts about its value reported by practitioners raise questions at a critical juncture in the careers field about the relevance of prevailing theories and how they are approached. The topic of the relationship between theory and practice is a sensitive one in the debate on competencies and an illuminating one in that on post-modernism. As recent studies demonstrate, problems in integrating theory and practice arise in training and may persist, but experienced practitioners achieve ‘fusion’ between them and become ‘practical theorists’. Practice is improvisatory, and is refined by frameworks provided by theory, critical thinking and ‘reflective practice’. However, theories are often tardy or irrelevant, and practitioners also need to be able to carry out their own research, including action research. This has implications for initial and in-service training, supervision and policy, and for the relationships between researchers, theorists and practitioners." (Audrey Collin (1996) Re-thinking the relationship between theory and practice: Practitioners as map-readers, map-makers—or jazz players?, British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 24:1, 67-81, DOI: 10.1080/03069889608253709)

Let's get something straight. A registered and licensed counselor in Malaysia has several job options: organizations, education and private practice. Counselors who work in organizations as career counselors earn a monthly income, regardless of how many counseling sessions they clock in a month. Counselors in educational settings would also be receiving monthly salary where the hours spent on counseling is further added with roles of being a substitute teacher. Some might even pursue their doctorate degree that would make them attractive to higher education universities and colleges. They also earn a monthly income which allows them the privilege of providing pro bono counseling as to ensure they do not lose the skills they have acquired through their trainings during practicum and internship. The same cannot be said of those who chose to be their own bosses by taking the huge leap into setting up a private practice.

Many therapists have dreams of one day starting their own private practice. Following through on these aspirations, however, requires taking a number of things into consideration.

There are definite pros and cons. Having worked as a therapist for a number of community organizations prior to having my own private practice, I can attest to the validity of both. Some of the issues to consider include:

BUSINESS CONCERNS

Starting a private practice requires exploring the laws in your city that apply to owning your own business. You will typically need to obtain a business license from the city you live in and renew it on a yearly basis.

WORK SCHEDULE

Owning your own business means having the freedom to limit the number of days and hours worked. However, you also need to be able to accommodate people when they are available to come in, which may require having to work evenings and/or weekends.

MARKETING

Being in private practice requires taking the steps necessary to generate business, which many therapists feel uncomfortable doing. Establishing a web presence is important in order to attract individuals looking for the specific services you offer, the therapeutic approach you use, and any areas of expertise you may have. Effective ways of advertising include creating a practice website, writing a blog, and maintaining one or more professional profiles on online therapist directories such as GoodTherapy.org. All of these efforts take time and some financial investment.

EXPENSES

Going into private practice requires taking into consideration the overhead and other expenses that apply when one owns a business. Some of the expenses to account for include the need to lease office space; the cost of utilities; furnishing the space; marketing efforts; obtaining office supplies and business cards; and the price of medical, dental, and liability insurance. You will also need to decide whether to do your billing yourself, which can be time-consuming, or hire someone to do it for you. If you are just starting out, you may want to consider subletting an office on a part-time basis (for example, on weekends and/or one or two evenings a week) to start building your practice before quitting your full-time job.

FLUCTUATING INCOME

Although a private practice can be profitable, it can also be unpredictable at times. Whereas you are typically guaranteed a certain monthly income when working for an agency or organization, a private practice does not provide the same level of security. The number of individuals seen, as well as the income generated, tends to vary from month to month. It can also take time to build up sufficient business for you to live off of, and you have to set aside money for taxes and/or make quarterly estimated tax payments, as this will not be done for you. You also need to keep in mind you will not get paid for any time off, so you will need to have a cushion set aside in order to account for any vacation or sick time.

Going into private practice can be profitable and rewarding, but it can take a lot of time and energy before you get to that point. The risks associated with any type of business are not for everyone, but the dream of starting your own private practice can become a reality if you are willing to take a leap of faith and put in the work needed in order to succeed.

Source: Good Therapy.

Which brings me to the current pebble in my shoe. People who only know how to teach. They have never been self-employed. They have never been without a boss to make decisions for them. They have never not have a fixed monthly income. They sit on their cushy asses, their noses buried in textbooks they read and vomit to their students. They know theories by hard and accumulate knowledge and yet have no spare time whatsoever to practice the so-called knowledge they had learned. And yet, they have all the time in the world to question the credibility of others who have guts to take risks. They believe that just because they are the academicians, they are the only ones who are ethical. They question other people's decision making styles. Their worldview is confined to the four walls of their classes that it is rendered unrealistic in so many hilarious levels!

The hard truth is private practice can never guarantee you a stable monthly income. There is no EPF or SOCSO unless you are willing to invest in yourself on your own. Without trust, no amount of therapy can ever be effective on the client. However, we can be grateful for technology that we have now that didn't exist when I was first setting out. And I am eternally grateful to western content on the media for making mental health more palatable to the general local public.

So, why choose private practice? Because somehow, when we connect with our clients and see them live up to their fullest potential, something inside us hear words of affirmation: "You did good!" What we do matter to our clients. And that is reason enough.

Membership Application Form for MY Confidential

Since the previous post, many individuals have shown enthusiastic interest in joining our noble cause. Anyone who wishes to do so, may download the pdf membership registration form. After filling up the form, you may proceed to submitting them via email at info.myconfidential@gmail.com or personally drop in at our office at 8B Jalan Wan Kadir, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail. The pdf downloadable is below:

MY Confidential Membership Application Form

You may also contact us directly by the widget and the bottom of the right side of this page.

Do share this with those whom you believe would be interested in joining our team. We look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers and Peace!

Association of Private Counselors (MY Confidential)

In March 2014, Malaysia's MH370 went missing. And that was when I received my true calling. Doctors tend to be at their best when their patients are at their worst. Same goes for counselors. The irony of the pinnacle of my career happening at Malaysia's worst. Malaysia was unprepared for this. Caregivers were not trained for a commercial carrier to vanish into thin air.

MH370. Everly Hotel Emergency Operations Center. 2014.

A few months later, MH17 was shot down. Still reeling with dwindling hope of ever finding our missing aeroplane, I volunteered my time and expertise again. Again, I was at my best. Although caregivers had some experience in dealing with MH370's next of kins, most of the passengers were foreigners and therefore the green zone was in all the countries affected by the event.

These two extraordinary mishaps had shaped and formed me as a counselor. I saw what was lacking and what needed to get done. And I was no longer the same. That is what is often said for those who had survived a storm.

Fast forward to 2019. In the past 5 years, I had expanded my expertise from mere counseling to teaching and to training. Teaching future counselors. Training them to be caregivers. Caregivers. Often, this term is associated with palliative care. But without caregivers, the next of kins of both airplanes would have not had anyone to tend to their sorrow and grief. The caregivers provided support to those who needed them most.

Apart from the caregivers, the first responders such as rescuers were also the unsung heroes. The public only complained and criticised about shortcomings of any missions but little do they realize how important the rescuers are to our wellbeing as a whole. Hence, I begun my most important mission of all: to give care and support to the rescuers.

More often than not, they return from traumatizing missions with no one to tend to their PTSD. Many scored very highly on the PTSD Checklist. Yet, they remain silent for fear of losing their jobs. While the mental health of our common people should be prioritized, we should also have someone championing the mental health of our first responders and rescuers.

MY Confidential (Association of Private Counselors) was established as an NGO on February 22nd, 2019. Our mission is to provide psychological support to our frontliners. We aim to have our members and volunteers to be trained as caregivers as well as being a support system to those whose jobs are to save lives.

Our members consist of registered and licensed counselors in private practice, counseling interns, counseling students, and those who are trained in Crisis Intervention, First Aid and CPR. Our members have attended extensive Air Emergency Exercises organized by Malaysia Airports.

AEREX. KLIA. 2018

AEREX. KLIA. 2018

Members learning First Aid and CPR

We welcome all registered and licensed private counselors to join our squad. We welcome volunteers who are creative in raising funds for our cause. We welcome financial support and funding from individuals and corporations who share our vision for making mental health affordable to everyone. 

For further details, do contact our President Ms Johana Dato' Johari at 018-9136688 or email at johana.myconfidential@gmail.com

Join us in our noble humanitarian mission and may we all be blessed with purposeful lives. Ameen.

Why us?

Why choose MY Confidential for counseling? Because we assure affordable fees by keeping our monthly overheads to a bare minimum while providing an environment that is not only emotionally safe for clients to open up but also that our location is in a safe neighbourhood. We abide by the fee structure gazetted by law and there are no hidden charges. See below.

We don’t believe in paying more than half a million ringgit for billboard advertising. We keep it simple. We keep it affordable. We keep it practical. Because human lives take priority over money. That’s us. That’s MY Confidential. 

Contact us to see if you are eligible for minimum fee counseling. 

Counseling Hotline: 018-9136688

Counseling Clinic: 03-74944101

Email: info.myconfidential@gmail.com

Opening Soon: A New Clinic!

We are excited to announce the upcoming opening of our clinic in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, Kuala Lumpur. Therefore, we will only resume sessions with clients by early February. Keep your eyes on this site for more updates.