Processing Trauma With Psychotherapy

Life is a rich tapestry of the good, the bad and the in-between. Sometimes traumatic events can set your life off-balance and lead to bad mental health. And ignoring negative experiences will only exacerbate feelings of grief and loss. SALLY MOUNIR is a psychotherapist passionate about helping people work through trauma, grief and loss, to return to a happier place. We sat down with Sally to hear more about her process.

-  GEORGINA HOCKLEY

Tell us about yourself and your journey.

I’m a trauma, grief and loss psychotherapist and counsellor based in Singapore, with a focus on supporting clients from diverse backgrounds who feel unheard and afraid of judgement. Over the past 31 years I’ve lived in eight different countries, which has given me a unique perspective on human behaviour and mindsets.

My journey into the world of psychotherapy was not a planned path. It started with my own personal struggle with anxiety a few years back when I was living in Jakarta. Through group art therapy, I experienced first-hand the transformative power of therapy and realised how much I missed working with people. When I moved to Singapore, I sought out similar therapy services and found the diplomas offered by The School of Positive Psychology.

I believe that everyone can get better, and that psychotherapy can be a tool to help a person unleash their potential and regain control of their lives. I’m what my colleagues lovingly refer to as an “accidental therapist”.

Trauma and grief in young adults and adults is your specialty. Why did you decide to focus on this issue?

Trauma can be life-changing, both in big and small ways, and everyone reacts to it differently. There are two kinds of traumas. Small “t” trauma refers to the cumulative events that are distressing or damaging to an individual’s emotional health, such as divorce, bullying or incidents that affect a person emotionally depending on their sensitivity to an event. These experiences may not be life-threatening, but they can still have a significant impact on an individual's mental and emotional well-being.