What problems can a clinical psychologist help with?

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Clinical psychologists can help you with problematic emotions, behaviours, life events and relationships. They can also help with issues related to school, university and work. We’ve written a more detailed list of the problems a clinical psychologist can help with below.

The reason clinical psychologists can work with so many different problems is that many of the problems are caused by similar underlying issues. For example, a common underlying issue is that if we try not to think about something we often end up thinking about it more. This rebound effect is referred to as ‘thought suppression’ and it contributes to problems ranging from over-eating to the repetitive behaviours seen in people who receive a diagnosis of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

Clinical psychologists look out for underlying issues such as ‘thought suppresion’ and then teach skills to compensate for them. It is difficult to do this for yourself as a lot of these underlying issues are caused by the unexpected way in which the brain works.

If you would like to learn more about the way our clinical psychologists work you can read our page on ‘how a clinical psychologist can help’.

The more experienced a clinical psychologist becomes the better they should be at spotting these underlying issues and teaching the right skills. More experienced clinical psychologists have often worked with a number of other people who have the same problems to your own. At Share Resolve our more experienced clinical psychologists guide the psychologists who have less experience (we do this anonymously to ensure your confidentiality).

Are my problems too big or too small for a clinical psychologist’s help?

We regularly work with critical situations and severe problems which may have made others feel hopeless. At Share Resolve we have a network of experts based overseas and locally, who can guide us through the most unusual or difficult of issues (we never break confidentiality to do this though).

Sometimes people worry that their problems aren’t big enough to justify meeting with us. But we don’t solely focus on severe concerns or crises; in fact, no issue is too small. After all, addressing minor concerns early stops them from developing into larger problems.

We’re also happy to help if you can’t identify any specific problems but would like guidance on how to make life more fulfilling and happier overall.

If you would like to speak to a clinical psychologist about any of the problems listed below please contact us to arrange a consultation. You can email us at info@resolve.my or call or WhatsApp us at 012 5089910.

Our psychologists can help with …

A clinical psychologist can help with any of the issues listed below and more. If you don’t see your issue listed please get in contact with us to ask how we can help (info@resolve.my or call or WhatsApp +6012 5089910). We haven’t written psychiatric diagnoses into this list but if you would like to see a list of psychiatric diagnoses that we work with you can click on this link to see the webpage.

We can work across the age range. If a person is too young or has a disability that prevents them from talking to us then we can help by talking with those that are looking after them.

Issues with thoughts & emotions

Our emotions are there to help us but often it doesn’t feel like that. Most of us try to get rid of unpleasant emotions and the difficult thoughts that come with them as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, trying to get rid of our emotions can backfire on us in a way that makes them more intense. The harder we try to get rid of those emotions the worse we end up feeling.

This isn’t necessarily our fault because most of us are not taught how to respond to our emotions effectively. This is where a clinical psychologist can help. We can teach you the skills you need to respond to your emotions in a way that is more effective and stops them getting in the way of life.

Here’s a list of just some of the ways in which emotions can cause us difficulty.

  • Anxiety
    • Excessive worrying or nervousness
    • Fear of specific situations or objects (phobias)
    • Panic attacks
    • Obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours
    • Persistent feelings of unease, such as fear or dread
  • Mood
    • Persistent feelings of sadness or emptiness
    • Frequent mood swings
    • Chronic feelings of hopelessness
    • Reduced interest or pleasure in activities previously enjoyed
    • Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
    • Low self-esteem or self-worth
    • Feelings of inadequacy
    • Perfectionism and fear of making mistakes
    • Negative self-talk and self-criticism
  • Anger
    • Difficulty managing anger
    • Frequent outbursts of frustration or rage
    • Persistent feelings of irritability
    • Struggles with forgiveness or holding grudges
  • Stress
    • Difficulty managing stress
    • Feeling overwhelmed by life demands
    • Struggles with relaxation or unwinding
    • Feeling constantly under pressure
  • Fear
    • Excessive fear or worries about the future
    • Fear of public speaking or social situations
    • Phobias and irrational fears
    • Fear of failure or rejection
  • Grief and Loss
    • Difficulty coping with the death of a loved one
    • Struggles with feelings of loss or change
    • Difficulty moving on after a significant loss
    • Feelings of numbness or disbelief after a loss
  • Loneliness and Isolation
    • Feelings of loneliness or isolation
    • Struggles with making or maintaining social connections
    • Feelings of disconnection or detachment from others
  • Shame and Guilt
    • Persistent feelings of guilt or shame
    • Struggles with self-forgiveness
    • Difficulty letting go of past mistakes or regrets

Unwanted behaviours

It’s easy to find ourselves doing something that we would rather not be doing. Whether that’s overeating, drinking too much or arguing with others. Often this is a result of trying to get rid of the difficult thoughts and emotions we listed above.

Our psychologists can help you change behaviours such as those listed below so that you can spend more time doing things that are important to you.

  • Substance use and abuse
  • Sleeping too much or too little
  • Eating disorders or problematic eating behaviours
  • Withdrawal from activities or social settings
  • Difficulty managing time or procrastination
  • Engaging in risky or impulsive behaviours
  • Overreliance on technology or digital devices
  • Aggressive or violent tendencies
  • Compulsive or obsessive actions
  • Habitual lying or deceit
  • Frequent daydreaming
  • Resisting change or struggling with flexibility
  • Neglecting personal health and hygiene
  • Repetitive behaviours that interfere with daily life
  • Excessive need for reassurance
  • Difficulty starting tasks due to fear of failure
  • Persistent indecisiveness
  • Self-harm or suicidal thoughts/actions

Challenging life events

Life isn’t easy! Not only do we have difficult thoughts and emotions to deal with, it’s almost inevitable that at some point in our lives we will also face a challenging life event or situation. We’ve listed just some of the tough times that people can go through below.

  • Coping after a significant accident
  • Living with a chronic illness or disability
  • Coping with the death of a loved one
  • Adjusting to major life changes, like moving or retirement
  • Experiencing trauma or abuse
  • Navigating identity or cultural adjustments
  • Financial struggles or unemployment
  • Coping with imprisonment or legal issues
  • Adjusting to a major injury
  • Living with the aftermath of a natural disaster
  • Coming to terms with personal or family history
  • Handling unexpected changes in life circumstances
  • Retirement or aging-related challenges
  • Struggling with a mid-life crisis
  • Coping with infertility or pregnancy-related issues
  • Adjusting to living in a new country or culture
  • Dealing with public shame or humiliation
  • Living with the effects of natural disasters
  • Navigating sudden changes in family structures

Difficult relationships

Humans are social beings. Our great strength is our ability to communicate and work together. Together we’ve developed amazing technology that allows 8 billion of us to live on this planet. However, relationships or the lack of a relationship can cause us great distress. It’s probably because relationships are so important to humans that they can make us feel so bad.

If you’re finding any aspect of your relationships with others difficult do get in contact with us and our psychologists will be able to help you.

  • Handling breakups or divorce
  • Issues related to trust or betrayal
  • Communication difficulties
  • Parent-child relationship challenges
  • Feelings of loneliness or isolation
  • Marital or partnership conflicts
  • Family conflicts
  • Intimacy or sexual issues
  • Social anxiety or difficulties in group settings
  • Boundary issues in relationships
  • Navigating long-distance relationships
  • Struggling with jealousy in friendships or relationships
  • Coping with feelings of smothering or being overwhelmed in relationships
  • Navigating non-traditional or polyamorous relationships
  • Managing relationships with in-laws or extended family
  • Addressing issues stemming from past relationships in current ones

Problems at school & university

Schools and universities are biased towards a very specific set of skills, such as the ability to stay focussed for long periods of time and do very abstract complex tasks. This can make school a very challenging place to be if you have a different set of skills.

Our psychologists can help you understand what your strengths are and how to use them to compensate for any difficulties you have with academic work.

  • Learning disabilities or challenges
  • Difficulty in concentration or attention
  • Academic stress or performance anxiety
  • Bullying or social exclusion
  • Transitioning to college or university life
  • Struggling with the impact of learning difficulties on self-esteem
  • Handling peer pressure
  • Concerns about future or career choices
  • Issues with teachers or academic staff
  • Navigating academic competition
  • Decision-making about major or field of study
  • Coping with failure or repeated setbacks
  • Facing discrimination or bias in academic settings
  • Challenges of online learning or adjusting to new educational technologies
  • Coping with academic disappointments
  • Addressing academic imposter syndrome
  • Navigating the pressures of extracurricular activities
  • Addressing the challenges of returning to education as a mature student

Problems with work & career

Many of us spend the majority of our waking hours at the work place or involved in paid employment. There’s plenty that can go wrong and when it does it can really affect us because we spend such a significant amount of time at work.

If you are finding any aspect of work difficult you can either speak to our clinical psychologists or our executive coach.

  • Job-related stress or burnout
  • Managing work-life balance
  • Dealing with job loss or unemployment
  • Conflict with co-workers or superiors
  • Navigating workplace changes or transitions
  • Handling discrimination or harassment at work
  • Seeking purpose or fulfilment in career choices
  • Adjusting to new job roles or responsibilities
  • Concerns about job performance or promotions
  • Coping with workplace bullying
  • Feeling underutilized or overlooked at work
  • Navigating the challenges of freelancing or self-employment
  • Feeling stuck in a career rut
  • Handling challenges related to work politics or office dynamics
  • Coping with feelings of inadequacy or imposter syndrome at work
  • Navigating ethical dilemmas in a professional setting
  • Adjusting to the return to work after an extended break
  • Feeling disconnected or disengaged from one’s job or career path
  • Coping with professional envy or jealousy
  • Challenges related to remote work or adjusting to new work environments

Arrange a consultation

If you would like to speak to a clinical psychologist about any of the problems listed above please contact us to arrange a consultation. You can email us at info@resolve.my or call or WhatsApp us at 012 5089910.

I am a British Chartered Clinical Psychologist currently working in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I aim to help people who are facing psychological or emotional difficulties to overcome their difficulties.

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