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About Dr Esslin Terrighena

Growing up, I have always had a keen interest in the human mind and behaviour. Having witnessed first-hand how untreated mental health issues can impact entire family systems over multiple generations, I cannot emphasize the importance of psychotherapy enough. 

My aim foremost is helping people to learn to genuinely trust and value themselves with their strengths and also their weaknesses. Ingrained conflicts with our core selves and a sense of fear lie at the heart of so many common mental health issues. Are we good enough? Is something wrong with us? Are we going crazy for feeling how we feel? 

 

I have found over the years that making an active effort in understanding, normalizing, and accepting the world from another person’s perspective can release so much misplaced anxiety, self-loathing, and emotional pain. This is why I do what I do.

I also get a thrill out of the fascinating works of the brain. Our brains are highly connected little power networks that act in remarkable ways, much of which remains outside of our conscious awareness (and much of which we don’t even understand yet!). It is humbling to explore the interactions between not just our feelings, thoughts and behaviours, but also the role our brain and physiology play in our everyday lives. 

 

Finally, my passion not only extends to humans, but also the wonderful animals we share our planet with. As a volunteer, I run an animal welfare society which helps abandoned, homeless, neglected, abused, and injured animals. We do our best to provide medical care, nurture and rehoming to loving families for our rescue animals in need. 

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Dr. Terrighena identifies the specific needs and goals of each client and caters to these with a unique combination of techniques from various approaches. Her primary treatment modes are based on Schema Therapy and EMDR Therapy. She further integrates valuable and effective techniques from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Emotion Efficacy Therapy (EET), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Narrative Therapy. 

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For more information on these therapy styles, please click here. 

Academic Education:

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  • B.Sc. (Hons) Psychology 
    (University of Westminster, UK)

  • Master of Counselling
    (Monash University, Australia)

  • Ph.D. Affective Neuropsychology
    (University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR)​

Featured on Happy Hong Konger under Best Psychologists in Hong Kong

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Professional Credentials:

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  • Chartered Psychologist (British Psychological Society)

  • Registered Psychologist (Hong Kong Psychological Society)

  • Registered Psychotherapist (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, Psychotherapy Society of Hong Kong)

  • Registered Counselor (Hong Kong Society for Counseling and Psychology)

  • Registered Supervisor (Register of Applied Psychology Practice Supervisors)

  • Certified Individual Schema Therapist (International Society of Schema Therapy)

  • Certified EMDR Practitioner (EMDR International  Association)

  • Certified Grief Counselor (American Institute of Healthcare Professionals)

  • LGBTQAI+-allied

  • Kink-allied & Sex-Worker-allied

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