Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1

What is wealth counselling, and how is it different from therapy?

Accepted Answer

Wealth counselling is a specialist form of psychological practice that addresses the emotional, relational, and identity dimensions of significant wealth. It draws on the same clinical rigour as therapy — psychodynamic frameworks, somatic awareness, systemic family thinking — but is focused specifically on the psychological terrain that wealth creates: succession, inheritance, legacy, identity, and the dynamics that form within high-net-worth families. It is not financial advice, coaching, or mediation in the legal sense. It is clinical psychology applied to a context that most therapists are not trained to navigate.

Question 2

How is this different from working with a financial advisor or private banker?

Accepted Answer

A financial advisor manages assets. A private banker structures capital. Neither is trained to address what wealth does to a person, a marriage, or a family across generations. Wealth counselling occupies a distinct space: it is concerned with the psychological reality of wealth — the guilt, the identity questions, the family conflict, the loneliness of outward success — rather than its financial management. The two are complementary. Many clients engage with both simultaneously, and the practice is designed to work alongside existing advisory teams without overlap or conflict of interest.

Question 3

What does a session actually involve?

Accepted Answer

Sessions are confidential conversations led by the client's own concerns. There is no fixed agenda imposed from outside. The work may involve exploring a specific situation — a succession decision, a family conflict, a recent liquidity event — or it may be more open-ended: examining patterns, beliefs about money and identity, or the emotional weight of a role you have carried for years. The approach is psychodynamic and somatic, meaning it attends to both what is said and what is held in the body. Sessions are followed by written reflections summarising key themes and any agreed intentions.

Question 4

Is this suitable for someone who has never had therapy before?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Many clients come with no prior experience of therapy and no particular interest in it as a concept. What brings them is a specific situation — a succession that is not going smoothly, a relationship that has changed since a financial event, a sense that something important is not being addressed by the advisors already in place. The work begins where the client is, not where a clinical model assumes they should be.

Question 5

Is everything discussed in sessions confidential?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Absolute confidentiality is the foundation of the practice. Nothing discussed in sessions is shared with family members, advisors, institutions, or any third party without explicit written consent. This applies equally to individual sessions, patriarch/matriarch sessions, and family intensives. The only exceptions are those required by law in Singapore — imminent risk of serious harm to self or others — and these are discussed openly at the outset of any engagement.

Question 6

If I attend a family session, will what I say be shared with other family members?

Accepted Answer

Family sessions are facilitated with clear ground rules established at the outset, including what is shared within the room and what remains private. Individual disclosures made outside of joint sessions — in a preparatory call, for example — are not brought into the family session without consent. The clinician does not act as a conduit between family members.

Question 7

Is this practice registered or regulated?

Accepted Answer

Dr Amrit Kaur holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology and has practised across the United States and Asia Pacific for over 17 years. The practice operates in accordance with the ethical standards of clinical psychology. Prospective clients are welcome to discuss credentials and professional standing directly during the introductory call.

Question 8

What does a family intensive cost?

Accepted Answer

The Family Mediation format — a half-day facilitated workshop — is priced at S$2,800. This covers preparation, the session itself, and a written summary of key themes and agreed intentions. Individual sessions are S$600 for 60 minutes. The Patriarch/Matriarch Session, an extended 90-minute format, is S$800. All fees are discussed on the introductory call, and there are no hidden costs.

Question 9

Is there an introductory call before committing to a session?

Accepted Answer

Yes. All engagements begin with a brief introductory call — at no charge — to establish whether the work is a good fit for your situation. This is an opportunity to ask questions, understand the approach, and determine the most appropriate format before any commitment is made.

Question 10

Where do sessions take place?

Accepted Answer

Sessions are available in person in Singapore and via secure video for clients based elsewhere in the region or internationally. The format is agreed during the introductory call and can be adapted over the course of an engagement.

Question 11

Is this covered by insurance or a corporate health benefit?

Accepted Answer

Most private psychological practice in Singapore is not covered by standard health insurance or corporate benefit schemes. Clients are encouraged to check directly with their insurer. Receipts and documentation can be provided on request.

Question 12

How does this practice work alongside existing advisors?

Accepted Answer

Wealth counselling is designed as an ancillary service — a confidential complement to the legal, financial, and advisory teams already in place. There is no overlap with financial planning, legal structuring, or asset management. The practice addresses the psychological dimension that those disciplines do not cover: the emotional readiness of heirs, the relational dynamics within a family navigating succession, the identity and wellbeing of the wealth creator. Referrals from private bankers, family office advisors, trust lawyers, and estate planners are welcomed.

Question 13

What situations are most appropriate for a referral?

Accepted Answer

Referrals are most appropriate when a client or family is experiencing: difficulty progressing a succession or estate plan due to family conflict or emotional resistance; an heir who is struggling with identity, purpose, or the weight of anticipated inheritance; a wealth creator dealing with the psychological aftermath of a liquidity event, exit, or significant loss; a family preparing for a governance conversation or family constitution process who would benefit from psychological facilitation; or any situation where the human dimension of wealth is clearly present but falls outside the scope of financial or legal advice.

A question not answered here?