Dr Kim Lian Rolles-Abraham (罗金莲)

Conditions Seen:  

Addictions, Adjustment Disorders, Anxiety Disorders (e.g., General Anxiety, Social Anxiety, OCD),

Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Eating Disorders (Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder), Grief,

Health-related anxiety/stress, Mood Disorders, Offending behaviours, Perinatal/Postpartum Depression & Anxiety, Parenting issues, Personality Disorders, Relationship issues (e.g., attachment disorders, marital problems), Stress,

Trauma (e.g., sexual trauma, road traffic accident, medical trauma etc.)

 

Dr. Kim is skilled in the assessment and intervention of the abovenamed conditions in individuals aged 15yrs and above. Where appropriate, she sees them in the context of the family or couple dynamic. In addition, Kim holds a dedicated special interest in the mental health of healthcare professionals. She works extensively with doctors, nurses and allied health practitioners across all career stages – from trainees navigating the transition into clinical practice, to senior clinicians managing burnout, dynamic issues from working within an institution, compassion fatigue etc. Her practice offers a discreet, confidential space that appreciates the distinct culture of medicine: the perfectionism it demands, the difficulty many clinicians face in occupying the role of patient, and the tensions between professional identity and personal life. She considers it a privilege to support the wellbeing of those the healthcare system so often overlooks – its own. 

 

Education​

A Singaporean with mixed heritage, Kim has resided in Singapore for most of her life and is familiar with both the local school system as well as the international school system, having studied in them both. 

 

Subsequently, Kim completed her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in the National University of Singapore, the University of Queensland, Murdoch University and James Cook University. Her doctorate dissertation focused on the topic of recovery from eating disorders. 

 

Training​

As part of her doctorate program and working life, Kim has completed clinical attachments in several different settings such as community clinics, ministries, private and government hospitals, as well as the Singapore prison service. She has conducted both individual and group psychotherapy in both inpatient and outpatient settings. 

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Kim particularly enjoys working in adolescent and adult mental health, and has an additional special clinical and research interest in the area of eating disorders– her doctorate dissertation focused on defining recovery in eating disorders and what that means for individuals who have/had an eating disorder. Throughout the course of her thesis, she worked with various stakeholders in the field of eating disorders such as mental health professionals, caregivers and patients. Due to her special interest and expertise, as well as her awareness of the gaps in treatment, she founded the only eating disorders day treatment program in the private sphere in Singapore. Along with her colleagues, she also chairs clinic-run support groups for individuals with eating disorders as well as their caregivers. 

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Apart from her specific expertise and interest in eating disorders as well as working with healthcare professionals, Kim also enjoys work relating to mood and anxiety disorders, as well as adjustment disorders. She understands that transitions in life such as role/job changes, losses, pregnancy, parenthood, beginning/ending of relationships, migration etc. can be particularly stressful, and she seeks to journey emphatically with individuals through these changes. As a mother of three herself, perinatal/postpartum struggles are held close to her heart, and she enjoys walking with mothers through this joyful yet sometimes despairing season of their life. 

 

Lastly, she is passionate about working with the offending population, and did so in the past as part of a multi-disciplinary team, providing psychotherapy and counseling for the prison inmates at the Changi prison for several years. 

 

Kim has received training in a variety of psychotherapeutic interventions, with a large emphasis on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She practices with an integrative approach, incorporating aspects from Schema Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Attachment theory. As a believer that the acquiring of knowledge is an ongoing process, Kim is constantly expanding and updating her knowledge and expertise in the different modalities of psychotherapy by attending courses and conferences relevant to her work, as well as engaging in peer and supervisory consultation.​

 

Teaching and Supervision ​

Another facet of Kim’s professional practice involves providing clinical supervision for fellow mental health professionals and is currently a sessional teaching staff and clinical supervisor for the Masters/Doctorate clinical psychology programme at James Cook University, Singapore. In addition, she takes on a supervisory role in masters and PhD theses. Kim is open to taking on clinical psychologists and counsellors for private supervision. ​

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Personal ethos and life

Most importantly, Kim believes firmly in the importance of developing and maintaining a good therapeutic relationship with each individual she journeys with. She commits to practicing ethically and professionally (as per code of ethics by the Singapore Psychological Society), providing them a safe space to address and heal from the most painful of issues. She is fluent in English and basic Mandarin.

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As a mother of three beautiful girls, Kim enjoys the company of her family, friends, pets, and good books. She is also an avid runner and can talk your ear off about running. She strongly believes that each and every individual has the potential to overcome their difficulties and lead a happy and meaningful life!​