Dandelion Psychology Malaysia

22/12/2024

Closing the business and leaving the country has been a difficult decision. However, you can still reach out to me via email or social media, and I will do my best to respond. Wishing you a wonderful 2025!

13/09/2024

你需要知道的医护人员分类

最近我去做身体检查时，因我在职业栏里填了“心理师”（psychologist），那位收银员便直接称呼我为“陈医生”（Dr. Chan）。但我既不是医学医生（medical doctor），也没有博士学位（Doctor of Philosophy, PhD），于是赶紧澄清我只是“陈女士”。十多年前，当我还担任特教老师时，就已经常与家长解释各种医护人员的分类。令我惊讶的是，这么多年过去了，公众对这方面的了解依然不足。因此，我希望通过这篇文章让大家对医护职业有更多的认识。由于种类繁多，这里我仅介绍与我工作密切相关的医护人员。

首先，医护职业可以分为两大类：

1. 医疗人员 (Health practitioners)
这类包括我们常见的医生、护士和牙医。他们具备医学知识，主要从事与健康照护相关的治疗。在马来西亚，所有医生都必须在政府注册，只有注册医生才能为患者申请残障卡（Kad Orang Kurang Upaya）。
a. 儿科医生 (Paediatricians)
儿科医生属于医疗人员，他们经过基础医学训练后，继续深造成为专门治疗儿童的医生。然而，由于儿童疾病涵盖范围广，并非所有儿科医生都对儿童发展的差异有深入了解。发展儿科医生（Developmental Paediatricians）在这方面知识更为专精，但在我国这种医生非常少见。
b. 精神科医生 (Psychiatrists)
和其他专科医生一样，精神科医生经过基础医学训练和专科训练。许多人会将精神科医生与心理师混淆。一方面是因为在我们的社会中，许多人避免看“精神科”，认为只有神经病（如有幻觉的人）才需要看精神科医生。因此，一些精神科医生将职称改为“心理医生”，以减少患者因避讳而不寻求帮助。由于我国没有官方中文翻译，这种做法无可厚非，但也导致公众误以为存在“心理医生”这一职业。事实上，帮助精神疾病患者（包括常见的忧郁症、焦虑症等）的医护人员只有“精神科医生”或“心理治疗师/心理学家”。
那这两者有什么区别呢？一般来说，精神科医生主要专注于药物治疗。由于他们拥有深厚的医学知识，能够为患者开药。在马来西亚，如果你需要治疗多动症的药物，你需要看精神科医生。尽管一些精神科医生也学习了心理治疗的谈话技术，但这其实是心理治疗师/心理学家更擅长的领域。

2. 辅助医疗人员 (Allied Health Practitioners)
辅助医疗人员是提供药物之外的治疗来帮助患者恢复健康。只是他们没有接受医学训练，因此不能被称为“医生”。马来西亚自2022年起开始要求辅助医疗人员注册，但该规定并不完善，政府也并没有严格执行此规定。因此，仍有一些未注册或甚至是不具资格的人自称为治疗师。
a. 心理师/心理学家 (Psychologist)
实际上，心理学学士毕业生不能称为心理师，只有硕士或博士心理学毕业生才能称为心理学家。但心理学家分为执业心理学家（practice psychologist）和学术研究心理学家。前者可以注册并提供治疗，后者则专注于学术研究或在大学任教。
在马来西亚，大多数心理师的职称是临床心理师（Clinical Psychologist），这是因为在马来西亚，只有临床心理师硕士课程训练执业心理师。其他心理学硕士课程并未满足执业心理师的培训要求。为什么我们如此看重心理师是否具备执业资格？主要原因是执业心理师不仅需要学习理论，课程中的大部分时间都用于实习、评估个案、练习使用评估工具和撰写报告。事实上，大多数评估工具（如IQ测试）必须由持有执业执照的心理师使用（用于学术研究的情况除外）。
在某些国家，执业心理师还包括教育与发展心理师（Educational and Developmental Psychologist）或学校心理师（School Psychologist）。我本人就是其中之一。我们的训练与临床心理师相似，区别在于临床心理师更专注于治疗精神/心理疾病，而我们则更专注于发展差异和学习问题。遗憾的是，目前马来西亚的教育心理学硕士学位未获认可，政府也不允许非临床心理学家注册。因此，我只能继续使用国外的注册执照。
当然，除了上述两类心理师，还有神经心理师（Neuropsychologist）、辅导心理师（Counselling psychologist）、犯罪心理师（Forensic psychologist）等。由于篇幅有限，这里不详细讨论。
整体而言，心理师通过面谈来治疗个案的心理问题，他们也负责评估和诊断精神疾病及各种发展差异。
b. 语言治疗师 (Speech Language Pathologist/Speech Therapist)
许多人认为语言治疗师只是教人如何说话，但他们的工作范围远不止于此。他们负责人与人之间的沟通问题。如果患者发音有障碍，他们会帮助纠正发音。如果患者完全无法使用语言，他们会教导使用辅助与替代性沟通方式（Augmentative Alternative Communication, AAC），如图片或平板电脑。他们还负责教导词汇和造句，有些语言治疗师也处理咀嚼和吞咽问题。
c. 职能治疗师 (Occupational Therapist)
从名称来看，职能治疗师的工作是帮助个案恢复“职业”功能。你可能会好奇，孩子有什么“职业”需要看职能治疗师呢？孩子的职业是玩耍、学习和自我照顾。所以，当孩子无法做到这些时，就可以寻求职能治疗师的帮助。他们的工作与物理治疗师有些重叠，也训练患者的粗大和精细动作。不同的是，职能治疗师的重点是帮助患者自理和恢复工作能力，而物理治疗师则是着重于加强患者的身体肌肉。对于有发展差异的儿童，职能治疗师能够帮助孩子提高专注力、自理能力、身体协调和握笔能力，还能处理他们感觉异常的问题。

当然，还有一些其他相关职业并未包括在上述分类中：
1. 辅导员 (Counsellor)
在马来西亚，辅导员需要在国家注册。辅导员的工作与临床心理师有些相似，但辅导员的训练更专注于通过面谈帮助个案解决生活中的问题。相比之下，临床心理师倾向于治疗心理和精神疾病，如抑郁症、焦虑症、强迫症等。
2. 其他治疗师 (Therapists)
这些治疗师通常不需要注册。一般来说，只需参加短期课程就可以称为治疗师，这包括行为治疗师（Behaviour Therapists/ABA Therapists）、游戏治疗师（Play Therapists）、艺术治疗师（Art Therapists）等等。但有些辅导相关的治疗师也同时持有辅导员或临床心理师的执照。

事实上，没有哪个职业比另一个更高级，虽然公众普遍认为接受教育和训练时间越长，医护人员的能力越强。因此，医生通常比心理师更受尊敬，心理师又比辅导员更受看重。但拥有高等训练并不代表一定更好。我个人更鼓励大家寻找适合自己的治疗师，无论他们是哪一类的医护人员。关键是，他们没有虚假使用职称（如只有心理学学士毕业却自称心理治疗师），也没有超出自己受训范围进行治疗或使用未经科学验证的方法。不要仅凭收费高低（收费高并不一定代表更好）或他人推荐。在我国政府能够有效监管各类医护人员之前，我只能希望大家在寻求帮助前，先了解专业人士的背景，再做决定是否应该求助于该人。

Categories of Healthcare Professionals You Should Know About

Recently, when I went for a medical check-up and listed my occupation as "psychologist", the cashier immediately addressed me as "Dr. Chan." However, I am neither a medical doctor nor do I hold a PhD, so I quickly clarified that I am "Ms. Chan." More than a decade ago, when I was still a special education teacher, I frequently explained the classification of healthcare professionals to parents. I was surprised to find that after all these years, the public's understanding in this area is still quite limited. Therefore, I hope to use this article to help people better understand healthcare professions. Given the wide range of professions, I will only cover those closely related to my work.

First, healthcare professions can be divided into two main categories:

1. Health Practitioners
This group includes the doctors, nurses, and dentists we commonly see. They possess medical knowledge and primarily engage in medical treatments related to health care. In Malaysia, all doctors must be registered with the government, and only registered doctors can assist patients in applying for a disability card (Kad Orang Kurang Upaya).
a. Paediatricians
Paediatricians are health practitioners. After completing basic medical training, they continue their studies to specialise in treating children. However, because childhood diseases cover a broad spectrum, not all paediatricians have in-depth knowledge of developmental differences in children. Developmental paediatricians specialise in this area, but they are very rare in Malaysia.
b. Psychiatrists
Like other specialists, psychiatrists undergo basic medical training followed by specialised training. Many people confuse psychiatrists with psychologists. One reason for this is that, in our society, many avoid seeing a “psychiatrist”, thinking that only people with severe mental disorders (e.g., hallucinations) need to see one. As a result, some psychiatrists change their title to "psychological doctors" in Chinese to prevent patients from avoiding seeking help. Since there is no official Chinese translation for these titles in our country, this practice is understandable. However, it also leads the public to believe that a profession called "psychological doctor" exists. In fact, the only professionals who help people with mental illnesses (including common conditions such as depression and anxiety) are psychiatrists or psychologists.
So, what’s the difference between these two professions? Generally, psychiatrists focus more on medication. Because they have extensive medical knowledge, they are qualified to prescribe drugs. In Malaysia, if you need medication for ADHD, you must see a psychiatrist. Although some psychiatrists have also learned talk therapy techniques, this is more the expertise of psychologists.

2. Allied Health Practitioners
Allied health practitioners provide non-medical treatments to assist patients in their recovery. Since they don’t undergo medical training, they are not referred to as “doctors.” In Malaysia, a registration requirement for allied health practitioners was introduced in 2022. However, this regulation is not well-enforced, and there are still unregistered or even unqualified individuals claiming to be therapists.
a. Psychologists
In reality, psychology graduates with just a bachelor's degree cannot call themselves psychologists. Only those with a master’s or doctoral degree in psychology can do so. However, psychologists can be divided into practice psychologists (who are licensed to provide therapy) and academic psychologists (who focus on research and teaching). In Malaysia, most psychologists hold the title of Clinical Psychologist. This is because in our country, only the master's program in clinical psychology offers training for practice psychologists. Other psychology master's programs do not meet the training requirements for practice.
Why do we place so much importance on whether a psychologist has practice qualifications? The main reason is that practicing psychologists not only study theory, but they also spend a large portion of their training seeing clients, using assessment tools, and writing reports. In fact, most assessment tools (like IQ tests) must be administered by a licensed psychologist (unless used for academic research).
In some countries, practicing psychologists also include educational and developmental psychologists or school psychologists. I am one of these. Our training is similar to that of clinical psychologists, except that clinical psychologists focus more on treating mental/psychological illnesses, while we focus more on developmental differences and learning problems. Unfortunately, Malaysia’s master’s programs in educational psychology are not yet accredited, and the government does not allow non-clinical psychologists to register. Thus, I have to continue using my registration from abroad.
Of course, besides these two types of psychologists, there are neuropsychologists, counselling psychologists, forensic psychologists, and others. Due to space limitations, I won’t go into detail here.
In general, psychologists work through talk therapy to address clients’ mental health issues. They also assess and diagnose mental illnesses and developmental differences.
b. Speech-Language Pathologists/Speech Therapists
Many people think speech therapists only teach people how to speak, but their scope of work is much broader. They handle communication issues. If someone has trouble with pronunciation, they help correct it. If a person cannot use language at all, they teach clients to use augmentative alternative communication (AAC), such as using pictures or tablets. They also teach vocabulary and sentence formation. Some speech therapists also address chewing and swallowing issues.
c. Occupational Therapists
From the name, you might think occupational therapists help people recover their “occupations.” You might wonder, what “occupation” does a child have that requires an occupational therapist? A child’s “occupation” is play, learning, and self-care. So, if a child struggles with these activities, they can seek help from an occupational therapist. Their work overlaps somewhat with physiotherapists, as they also train gross and fine motor skills. However, occupational therapists focus on helping patients regain self-help skills and work abilities, while physiotherapists focus more on strengthening muscles. For children with developmental differences, occupational therapists help improve focus, self-care skills, body coordination, and handwriting ability, as well as address challenges arise from sensory differences.

Additional Related Professions Not Included in the Above Categories:
1. Counsellors
In Malaysia, counsellors must be registered with the government. Their work is similar to that of clinical psychologists. However, counsellors are trained to help clients through talk therapy to address life issues. Clinical psychologists, on the other hand, tend to focus more on treating mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
2. Other Therapists
These therapists usually don’t need to be registered. Generally, after attending a short course, one can become a therapist. This category includes behaviour therapists (ABA therapists), play therapists, and art therapists. However, some counselling-related therapists may also hold a counsellor or clinical psychologist license.

In fact, no profession is inherently superior to another, although the public often assumes that the more education and training one has, the better they are. As a result, doctors are often more respected than psychologists, and psychologists more than counsellors. But higher education does not always guarantee better care. Personally, I encourage people to find the therapist who is right for them, regardless of the type of professionals. What matters most is that they are honest about their credentials (for example, not claiming to be a psychologist with only a bachelor’s degree in psychology), and that they stick to their area of expertise and avoid treatments that is not evidence-based. Do not judge solely based on fees (higher fees do not necessarily mean better) or by recommendations from others. Until the Malaysian government can effectively regulate all healthcare professionals, I hope everyone takes the time to understand the background of the professionals before deciding whether to seek their help.

18/08/2024

告知还是隐瞒？
当我向家长提供诊断报告后，常常会被问到一个问题：我们是否应该让孩子知道自己的诊断？在西方文化中，家长通常视孩子为独立的个体，认为他们有知情权。因此，家长关注的是何时让孩子了解自己的诊断才是最合适的。然而，在亚洲文化中，家长往往认为，只要不告诉孩子诊断，他们就能够逐渐适应，并像其他人一样成长，成为一个“正常人”。他们相信，只要不说，孩子就会认为自己和其他人没有区别，并像一个“正常”孩子一样成长。但事实真是如此吗？
请允许我用一个比喻来说明这个情况。假设一对华人夫妇由于无法生育，收养了一个印度小孩。这对夫妇认为，只要不告诉孩子他是被收养的，并让他在华人文化中长大，送他去中文学校学习，他就不会知道自己是印度人。孩子长大后就会变成一个真正的华人。真的是这样吗？孩子在成长过程中，难道不会因为自己的容貌和肤色而怀疑自己是否是父母的亲生孩子吗？他的朋友和同学难道不会注意到他的肤色不同吗？真的不会有人因此开玩笑，甚至取笑、霸凌他吗？即使他长大后讲中文、吃中餐，无可置疑的，他的基因依然是印度人。
这个比喻与是否告诉孩子他的诊断有何关联呢？
1. 当孩子被诊断后，医生或心理师已经确认您的孩子天生具有自闭、过动或其他学习障碍。他们的脑袋与一般人不同，这是一种与生俱来的特质，是不会通过成长或治疗改变。这就像一个孩子天生拥有印度人的肤色，无法通过改变基因使其变白。
2. 无论是印度人还是华人，我们之间的差异只是肤色上的不同。在人人平等的时代，如果我们认为华人比印度人优越，认为拥有黑皮肤是件羞耻的事，那么我们就是有种族歧视。同样的，无论是典型脑袋还是非典型脑袋的人，都应当被平等对待。为什么我们会忌讳让孩子知道自己有一个不同的脑袋？因为我们仍然认为，自闭、过动或学习障碍是一件羞耻的事，我们不希望别人知道。拥有非典型脑袋被视为“不正常”，被认为比别人差，因此应该努力学习“正常人”的行为。这就像告诉一个印度小孩，他的肤色不好，不能让别人知道他有黑皮肤，他应该在出门之前把黑皮肤遮盖起来。
3. 即使我们不告诉孩子，他也会知道自己与众不同。虽然他的差异不像肤色那样明显，但他自己或其他人都会察觉到。我们往往低估了孩子分辨差异的能力，认为只要他学会一般小孩的沟通、游戏和学习方式，别人就不会察觉。但许多长大成人后被诊断为自闭、过动（或其他非典型脑袋）的人士，都表示在被诊断之前，他们早已察觉到自己与他人不同。他们只是不明白原因，因此认为自己“有问题”、“不够好”，甚至是“有缺陷”的人。
4. 其他孩子也会从小察觉到非典型脑袋孩子的不同，无论是从他们的行为举止、社交沟通方式，还是学习能力察觉。而人类具有一种排他的本性，不一样的孩子很容易被排挤，甚至被霸凌。让非典型脑袋的孩子融入社会，并不是他们的责任，而是整个社会的责任。这就好比我们不会告诉印度人必须变白皮肤才能与华人做朋友。我们教育孩子要接纳不同肤色的人。同样的，我们也应该教育孩子（和大人）接纳拥有不同脑袋的人。
读到这里，您可能会质疑是否真的有必要告诉孩子他们的诊断。告知会带来什么好处吗？我的答案是肯定的。
1. 当您带孩子去看医生、治疗师时，他们会开始思考为什么他们需要去看医生和治疗师，而其他孩子或兄弟姐妹却不需要。与其编造各种借口隐瞒事实，不如坦诚地告诉孩子原因。
2. 研究显示，越早了解自己（自闭）诊断的人，长大后越有可能拥有健康的心理。而相反，那些成年后才被诊断的人，大多经历了不同程度的心理创伤，甚至患上抑郁症或焦虑症。因为从小了解自己特殊脑袋的人，更可能拥有正面的自我形象。他们知道自己并不是“有缺陷”或“不够好”，只是与别人不同而已。
3. 许多家长不喜欢给孩子贴标签，认为如自闭或过动这样的标签会对孩子产生负面影响。但事实上，如果您不告诉孩子正确的标签，其他人可能会给他贴上更负面的标签，如“懒”、“笨”、“坏蛋”等等。只要我们正确地教育孩子，自闭或过动只是代表他们拥有与别人不同的脑袋，这样的脑袋有其优点和挑战，我们就能将这些标签变得中性化。它们并不代表好或坏，只是不同而已。就像“华人”这个标签，并不具有正面或负面的意义。
至于什么时候告诉孩子他们的诊断，以及如何开口谈这个话题，我建议家长可以参考以下链接中的建议。家长也可以与孩子共同阅读相关书籍或观看YouTube视频，以共同学习和讨论这些标签的含义。
网站链接
1. Talking with your child about their autism diagnosis - When is the right time https://raelenedundon.com/talking-with-your-child-about-their-autism-diagnosis-when-is-the-right-time/
2. How to talk to your child about their autism diagnosis – The earlier the better https://theconversation.com/how-to-talk-to-your-child-about-their-autism-diagnosis-the-earlier-the-better-193942?fbclid=IwY2xjawEUIhJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHWjUy8wAwYEYs29Asxb2JW-5bvCMATTFn4OxHSVSJR8Dm8RKMrvKwBG_JQ_aem_0FrpmZyPmn6_ehax1ZHU1g
视频
1. Amazing Things Happen! https://youtu.be/Ezv85LMFx2E?si=XKfe9mWEdsuk-mY2
2. Amazing Kids - Autistic Spectrum Condition https://youtu.be/RBkiIHWybV4?si=cWDRta3tJ8-NRzaC
书籍
1. The Brain Forest (2022, Sandhya Menon)
2. Some Brains: A Book Celebrating Neurodiversity (2020, Nelly Thomas)
3. Just Right for You (2021, Melanie Heyworth)
4. My Friend ADHD (2022, Sarah Smith)
5. All Cats Are on the Autism Spectrum (2020, Kathy Hoopmann)
6. All Dogs Have ADHD (2020, Kathy Hoopmann)

To Tell or Not to Tell?
When I provide parents with a diagnosis report, I am often asked: Should we let our child know about their diagnosis? In Western culture, parents generally view their child as an independent individual who has the right to know. Thus, parents focus on determining the best time to inform their child about their diagnosis. However, in Asian culture, parents often believe that as long as the diagnosis is kept from the child, they will gradually adapt and grow up like others, becoming a "normal" person. They believe that as long as it is not mentioned, the child will think they are no different from others and will grow up like a "normal" child. But is this really the case?
Allow me to use an analogy to explain this situation. Imagine a Chinese couple who, due to infertility, adopt an Indian child. The couple believes that as long as they do not tell the child he is adopted, and raise him in a Chinese culture, sending him to a Chinese school to learn the language, he won't know that he is Indian. When he grows up, he will become a true Chinese. Is this really the case? Won't the child, during his growth, suspect whether he is his parents' biological child because of his appearance and skin colour? Won't his friends and classmates notice his different skin colour? Is it really possible that no one will make jokes, tease, or even bully him because of this? Even if he grows up speaking Chinese and eating Chinese food, there is no doubt that his genes remain those of an Indian.
What does this analogy have to do with whether or not to tell a child about their diagnosis?
1. When a child is diagnosed, the doctor or psychologist has already confirmed that your child is inherently different in terms of autism, ADHD, or other learning disabilities. Their brain is different from others; this is an innate characteristic that cannot be changed through growth or treatment. It is akin to a child being born with the skin colour of an Indian, unable to change it to white by altering genes.
2. Whether Indian or Chinese, the difference between us is merely skin colour. In an era of equality, if we believe that Chinese are superior to Indians, and having dark skin is a shame, then we are being racist. Similarly, whether a person has a typical brain or a divergent brain, they should be treated equally. Why do we hesitate to let a child know that they have a different brain? Because we still believe that autism, ADHD, or other learning disabilities are something shameful, something we don't want others to know. Having a divergent brain is seen as "abnormal," perceived as inferior to others, and hence, there is a need to learn "normal" behaviours. This is like telling an Indian child that their skin colour is undesirable, that they shouldn't let others know they have dark skin, and that they should cover their skin before leaving the house.
3. Even if we don't tell the child, they will know that they are different. Although their differences may not be as obvious as skin colour, they or others will still notice. We often underestimate a child's ability to discern differences, thinking that as long as neurodivergent kids learn the communication, play, and learning methods of other children, others won't notice. But many adults who were diagnosed with autism, ADHD (or other divergent brains) have stated that before their diagnosis, they had already noticed that they were different from others. They just didn't understand the reason, so they thought there was "something wrong" with them, that they were "not good enough," or even "defective."
4. Other children will notice the differences in neurodivergent children from a young age, whether from observing their behaviours, social communication, or learning abilities. And human beings have an exclusionary nature; children who are different are easily marginalized or even bullied. It is not the responsibility of neurodivergent children to change themselves to integrate into society; it is the responsibility of society as a whole. This is akin to not telling an Indian that they must turn their skin white before making friends with Chinese people. We educate our children to accept people with different skin colours. Similarly, we should also educate children (and adults) to accept those with different brains.
At this point, you might question whether it is really necessary to tell your child about their diagnosis. Does informing them have any benefits? My answer is definitely yes.
1. When you take your child to see a doctor or therapist, they will start to wonder why they need to see a doctor and therapist while other children or siblings do not. Instead of making up various excuses to hide the truth, it is better to be honest with your child about the reason.
2. Research shows that people who learn about their (autism) diagnosis earlier in life are more likely to have better mental health as adults. Conversely, those diagnosed in adulthood often experience varying degrees of psychological trauma, even depression, or anxiety. Because those who understand their unique brain from an early age are more likely to have a positive self-image. They know that they are not "defective" or "not good enough," just different from others.
3. Many parents do not like to label their children, thinking that labels like autism or ADHD will negatively impact their child. But in fact, if you don't give your child the correct label, others may give them more negative labels, such as "lazy," "stupid," "naughty," etc. As long as we correctly educate children that autism or ADHD simply means they have a different brain, a brain with its own strengths and challenges, we can neutralize these labels. They do not represent good or bad, just different. Just like the label "Chinese," it carries no inherently positive or negative connotations.
As for when to tell your child about their diagnosis and how to bring up the topic, I suggest that parents refer to the suggestions in the following links. Parents can also read relevant books or watch YouTube videos with their children to learn and discuss the meaning of these labels together.
Website
1. Talking with your child about their autism diagnosis - When is the right time https://raelenedundon.com/talking-with-your-child-about-their-autism-diagnosis-when-is-the-right-time/
2. How to talk to your child about their autism diagnosis – The earlier the better https://theconversation.com/how-to-talk-to-your-child-about-their-autism-diagnosis-the-earlier-the-better-193942?fbclid=IwY2xjawEUIhJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHWjUy8wAwYEYs29Asxb2JW-5bvCMATTFn4OxHSVSJR8Dm8RKMrvKwBG_JQ_aem_0FrpmZyPmn6_ehax1ZHU1g
Videos
1. Amazing Things Happen! https://youtu.be/Ezv85LMFx2E?si=XKfe9mWEdsuk-mY2
2. Amazing Kids - Autistic Spectrum Condition https://youtu.be/RBkiIHWybV4?si=cWDRta3tJ8-NRzaC
Books
1. The Brain Forest (2022, Sandhya Menon)
2. Some Brains: A Book Celebrating Neurodiversity (2020, Nelly Thomas)
3. Just Right for You (2021, Melanie Heyworth)
4. My Friend ADHD (2022, Sarah Smith)
5. All Cats Are on the Autism Spectrum (2020, Kathy Hoopmann)
6. All Dogs Have ADHD (2020, Kathy Hoopmann)

I've been made aware that the audio levels weren't great for people with hearing problems so I have made this version with the voices enhanced. Hopefully it'...

25/07/2024

寻求心理服务
我回来马来西亚后，因为选择自己执业，在没有很多客源的情况下，我只能一手包办所有事物，包括接听电话。 在询问电话中，最常见的，也是我不太喜欢听到的，是家长致电指定要做特定的评估，例如：我要给孩子做过动症评估，请问这多少钱。当然，我明白金钱是一个重要考量因素。我不喜欢的，并非是对方询问价钱，而是指定要我做特定的评估。为什么？
让我们先想象一下，如果你今天感觉胃疼，然后去看医生，你会不会告诉医生说：我怀疑我有胃癌，请你帮我验是否有癌症？当然不会！你会怎么做？你只会告诉医生你不舒服的地方，然后相信医生有专业知识能够为你找出病因。毕竟胃疼，可以是胃胀风、吃错食物、消化不良、胃酸过多、胆生石、各种各样的原因导致。我们不会预先猜测病因，然后要医生只是做指定的检查。
同样的，如果今天一个孩子好动，就只有一个因素会导致这些行为吗？不是的。孩子的整个成长背景和环境，都会影响他的行为。例如他是否有得到足够的睡眠？他是否曾经经历重大心理创伤？他现在的生活的环境是否滋养还是动荡不安？所以，我建议你把你所担心的事情，让你困扰的教养问题，一一地告诉心理师，然后让他们用专业知识，为你找出问题的根源。
我遇到的另外一个问题是，当我细心和家长在电话里解释为何我需要先了解孩子的整体情况，才决定做什么评估时，他们的回应似乎感觉我是在企图赚取他们更多的钱。虽然我不敢担保所有的心理师都是有良心的，但是心理师的一个基本职业操守是诚信。我们不做对个案有危害的事，这包括为了赚钱而做额外没有必要的评估。所以，如果今天我访问了家长后觉得孩子做没有过动症的特征，那我是不会建议做过动症评估。同样的，除非孩子的学习比同学缓慢很多，又或者他的学习比同龄小孩超前很多，那我才会做智力评估来决定他是否有智力不足或是天才。如果家长只是存粹好奇孩子的智商而要求做智力评估，但他无论在学习或行为上都与一般小孩一样，那实在没有必要去做。因为评估的结果不会为孩子带来什么好处。
那身为一位家长，为你的孩子寻求心理服务前你应该做什么？
1. 思考你为何要寻求帮助？你的担忧是什么？你想要得到什么样的帮助？你的目标是什么？你想知道孩子是否拥有不一样的脑袋，还是你只是想专注在与解决眼前的问题？
2. 准备孩子过去的报告，包括医生的评估信、治疗师的进展报告、学校成绩表等等。如果没有报告，也请找出你看过专业人士的名字、职称、孩子曾接受多少次（或多长时间）的治疗。我很常遇到家长不知道自己孩子曾接受什么类型的治疗，治疗师拥有什么资格，或者孩子在治疗中做了什么。如果你的孩子过去有什么报告，你准备一份给心理师，这会让对方节省很多时间询问你关于你孩子的细节。
那心理师又能给予你和孩子什么帮助呢？
1. 帮助你和老师更了解孩子的学习、沟通、与人互动方式，好让大家知道如何更有效地支持你的孩子。这可能是通过评估来达到此目的。心理师的责任不是给孩子贴上标签然后就和你说再见。我们也有责任提供建议和后续的辅导，让家长和老师知道接下来该做什么。
2. 通过辅导或治疗帮助孩子更加了解自己，接纳自己，并学习与周遭的人和睦共处。我们也帮助孩子探索自己的优点，并能充分发挥所长。
3. 心理师专注于孩子的心理健康发展。所以我们会帮助孩子学习调节自己的情绪，也会帮助父母学习与孩子一起调节情绪。（我日后会谈为何是“调节”，而不是“管理”情绪）。
家长还有一个常见的误解，就是认为心理师能够在短期内“解决”问题，或有能力将“特殊孩子”教育成“正常”的。实际上，寻求心理评估和辅导是一个持续的过程，而不是解决问题的“万灵药”。家长需要耐心地支持和陪伴孩子成长。在这条道路上，是身为心理师的我的职责陪伴孩子在未来的道路上快乐地前行。

Seeking psychological services
After returning to Malaysia and choosing to practice independently, without a large client base, I have to handle all matters by myself, including answering phone calls. One of the most common inquiries, which I dislike hearing, is parents calling specifically to request certain evaluations, such as: "I want an ADHD assessment for my child. How much does it cost?" Of course, I understand that money is an important consideration. What I dislike is not the question about the cost, but the specific request for a particular evaluation. Why?
Let's imagine that you feel a stomachache today and go to see a doctor. Would you tell the doctor: "I suspect I have stomach cancer. Please test me for cancer"? Of course not! What would you do? You would only tell the doctor where you feel discomfort and trust that the doctor has the professional knowledge to find the cause. After all, a stomachache can be caused by various reasons such as bloating, food poisoning, indigestion, acid reflux, gallstones, and many others. We do not pre-emptively guess the cause and then ask the doctor to only perform a specific test.
Similarly, if a child is hyperactive, is there only one factor causing these behaviours? No. The entire developmental background and environment of the child will influence their behaviour. For example, has the child had enough sleep? Have they experienced any major psychological trauma? Is their current living environment nurturing or chaotic? Therefore, I suggest you tell the psychologist about all your concerns and parenting problems and let them use their professional knowledge to find the root cause of the problems.
Another issue I encounter is that when I patiently explain to parents over the phone why I need to understand the child's overall situation before deciding on an evaluation, their response sometimes seems to feel that I am trying to make more money from them. Although I cannot guarantee that all psychologists are ethical, a fundamental professional ethic of psychologists is integrity. We do not engage in activities that harm the client, including conducting unnecessary evaluations for financial gain. Therefore, if after speaking with the parents I find that the child does not exhibit symptoms of ADHD, I will not recommend an ADHD evaluation. Similarly, unless the child's learning is significantly slower than their peers or far ahead of children of the same age, I will not conduct an IQ assessment to determine if they have intellectual disabilities or are gifted. If parents are merely curious about their child's IQ and request an IQ assessment, but the child performs similarly to other children in learning and behaviour, there is really no need for it because the evaluation results will not bring extra benefit the child.
So, as a parent, what should you do before seeking psychology service for your child?
1. Think about why you are seeking help. What are your concerns? What kind of help do you want? What are your goals? Do you want to know if your child has a different brain, or are you just want to focus on addressing the current issues?
2. Prepare past reports of the child, including doctor's assessment letters, therapist progress reports, school report cards, etc. If there are no reports, try to find the names and titles of the professionals you have seen, and how many times (or for how long) your child has received therapies. I often encounter parents who do not know what kind of treatment their child has received, the qualifications of the therapist, or what was done during the treatment. If your child has past reports, prepare a copy for the psychologist, which will save them a lot of time asking you about the details of your child.
What kind of help can psychologists provide for you and your child?
1. Help you and the teachers better understand the child's learning, communication, and interaction styles so that everyone knows how to better support your child. This may be achieved through evaluations. The responsibility of psychologists is not to label the child and then say goodbye. We also have the responsibility to provide recommendations and follow-up guidance so that parents and teachers know what to do next.
2. Through counselling or therapy, help the child understand themselves better, accept themselves, and learn to get along harmoniously with others. We also help children explore their strengths and fully develop their potential.
3. Psychologists focus on the psychological development of children. So, we will help children learn to regulate their emotions and help parents learn to regulate emotions together with their children. (I will talk about why it is "regulation" rather than "management" of emotions in the future).
Another common misconception among parents is that psychologists can "solve" problems in the short term, or that they can teach "special children" to become "normal." In fact, seeking psychological assessment and counselling is a continuous process, not a one time "cure-all" solution. Parents need to patiently support and accompany their children as they grow. On this path, is my role as a psychologist to accompany the child to walk happily on their future journey.

01/06/2024

https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/jun/01/the-truth-about-adhd-and-autism-how-many-people-have-it-what-causes-it-and-why-are-diagnoses-soaring?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2pOW0hgSLRRx_7QdvHzqESdUt1vE5SGcPE4CBxsK-Yw7ytBAQ8ddbVx5k_aem_AT6fEKrVodi1s5I9m5Tucs1F5VcdzkoKSat_i4Xb1R8IDofr3tbU5aczM7-TjNUjBMutOwuOl_lylA3kZnp21C37

Growing awareness about ADHD and autism is reshaping thinking in science, social science and medicine. Scientists explain what’s behind the rise – and the best ways to improve neurodivergent lives

12/05/2024

I often can’t stress enough to parents about the importance of getting enough sleep/nap in children. But Asian parents always think sleeping 7-8 hours for a young child is more than enough despite they struggle to wake up in the morning and dozing off in the classroom.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/CTkYacWqXFz1Cfxv/?mibextid=KsPBc6

10/04/2024

02/04/2024

02/04/2024

In 2024 as always, Reframing Autism will not be participating in Autism Awareness or Autism Acceptance Month.

As many of our neurokin will appreciate, April can be an arduous time for the Autistic community, whose voices are often drowned out by non-Autistic led organisations and non-Autistic individuals, whose efforts to make others "aware" of Autism are at times very damaging, all while the things that really matter – genuine acceptance, respect, support and inclusion – are overlooked.

We wish those recognising April as Autism Acceptance Month a productive, invigorating month of amplifying Autistic voices.
The best way you can show your support for the Autistic people in your life is to educate yourself, learning from those with lived experience, and those who are actively neuro-affirming. You can learn more about how to be a great Autistic ally here: https://reframingautism.org.au/service/i-am-an-ally/

For any families or school communities celebrating, we urge you to steer clear of blue, and go red instead, light it up gold, tone it down taupe or rejoice with rainbows! And please steer clear of puzzle pieces.

For any individuals looking to support an Autistic-led organisation, we welcome your donations which will help us to continue to celebrate Autistic identity, embrace the Autistic community and empower Autistic individuals. To make a donation to Reframing Autism, please visit: https://reframingautism.org.au/donate/

Thank you to our wonderful community, as always, for your support.

[Image description: A pink background featuring the Reframing Autism logo. Text in white reads, "To our neurokin: you are enough."]