Media Releases
Dr Catherine Toh, Ph.D. | Empowering the Next Generation of Counsellors: Addressing Hindering Self-Focused Attention (HSA)
Research Output and Activities
My doctoral research focused on Hindering Self-Focused Attention (HSA), a unique form of anxiety that impedes trainee counsellors' development. This phenomenon, if unaddressed, diminishes counselling self-efficacy, disrupts professional growth, and ultimately affects the quality of care provided to clients. By identifying the pervasive nature of HSA in training contexts, my research offers critical insights into its impact on professional competence and therapeutic outcomes. Mitigating HSA fosters not only individual growth but also enhances client outcomes through more confident and effective counsellors. These findings underscore the need for HSA-specific training, promoting stronger supervision relationships and improved counselling education practices.
Scientist-Practitioner, Registered Counsellor, Singapore Association of Counselling (C0709)
Sessional Lecturer, School of Social and Health Sciences, James Cook University, Singapore
“I became aware… of these automatic thoughts and statements I play in my mind, it's irrational… some of these statements that played in my mind are related to what I've mentioned earlier about being critical of myself.”
Advancement of Knowledge
Since completing my doctoral research, I have had the privilege of supporting aspiring counsellors as a sessional lecturer, equipping them with both academic insights and practical strategies to navigate their careers with confidence. Additionally, my work advising counsellors on pursuing their own doctorates creates a ripple effect, inspiring further research and advancing counselling knowledge. By guiding future counsellors and scholars, I continue to pay forward the mentorship I received, contributing to a growing body of research that strengthens the profession.
“The sharing on research provided valuable insights into effective methodologies and best practices, which have significantly informed my approach to planning my own research journey. Being able to observe and query processes provided essential guidance to my own understanding. Additionally, the feedback was helpful for me to identify potential challenges and develop strategies to navigate them successfully.”
Implementation
My enhanced understanding of HSA has translated into a more integrated professional identity, allowing me to better navigate complex clinical scenarios. The practical implications of my research are far-reaching—counsellors, both novice and experienced, can strategically use HSA to improve therapeutic effectiveness. By embracing moments of HSA, counsellors can model authenticity, enhancing client trust and outcomes. Additionally, my roles as a peer reviewer and panel judge in international forums have allowed me to influence the global counselling landscape, contributing to research excellence and ethical practices across the profession.
“We are pleased to confirm that Dr. Catherine Toh acted as a reviewer for the article Educational Leaders and School-Based Mental Health: A Social Network Analysis of Knowledge Brokerage within the section Leadership in Education in Frontiers in Education. Dr. Catherine Toh was selected for this role by peers based on their expertise in the field and has played an important role in our collaborative peer review process.”
Standards and Practice
The implications of my study extend into the realm of practice. By presenting my findings at key conferences, I have provided actionable strategies for counsellors, supervisors, and institutions to integrate HSA into their training and supervision models. These insights are instrumental in developing early interventions that enhance counselling self-efficacy, and I continue to share them through infographics and presentations. By embedding HSA-focused approaches into training, institutions can better equip future counsellors, ensuring that the next generation of professionals is prepared to manage anxiety and deliver high-quality client care.
"During supervision, I encourage my supervisees to identify when their attention is overly focused on their own internal concerns (e.g., self-doubt, anxiety about performance) to help my supervisees recognise HSA moments and be comfortable to talk about them. An essential role of a supervisor is to create a safe environment for supervisees, allowing them to build their competence."
Dr Augustine Tan, SAC Registered Clinical Supervisor (B0017), Journeys - The Next Step
" In supervision, I emphasise the importance of helping my supervisees recognise when their internal awareness became a distraction. By guiding them to identify these HSA moments, I encourage open discussion around this concept and it is not a sign of personal weaknesses. "
Nancy Chai, SAC Registered Clinical Supervisor (C0370), Care Counselling & Psychotherapy Services
Economic Benefit
Addressing HSA within counselling training not only strengthens professional competencies but also presents significant economic advantages. By fostering better-trained counsellors, institutions can reduce turnover rates and the costs associated with onboarding underprepared professionals. Effective counsellors contribute to a more robust mental health system, delivering higher-quality care that meets the increasing demand for mental health services. In this way, my research helps optimise the training pipeline, creating long-term economic and societal benefits.
Community Benefit
My work has also had a tangible impact within the counselling community. As a speaker at Singapore Association of Counselling (SAC) events and the lead of their research seminar, I have shared my research on HSA with a wide audience, fostering knowledge exchange among counsellors, supervisors, and mental health professionals. These seminars provide a collaborative platform to explore innovations in counselling practice, driving forward evidence-based approaches. My journey has taught me resilience, helping me inspire fellow counsellors to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth, thus contributing to a stronger, more capable counselling community in Singapore.
" The seminar aims at fostering a culture of inquiry and innovation in psychotherapy, counselling supervision, and mental health practices in Singapore. By providing a platform for counselling practitioners to share evidence-based insights, it encourages the development of robust, practice-informed research that directly enhances therapeutic interventions and positive client-outcomes. ”
Associate Professor Dr Frederick Low, Immediate Past President, SAC
"I am looking forward to attending the SAC event. I recognize the critical role that research plays in enhancing the counselling landscape in Singapore. Conducting rigorous research can be challenging, and I am eager to learn more from Dr Catherine about her research and experiences."
Sharinder Kaur, SAC Registered Counsellor (C0676), Stamford American International School
Publications
Morshidi, M.I., & Toh, MH.C. (2023). Mental Health Among Young People. In: Liamputtong, P. (eds) Handbook of Social Sciences and Global Public Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25110-8
Conference Presentations
Toh, MH.C., Barlas, J., & Singh, S. (2022, July 1-15). Am I competent enough? A mixed-methods longitudinal study exploring trainee counsellors’ lived hindering self-awareness experiences and its influence on counselling self-efficacy [Poster Presentation]. Harvard-UCL Summer Course 2022 "Emotional Well-Being and Physical Health" UCL, London, United Kingdom.
Toh, MH.C., Barlas, J., & Singh, S. (2022, December 3-4). Am I competent enough? A mixed-methods longitudinal study exploring trainee counsellors’ phenomenological hindering self-awareness experiences and its perceived influence on counselling self-efficacy [Conference Presentation]. Joint-Higher Degree Research Conference 2022 "Postgraduate Passages: Navigating Research and Networking in the Next Normal" JCU, TU and URM, Singapore.
Toh, MH.C., Barlas, J., & Singh, S. (2023, March 24-28). An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of trainee counsellors’ phenomenological hindering self-awareness [Conference Presentation]. 6th International Academic Conference on Research in Social Sciences 2023, Oxon, Oxford, United Kingdom.