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BIOGRAPHY

Esther Oon-Bybjerg

Counselor & Psychotherapist

With her warm personality and gentle demeanor, Esther takes on a collaborative journey with her clients to explore their concerns and help them find peace, meaning, or resolution in their personal and professional lives.

 

While starting therapy may feel daunting for some, Esther is known for her patience, tenderness and ability to put clients at ease from the very first meeting. She also thoughtfully distils complex or abstract psychological concepts to make them accessible and practical for her clients. Beyond symptom relief, she supports clients in uncovering and addressing the root causes of their challenges.

 

Esther’s main areas of practice include anxiety, depression, compulsion, trauma, grief, as well as relationship and intimacy issues. She also provides career counseling.

 

Esther offers therapy in English and Mandarin for individuals and couples, and is available for online/face-to-face sessions at the Raffles Place and Science Park branches.

biography

Esther’s approach is grounded in evidence-based modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Emotional Efficacy Therapy, and Narrative Therapy, which she blends to fit the unique needs of each client. Her work is also informed by attachment-based frameworks, emphasizing the importance of a secure therapeutic alliance. When beneficial, she integrates imagery-mediation and inner-child experiential work, offering clients a pathway to deeper insights and healing.

 

Esther’s individualized approach extends into her work with couples, where she recognizes that each relationship has its own dynamics, strengths, and challenges. She has a particular interest in supporting couples who have faced infidelity or other forms of relational trauma, helping many to restore trust, emotional connection and sexual intimacy.


In addition to her therapeutic work, Esther brings a wealth of first-hand experience and insights to career counseling, drawing on her decade of senior leadership roles in corporate communications, government relations, and crisis media management. She has supported clients across sectors including law, maritime, aviation, finance and technology in navigating workplace dynamics, building resilience, and advancing their careers. With her extensive international experience across Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Europe and North America gained through her corporate tenure, she is deeply attuned to cultural nuances, enabling her to work sensitively and effectively with clients from diverse backgrounds.


In her free time, Esther enjoys playful banter with her two teenage children, Pilates, high-intensity workouts, dog training, reading, and collecting shoes. She volunteers with two non-profit organizations, serving on the advisory committee for NuLife Care & Counseling and as a consulting mentor at Shine Children & Youth Services. Fluent in English and Mandarin, she also has a conversational grasp of Danish.

 


Qualifications

  • Master of Counseling with Distinctions (Monash University, Australia)
  • Bachelor of Communication Studies with Honours (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore)
  • Certified in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Emotional Efficacy Therapy, Acceptance Commitment Therapy, Gottman Couples Therapy
  • Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist (Arizona Trauma Institute)
  • Clinical Applications of Neuroscience (Mental Health Academy)
  • Certified Clinical Specialist in Trauma-informed Neurodiversity (ASD & ADHD) Affirming Therapy
  • US National Council of Strength and Fitness (NCSF) certified Personal Trainer


Expertise

  • Anxiety & other mood disorders
  • Career Counseling
  • Compulsion
  • Grief & Loss
  • LGBTQIA+ Affirming Therapy
  • Neurodivergent Affirming Therapy
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD)
  • Parenting Issues
  • Personality Disorders (Borderline Personality, Narcissistic Personality etc)
  • Relationship Counseling / Intimacy Issues
  • Self Esteem Issues
  • Stress / Burnouts
  • Trauma

Counseling Perspective

Client Testimonials

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Life was a struggle when I first met Esther. Family pressures, self-doubt, and marital issues weighed heavily on me. Esther offered a safe haven where I felt heard and understood. Her approach was both compassionate and honest. While some truths were hard to hear, they were exactly what I needed for growth.

 

Individual and couples' therapy got intense at times, but looking back, it was like clearing a thick fog. At a personal level, Esther empowered me to set boundaries and shift my perspective, helping me stop a lifelong cycle of negative thinking. For our marriage, she equipped us with empathetic communication skills. It wasn't easy, but we're now in a much better place - happier, kinder to each other, and creating a supportive environment for our children.

 

The most impactful aspects of therapy with Esther were her genuine care and her goal-oriented approach. She followed up after particularly difficult sessions, and her session summaries, which were like roadmaps, helped keep us honest and track our progress. Esther, you were a pillar of strength through my darkest moments. Thank you for being a true professional without losing sight of your humanity.

Female, Editor
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Esther naturally makes me feel comfortable sharing my thoughts and worries. And I feel it is because she can create a warm and genuine atmosphere, reflecting her character. She is thoughtful and very insightful, there were many moments where I had my views broadened by her gentle guidance. It has been a great journey, looking back on where I started and where I am now. I am so thankful Esther is my counselor. 

Female, CFO

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Esther literally saved me, my marriage and my family. Through accurate, very intelligent yet gentle and genuinely empathetic sessions, she helped me discover, learn from and overturn some of the small yet sabotaging childhood traumas that could have continued to keep me from truly progressing in life. I’m extremely grateful for her availability, her smart and curious questions and for her relentless desire to help and adapt as new challenges appeared along the way. I no longer need her counsel these days but I sure mention her name to anyone aware that sometimes you need extra help and I’m glad Esther was mine.

Male, Financial Advisor

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Esther is intelligent, kind, caring, considerate and nuanced, which is everything one might want from a therapist. She takes pains to meet me where I am at and to see things from my perspective, even if my perspective may be a little unconventional. She helps in filtering the noise from the outside world and boiling things down to help me see what matters and what I should be dedicating my limited resources to so as to maximise my daily quality of life.

 

In a stressful world which constantly incentivises me to put aside my own mental wellbeing for corporate profits, my sessions with her remind me of my inherent worth outside of the exploitative capitalist construct and teaches me to prioritise self-love and inner-peace.

Lawyer

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