Counselling Service
We offer counseling to help families and individuals requirements by state to cope with life dilemmas, so that they can understand their problems in a new light, manage self and relationships more effectively.
WHOM DO WE SERVE?
We serve people from all walks of life. People facing the following problems are welcome to seek our counseling service:
♥ Couple relationships – marital discord, extra-marital affairs, separation, divorce, remarriage
♥ Infertility
♥ Parenting
♥ Child / adolescent behavioural / emotional problems
♥ Individual emotional problem, depression, anxiety, fear
♥ Anger management
♥ Grief and loss
♥ Job stress
♥ Relocation
♥ Relationships with extended families
♥ Aging, retirement
WHAT TO EXPECT?
Our counseling service is guided by Bowen family systems theory. In our counselling service, you will be facilitated:
♥ To think clearly, so that you can have a broad view of the situation, and understand your problems in an objective way.
♥ To manage your emotional reactions, so that you can be in a calmer state.
♥ To examine your own part in the problem situation, and see how your and the other persons are mutually influencing each other.
♥ To understand your life principles and develop choices
♥ To plan and implement appropriate strategies to cope with the problem
♥ To see the connection between your present situation and their past, making use of family resources and to prevent recurrence of dysfunctional family patterns
♥ To have effective relationships with people important to you, so that you can be both responsible for self, and for the overall good of the group that you are in.
Language – Cantonese, Putonghua, English
THE COUNSELLING TEAM
The Faculty
Mrs. Peggy Chan - M.Ed, R.S.W.
Director of Programme
ISS Family Institute
International Social Service Hong Kong Branch
Mrs. Peggy Chan started her study of Bowen theory in the early 1990s in Vancouver through the two year program on Family Systems Therapy at Pacific Coast Family Therapy Training Association. She has attended 5 years (2008-2013) of the Postgraduate Program in Bowen Family Systems Theory and Its Applications at the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family, Washington DC, U.S.A. Since 2013, she joined the Bowen Center’s Research Seminar group and attends its conferences regularly. She is a member of the Bowen Center’s Network Program for the Advancement of Bowen Theory, and collaborates with other Bowen theory training centers around the world to promote better teaching and learning of Bowen theory. She was a plenary speaker of the First International Conference on Bowen Family Systems Theory in Pittsburg, in August, 2015. She has presented at the 51st and 55th Annual Symposium of the Bowen Center held in 2014 and 2018 respectively. She has also presented Bowen Theory in Texas, Taiwan and China. She is the Coordinator of the 2nd International Conference on Bowen Family Systems Theory held on May 17-19, 2018 in Hong Kong, a landmark event attended by more than 300 attendees and 37 speakers from more than 14 countries and cities.
Mrs. Peggy Chan was trained as a social worker (B.Soc.Sc., HKU), counselor (M.Ed., U. of Toronto) prior to her family systems training. She has over 20 years of experience in counseling individuals, couples and families, and training of professionals. Her areas of specialization include marital and women‘s issues, sexual issues, loss and grief, parent-child relationship difficulties, and cultural adaptation. She is Adjunct Assistant Professor of The University of Hong Kong, teaching and supervising M.Soc.Sc. (Counselling) students since 2002. She is Fellow and Approved Supervisor of the Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association, and Approved Supervisor of the Hong Kong Marriage and Family Therapy Association.
Since the inception of the ISSFI (ISS Family Institute) in Oct. 2002, Mrs. Peggy Chan has conducted many workshops and courses on the systemic way of seeing relationships, and the applications of Bowen theory in clinical practice, work situations and family. She has developed a parenting program based on Bowen theory to the local Chinese community, as well as to parents of substance abusers through partnering with a local non-governmental organization. Mrs. Chan is interested in working with parents to develop greater emotional maturity and better connection with children.
Dr. Renee Chiu - PhD
Renee Chiu is a lecturer of the Department of Social Work, Hong Kong Baptist University. She is a registered social worker and had worked in the integrated family service in Hong Kong previously. She has undertaken an active study of Bowen theory at the ISS Family Institute, conscientiously applying it to her understanding of family relationships and clinical practice. Her research interests are in marital and family counseling, Bowen Theory, attachment and parenting, and romantic intimacy. She is particularly interested in understanding the parental attachment and its influence on the development of emerging adults, specifically on romantic intimacy, from a family systems perspective.
Ms. Berenice Lee - M. Counselling
Berenice first learned about Bowen family systems theory in her Master of Counselling course in Australia in 2006. She was an active participant in various courses, workshops and conferences with ISSFI since 2010. She is a member of the ISSFI Circle of Friends (COF) Think Tank right from the start and has helped to organize programs for the Circle of Friends and Bowen theory conferences in many ways. Berenice is involved in teaching some of the general courses in Bowen theory for the community.
Berenice is a Certified Counsellor & Associate Fellow of the Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association (HKPCA). She holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours), Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature, Master of Arts in American Literature and Culture and Master of Counselling. She specializes in marital and family relationship counselling, parental guidance, personal coaching, psychotherapy for individuals, and workplace dynamics.
Ms. Shirley Leung - M.Soc.Sc, M.B.A.
Shirley Leung is Certified Counsellor (CCoun) and Member of Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association (HKPCA). She is a learner and practitioner of Bowen theory. Shirley specializes in personal development, parent-child relationship difficulties, marital issues, adult emotional and interpersonal difficulties, elderly emotional issues, family relationship difficulties, and end-of-life. She learned about Bowen Theory when she was studying the Master of Social Science (Counselling) programme at the University of Hong Kong. After learning various counselling approaches, she began to pursue more in-depth study of Bowen Theory and starts to apply the theory in daily life and clinical settings. Shirley is a member of the COF (Circle of Friends) Think Tank of ISS Family Institute since 2013. She has been helping with the coordination of the Family Institute’s activities as well as teaching of courses.
Shirley has rich experience working with the business sector, especially with local and international media companies in cross-culture environments. She obtained her MBA degree from EMBA programme of The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her experiences and training gained from the business world helped her much in understanding the complexity of human relationships in different settings.
Ms. Jessie Tse - M.Soc.Sc.(Counselling), R.S.W.
Jessie learnt Bowen family systems theory since studying the Master of Social Sciences (Counselling) programme at HKU in 2009. This formal training was her milestone to study Bowen theory through courses, workshops, supervision group and conferences by ISSFI since 2011. She was invited to join the Circle of Friends Think Tank to initiate activities for the ISSFI Circle of Friends since 2013.
Jessie is a school social worker in a non-governmental organization. She strives to practice Bowen family systems theory in her daily life, and in the school setting through her casework service, workshops for students and parents. She attended the conference organized by The Family Systems Institute in Sydney in 2013. She also joined the trip to visit the Bowen theory training centre in Taiwan in 2014 to share how Bowen theory can be applied in Chinese society. These cross cultural experiences were valuable for Jessie to consolidate her understanding and applications of Bowen theory in working with parents and students.
Mrs. Janis You - M.Soc.Sc.(Counselling)
Janis You is a family counsellor with deep communications and coaching expertise. Having spent more than two decades working as a senior communications executive across multinational corporations, Janis has a strong understanding of human relationships and ability to work well with people from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds.
Specializing in dealing with family and workplace dynamics, Janis has been providing counselling services for individuals and families since 2012 and her practice has extended to the workplace using family system theory. In recent years, she has offered psychoeducational training to executives based in Hong Kong and Singapore with multicultural backgrounds
Janis is a faculty member of the HK-based ISS Family Institute and offers regular training courses and workshops for parents, educators and mental health practitioners. She also speaks at seminars and conferences to share her insights and research projects into systematic thinking.
Janis graduated with an Honors degree in Mass Communications from Texas State University in the United States and a Master’s degree in Social Science (Counselling) with Distinction from the University of Hong Kong. She also completed the CFA Institute Investment FoundationsTM certificate program.
Certified Counsellors
Our counsellors have Masters degree in Counselling and are Certified Counsellors of the Hong Kong Professional Counselling Assoication.
Counselling Trainees
Through their practicum, our counselling trainees provide counselling service at very affordable fees to the community. All of our couselling trainees have obtained their Masters degree in counselling/ social work, and have experience in counselling or social work service. Their practicum is part of our training programme whereby they learn to apply Bowen theory in their clinical work. The counselling trainees receive regular supervision from Mrs. Peggy Chan.
Enquiry:
Tel (852) 2258 9303
WhatsApp / Text:
(852) 6360 2212
Email:
issfi@isshk.org
Address:
ISS Family Institute
6/F, Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong
FEES / SESSION
Fees / session ( each session 1 hour):
- Counselling Intern: HKD $200
- Certified Counsellors: HKD $500 – $800
- Senior Counsellor & Family Therapist: HKD 1,500 / session (1 hour)
Service Hours:
Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.