With her keen mind, expertise and ample of compassion, Yi Shing helped me work through a life time of abusive relationships. My life, my health, my work were all in a mess.

I took the big step to see Yi Shing, but I was not ready to unlock those memories, worried what might happen next. When I finally did, I was surprised.

When Yi Shing did what she called “overtaxing the working memory”, each time I ended up laughing, no matter how dreadful the memory was. The index of distress went down quickly. The memories faded. It was quite unbelievable.

I did my darn best to find the old pictures that scared me, just to check that they were truly gone. Some were blurred and shredded like a corrupted document. Others were there but I am looking from outside and afar. No longer trapped, powerless and scared.

Client, in her 50s

I have been a star performer all my life, so I was bitter when I didn’t get that promotion. My boss said I need to scold less and take feedback better. I considered my colleagues losers.

When my progress stalled, I sought out Yi Shing to get a dose of performance enhancement to get back on track to stardom.

I regaled Yi Shing with tales of my triumphs, but she asked about my bad rap in the office. I was not pleased. I blocked her “I was born this way”.

But that question dropped a little seed in my mind, and all tumbled out in one session. I grew up with bullies: my parents were harsh, critical and demanding. I had to be like them to defend myself. When my armour as a tough guy was removed, I was sad and fragile inside. My parents didn’t care for me. They only wanted a trophy son.

We “metabolised” (Yi Shing’s words) memories of those troubled years. At the end of our therapy, I became calmer. I was even patient with the “lesser beings” in my company.

A different me is back on track. It’s been hell of a journey, I learnt so much from our work together.

Client, in his 40s

Yi Shing explained brain plasticity. I didn’t believe her. Because my mood depends on that habit, I could not live without it. Under family pressure, I went to see Yi Shing, but I was filled with doubts.

This is a summary of what I learnt: my behaviour started after a series of setbacks I preferred to forget. This habit made me feel better, so I became dependent on it.

As we worked through those years, I noticed the urge to the old habit slowly seeped away. In the end, even when I deliberately, as part of the therapy, went to the places and met the people, I was not tempted.

I am still “clean” after a year. I want to tell others, especially the senior citizens, old dogs can learn new tricks, and then the old dogs can have a new life!

Client, in his 70s

My experience of the therapy has been outstanding: I learnt how to switch focus to change my behaviour instead of expecting my wife to change hers, to see things from her perspective, and to accept that certain things in life will not change and I have to learn to deal with them. We are calmer, and our marriage is on the mend.

Client, in his 40s

So many simple plain truths and basic good manners got lost in our fights, years of fights. It was like we forgotten, like Yi Shing said, we were life partners, not enemies. I could see all the wrongs about my wife but didn’t notice how I talked hurt her.

Through our sessions, we now have the skill to help us stop our painful arguments before they start. It is hard work, and we have to continue to work. But we are seeing early results: our home is less tense and cold. We feel better about each other.

Client, in his 50s

It was a journey of self-discovery: I learnt things about myself I never realised before, and why my partner and I were stuck in these cycles for so long. I learnt that my partner too could be suffering and experiencing pain. So instead of attacking to defend myself, I learnt to listen.

Although we have decided to part ways, we agreed on that with maturity and calm. I am at peace with myself and how my relationship ended. Therapy helped us to achieve that.

Client, in her 30s