VARIAN MONTEIRO

• Addictions
• Trauma
• Couples / Relationships
• Problematic sexual behaviour
• Shame and Guilt Management

• MSc Addiction Studies – King’s College London, London, UK.
• MSc Psychology – University to Glasgow, Scotland, UK (ongoing).
• BA Interdisciplinary Studies – Adams State University, Colorado, US.
• Singapore Association for Counselling Member
• British Psychological Society Member

Having an ongoing interest in the intertwined workings of the mind and body, Varian is decidedly enthusiastic about counselling and all things psychology-related. Adopting a client-centred humanistic approach as the driving form of his counselling style, he has been assisting clients in managing their behaviours in one-to-one and group sessions since 2013. He began his counselling journey by being introduced to behavioural addictions and impulse control difficulties, which also happens to be one of his areas of speciality. He has facilitated all-male support groups for sex addiction, and behaviour modification for problematic sexual behaviours, in both private and governmental settings. In these two environments, Varian worked with clients on their psychoeducation and to relearn the shame and guilt surrounding addiction. While he provides multiple tools to guide clients onto their paths of recovery, he draws upon several other techniques that are beneficial to his clients; focusing strongly on emotions while involving some cognitive behavioural and dialectical behavioural approaches. As a natural extension of being involved in addiction work, he has since included trauma and trauma recovery as part of his areas of speciality. When counselling couples, Varian uses the Gottman’s Couple Therapy method to help with gridlocked issues, past trauma and hurt, faulty communication patterns, and emotional disconnect. Using this method as a framework, he favours including other various couple therapy approaches (e.g., Imago Relationship Therapy). His other related work involves anxiety, depression, and anger management.

Varian is also completing his training as an Associate Coach for emotional resiliency (as accredited by the International Coaching Federation). He sees emotional resiliency as propitious in providing extended care to current clients, and supportive of the personal development work that he does with them. As his way of giving back to the community, Varian collaborates with various organizations yearly to actualize events in recognition of World Mental Health Day. In 2022, he directed Jazz Association’s (Singapore) (JASS) debut mental health event that live-streamed speakers’ teachings on Robert Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions, combined with music as self-therapy. Again as programme lead, he coproduced Aftercare 2022 with the Eurasian Association; an afternoon workshop touching on sabotaging mindsets, and utilizing drama in therapy.