Ms Mabel Yum Po Shan

Mabel places emphasis on holding space for her clients to explore their challenges and working collaboratively with them towards their therapeutic goals.  While she has a vast amount of clinical experience in delivering Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), she also adopts other evidence-based therapeutic interventions including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).  Mabel believes that everyone’s needs are varied, hence she would carefully select a therapeutic approach that best fits her clients’ needs.

Her higher education journey started at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), where she earned her Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons), majoring in Psychology. Subsequently, she pursued a Master of Social Sciences in Applied Psychology, specializing in Counselling and Health, at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Building upon her foundation, she undertook a Master of Social Sciences in Clinical Psychology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).

Mabel’s journey as a clinical psychologist began more than two decades ago, working in various psychiatric and medical hospitals in Hong Kong and Singapore. She has been instrumental in providing psychological consultation for patients dealing with emotional and psychological challenges, as well as those with obesity and other medical conditions. Her role as the lead psychologist for the Weight Management program at the Integrated Centre for Obesity and Diabetes (ICOD) at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) underscores her commitment and expertise in this area. Mabel and other ICOD core team members were awarded the National Healthcare Group (NHG) Team Recognition Award – Gold in 2021 for their continual exemplary multi-disciplinary team efforts in managing obesity.

In addition to her clinical duties, Mabel is dedicated to the education and training of future clinical psychologists. She has 14 years of experience in supervising clinical psychologists and Master of Clinical Psychology students from the National University of Singapore (NUS). As the former Head of Psychology Service and Principal Clinical Psychologist at KTPH, she played a pivotal role in developing online training courses to enhance the skills of allied health staff for transdisciplinary care.

Her professional excellence has been recognized with numerous awards, including the NHG Teaching Excellence Award for Allied Health Senior Educator in 2019 and 2022. Additionally, she received a sponsorship from Alexandra Health Pte Ltd for advanced training in weight management at Duke University, USA in 2011

An active voice in the local media, Mabel promotes mental health and weight management through various channels. She has contributed to significant discussions, including a commentary on CNA titled “Losing weight after festive eating is not just about diet and exercise” in 2022, and articles on managing anxiety about reopening post-COVID-19.

Mabel’s work continues to impact the lives of many, fostering better mental health and well-being across various populations.

Media Articles

• With Omicron threat, will returning to offices and schools bring new anxieties?, Channel News Asia: https://www.zaobao.com.sg/lifestyle/health/story20210706-1165272
• Losing weight after festive eating is not just about diet and exercise, Channel News Asia: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/post-festive-eating-weight-loss-diet-exercise-psychology-2476816

Professional Appointments

• SRP Approved Supervisor (Singapore)
• Member of Singapore Register of Psychologists (SRP) (Clinical)
• Member of Register of Clinical Psychologists accredited by the Department of Health in Hong Kong
• Associate Fellow, The Hong Kong Psychological Society