Therapy
Magda's role as a mental health counselor is that of a helper and a partner in your journey of change: to heal and grow and accomplish your personal goals. I take a holistic approach, looking at inner, emotional, spiritual, physical, and behavioural health.
She has a passion for working with women, men, and teens from age 16 up who struggle with a wide variety of issues such as: Depression and other mood disorders; Anxiety disorders; PTSD; Developmental / complex trauma; Relationship struggles; Trust issues; Self-esteem issues, imposter syndrome; Grief and loss; Adjustment / Transition issues; Stress; Anger management; Existential issues, purpose; Fear of dying; Exploring spirituality; Unexplainable pains and aches in the body; Feeling chronically tired; General sense of malaise and anything that blocks you from thriving and living to your full potential.
Having grown up in the Netherlands from Indonesian parents of Chinese heritage, Magda has a natural understanding of cross-cultural issues and questions surrounding one’s identity that arise from being from two different cultures, and living in a third.
She has been living an expat life since 1994, and understand firsthand the issues that expats are faced with – be they the trailing spouses or the working expat professionals.
Only later in her career did she come into the mental health field, which was over 15 years ago when she decided to go back to school and get a Masters in Mental Health Counseling. Magda has a broad experience of corporate, entrepreneurial, voluntary, and humanitarian work. Looking back, they have all provided her with experiences that help her relate with people from many walks of life.
Magda's approach to therapy is mostly based on attachment theory and interpersonal neurobiology: She sees people developing through relationships. Looks at what is happening in client’s relationships and at what is happening internally. She very much takes her clients’ nervous systems into the sessions – based on Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory and is optimistic about human potential and take a developmental view: building on people’s strengths and resources. If faith is a resource for you she can integrate spirituality into her work irrespective of your religious orientation or spiritual practice.
She also believes that every body has resources. By learning to (re) connect fully with our bodies, by learning the language of our felt sense, by embodying ourselves fully in the present moment, we can begin to tap into our body’s wisdom and find solid ground. Therefore, Magda often integrates somatic elements in her approach, especially when dealing with trauma and trauma related disorders.
She is very interested in the field of trauma and closely follows the work of renowned trauma experts Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, and Peter Levine. She also uses Brainspotting: a body-brain-based relational therapy that was developed by Dr. David Grand to help clients with trauma and trauma based disorders. Brainspotting has truly revolutionised the way she works with her clients.
Magda's learning is an ongoing journey which is also required to maintain her certification with the National Board of Certified Counselors in the United States.
EDUCATION
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M.Sc. Mental Health Counseling (University of Massachusetts, MA, USA)
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M.A. Culture, Organization and Management (VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands)
LICENSE / PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP
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U.S. National Board of Certified Counselors #258798 (NBCC)
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American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA)
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Malaysian Marriage and Family Therapy Association (MyMFT)
ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
She has received training / obtained additional qualifications in:
Brainspotting phase 1,2, 3, and intensive Brainspotting and am a Brainspotting Consultant
Discernment counseling
EMDR I
Systemic Therapy
Trauma therapy
Existential therapy
Somatic Experiencing: Introduction, level 1, Somatic Experiencing interventions with children
LANGUAGES
Dutch (native), English (fluent), and working knowledge of Bahasa Indonesia, German, Portuguese and Mandarin Chinese.
