<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Essence Psychology]]></title><description><![CDATA[Essence Psychology is a multidisciplinary mental health practice in Singapore. Psychologists and counsellors support individuals, couples and families]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2026 13:54:32 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[How is it that we feel more connected today than ever in history, and yet we feel more lonely than ever?]]></title><description><![CDATA[We have never been so connected.
We can send a message to someone within seconds, know what our friends are up to worldwide, share moments in real time, and be informed of the life of a hundred people without having to talk to anyone.

But for many, it seems, we are more isolated today than we have ever been.

Maybe we haven't lost connection. Maybe we've subtly begun trading in our Heart for our fingers and keys.]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/how-is-it-that-we-feel-more-connected-today-than-ever-in-history-and-yet-we-feel-more-lonely-than-e</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6ac600c25b53394eb6ad723a</guid><pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2026 07:45:01 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/86017e_44f11c674c94445ea48f5660414f325b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_853,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Gloria Tay</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Unseen Observer: How AI is Redefining Privacy and Interpersonal Trust]]></title><description><![CDATA[As AI seamlessly integrates into our personal and professional lives, we are freely handing over vast, highly detailed datasets. We share financial statements, proprietary documents, and, increasingly, the innermost thoughts of our private lives.
If the digital structures cannot protect us, how do we find reassurance? The answer lies in reclaiming the boundaries within our physical, human lives.
]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/the-unseen-observer-how-ai-is-redefining-privacy-and-interpersonal-trust</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6ac26c7bd926e3d9b005c88f</guid><pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2026 15:31:09 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/86017e_7f4cd32443ba4cf3b737b2f225199384~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_924,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Oberdan Marianetti</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Truth About Your Imposter Syndrome]]></title><description><![CDATA[In Integrative Essence Therapy, we recognise that the roles you curate to survive and succeed are constructed from the very real, raw material that exists within you. You use your genuine intellect, your actual resilience, and your real stamina to meet the demands of your audience.

Your professional persona isn't a fake. It simply lacks integration.]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/the-truth-about-your-imposter-syndrome</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6ac256e4d926e3d9b005a188</guid><category><![CDATA[Essence & Alignment]]></category><category><![CDATA[High-Functioning]]></category><category><![CDATA[IET]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2026 14:11:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/86017e_5093b5ba688e4b0bb7bd99aa2f74d1d8~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_924,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Oberdan Marianetti</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Warning Lights of Success]]></title><description><![CDATA[In our professional lives, we are taught that true resilience means pushing through discomfort at all costs. But imagine driving down the motorway and a red warning light comes on. 

You wouldn't ignore it. Yet, we do this to ourselves every single day.]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/the-warning-lights-of-success</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6ac228add926e3d9b00546af</guid><category><![CDATA[Essence & Alignment]]></category><category><![CDATA[High-Functioning]]></category><category><![CDATA[IET]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2026 10:33:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/86017e_2c175a02181e4ff6b64f0395397ed81d~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_924,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Oberdan Marianetti</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What is the true social cost of high-functioning adaptability?]]></title><description><![CDATA[If you are a high-functioning individual, you likely pride yourself on being "low maintenance" in your friendships and social circles. 
You are the person who has everything put together. 
You handle high-pressure situations gracefully.

However, presenting this relentless competence has three distinct side effects. Read more. ]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/what-is-the-true-social-cost-of-high-functioning-adaptability</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6abb697ecadb77f1f91fd6f6</guid><category><![CDATA[Essence & Alignment]]></category><category><![CDATA[High-Functioning]]></category><category><![CDATA[IET]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2026 07:38:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/86017e_3210577f1c80405bb48087e069dd7677~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_924,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Oberdan Marianetti</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[3 Workplace Lessons That Can Change How You Work]]></title><description><![CDATA[While the workplace is often the arena where high-performers feel the most successful, it is also where they are the most vulnerable. 

In this article, we summarise the top three lessons we have learned.]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/3-workplace-lessons-that-can-change-how-you-work</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6abb666d39294532757cfd90</guid><category><![CDATA[Essence & Alignment]]></category><category><![CDATA[High-Functioning]]></category><category><![CDATA[IET]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2026 07:29:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/86017e_0fddc3d6a03940d9a5206ba86546ff29~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_924,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Oberdan Marianetti</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Are We Coping Or Avoiding]]></title><description><![CDATA[Experiential avoidance is not merely a symptom of psychological distress but is one of its central engines, linked across hundreds of independent studies and multiple meta-analyses to poorer outcomes in mental health, in addiction, and in physical illness alike.

What this means practically is that therapies which work directly on our willingness to make room for difficult thoughts and feelings, rather than on our capacity to defeat them, are addressing something with real mechanistic weight.]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/are-we-coping-or-avoiding</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a956f605bedecf2a63fe47c</guid><category><![CDATA[Essence & Alignment]]></category><category><![CDATA[High-Functioning]]></category><category><![CDATA[Self-Development]]></category><category><![CDATA[Wellbeing]]></category><category><![CDATA[Trauma Healing]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 21 Sep 2026 06:54:25 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/473562_7cb196f921cc4ebdb0f107f87b4396aa~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Malancha</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Relating to the Eldest Daughter - More Than just "The Responsible One": What Research Says About Eldest Daughters]]></title><description><![CDATA[What "Eldest Daughter Syndrome" Actually Describes.  
Parentification describes what happens when the usual boundary between parent and child gets distorted, and a child begins taking on adult-level roles and responsibilities within the family system before they're developmentally ready to carry them, and often without ever being asked directly.]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/relating-to-the-eldest-daughter-more-than-just-the-responsible-one-what-research-says-about-eld</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a82b80f6f644c8dfb451137</guid><category><![CDATA[Family]]></category><category><![CDATA[Self-Development]]></category><category><![CDATA[High-Functioning]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 15 Sep 2026 07:33:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2bdf4c_476b0c8d79c24de0a0e60d5cfde99d61~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Chitra</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Myth of the Cotton-Wool Couch: How Are We Getting Therapy All Wrong?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Therapy is not simply an hour of tea, sympathy (or empathy), and unconditional validation. If therapy is done well, it hurts. It feels scary. It is deeply confronting.

It is for those who are structurally robust enough to handle the friction of genuine growth.]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/the-myth-of-the-cotton-wool-couch-how-are-we-getting-therapy-all-wrong</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a9548a44399a87307321093</guid><category><![CDATA[Self-Development]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 31 Aug 2026 09:38:49 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/86017e_1042ec3ead7f4e26abcd5174b8cc14de~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_853,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Oberdan Marianetti</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[When Do Parents Need to Seek Psychological Support? A guide for parents in Singapore]]></title><description><![CDATA[It may be worth seeking support if you:
• Feel constantly stressed, overwhelmed or emotionally drained
• Find yourself becoming more irritable or impatient than usual
• Struggle to switch off from work or family responsibilities
• Feel guilty about not being a "good enough" parent
• Are finding it difficult to balance work, parenting and relationships
READ MORE on the blog]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/when-do-parents-need-to-seek-psychological-support-a-guide-for-parents-in-singapore</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a89c5ddf46f94d7c1a1cb8a</guid><pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 06:25:09 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/603fbe_a73e008ebc4b4fb496424b3c0ac75e10~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>nikole.kwok</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[3 Relationship Lessons Every High-Functioning Person Needs to Learn]]></title><description><![CDATA[There are specific, often hidden challenges that high-functioning individuals face in their personal lives and relationships.

1. The Defence of Self-Sufficiency
For the high-functioning person, doing everything yourself looks like a mark of fierce independence. In reality, it is a wall. Self-sufficiency is a sophisticated defence mechanism designed to help you avoid the vulnerability of having to rely on another person.
]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/3-relationship-lessons-every-high-functioning-person-needs-to-learn</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a86d1a97bc8a5afc31172ec</guid><category><![CDATA[IET]]></category><category><![CDATA[High-Functioning]]></category><category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:21:10 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/86017e_a818edda79904e19932d0b0c6679b1dd~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_924,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Oberdan Marianetti</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Do High-Functioning Individuals Struggle With Receiving?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Why do we push away the very support we might desperately need?
In Integrative Essence Therapy, we explore how relentless giving acts as a shield. When you are providing solutions and support, you are operating from a place of competence and control. It is a form of protection.]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/why-do-high-functioning-individuals-struggle-with-receiving</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a7ee182558997a4ae3cee56</guid><pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2026 09:42:56 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/86017e_646a559ee0bc414a9c245e7fb1f3f51b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_924,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Oberdan Marianetti</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Two Selves: Why We Can Thrive at Work but Disconnect at Home]]></title><description><![CDATA[He described feeling depleted and oddly avoidant, as if the version of himself that showed up for everyone else seemed to disappear the moment he entered through the front door. The contrast left him confused and ashamed: how could he feel so disconnected with the people he loved most? He came for therapy because he felt terrible about what was happening to his relationship with his wife and daughters.]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/the-two-selves-why-we-can-thrive-at-work-but-disconnect-at-home</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a689e3771e3b7d8ea3bc7d9</guid><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 08:34:59 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/473562_c54985b488014e6ea3d067207cce1b80~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Malancha</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why High-Functioning People Often Struggle in Silence]]></title><description><![CDATA["High-functioning" isn't a clinical diagnosis, but it's a term commonly used to describe people who continue to meet the demands of daily life despite experiencing significant internal distress.
On paper, everything looks fine. Internally, however, they may be running on empty.]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/why-high-functioning-people-often-struggle-in-silence</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a5d914407012931ee17860d</guid><category><![CDATA[Essence & Alignment]]></category><category><![CDATA[High-Functioning]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2026 08:26:52 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2bdf4c_74dc21b3313b4c50a86a4eb0b96778b1~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Chitra</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[IET Insight #26 What happens when you gradually compromise on your values?]]></title><description><![CDATA[In my practice, I rarely see relationships collapse overnight. Instead, I see them fade through tiny, imperceptible compromises. It is the small irritation that you rationalise. It is the gentle boundary crossing that you justify because you want to maintain harmony and convenience.]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/iet-insight-26-what-happens-when-you-gradually-compromise-on-your-values</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a745256421979b2d96d6557</guid><category><![CDATA[High-Functioning]]></category><category><![CDATA[Essence & Alignment]]></category><category><![CDATA[IET]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2026 09:29:34 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/86017e_912be68affb44d99ab1a5b10010cb147~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_924,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Oberdan Marianetti</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Insight #25 Why Does Physical Intimacy Become a Performance? ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Have you ever walked away from a physical encounter with your partner where everything objectively went well, yet you felt a lingering sense of emptiness, dissatisfaction, or disconnection?]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/insight-25-why-does-physical-intimacy-become-a-performance</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a71bd2374653e170f8dfdbc</guid><category><![CDATA[High-Functioning]]></category><category><![CDATA[IET]]></category><category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2026 10:27:11 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/86017e_dc43ab8e41c2430f96daa5386d82d8e8~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_924,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Oberdan Marianetti</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[When Should I Consider Psychological Therapy for My Child? A Guide for Parents in Singapore]]></title><description><![CDATA[Therapy isn't just for children with serious mental health conditions. It can also help children develop the skills and confidence they need to navigate everyday challenges.]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/when-should-i-consider-psychological-therapy-for-my-child-a-guide-for-singapore-parents</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a623730b252e37e4d35650b</guid><category><![CDATA[Family]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 28 Jul 2026 07:21:19 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/603fbe_11381929cb5a46a5a4596fcccfb7261b~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>nikole.kwok</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Does Helping Our Partner So Often Backfire?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Your partner doesn't need an executive coach or a flowchart. They need to feel you energetically and emotionally present next to them.]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/why-does-helping-our-partner-so-often-backfire</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a61d3b1b252e37e4d343f57</guid><category><![CDATA[IET]]></category><category><![CDATA[High-Functioning]]></category><category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 08:57:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/86017e_07294df33ae7457b858cbc84391fdf65~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_924,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Oberdan Marianetti</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Do We Feel Over Responsible For Our Partner?]]></title><description><![CDATA[In our professional lives, being hyper-responsible is a virtue. We are rewarded for carrying everything, anticipating failures, and resolving friction before it disrupts the system.

But when we bring this same default setting into our intimate relationships, it acts as a silent erosion.]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/why-do-we-feel-over-responsible-for-our-partner</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a61cd1b424f5a9980a3e790</guid><category><![CDATA[High-Functioning]]></category><category><![CDATA[IET]]></category><category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category><category><![CDATA[Essence & Alignment]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2026 08:16:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/86017e_f90c21eca79a4299b0e3a8bc9d2431e6~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_924,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Oberdan Marianetti</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why Do We Confuse Relational Struggle With Relational Depth?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Because high-functioning people are masters at navigating friction and solving problems, they become deeply conditioned to find safety within tension. Their internal equation is simple: Familiar equals safe.

The shadow side of this conditioning appears when a relationship is actually running smoothly. When a partnership is light-hearted, supportive, and completely easy-going, the system doesn't experience relief. It experiences a profound lack of familiarity.]]></description><link>https://www.essencepsychology.com.sg/post/why-do-we-confuse-relational-struggle-with-relational-depth</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a609ab3e75006338f5b4e6a</guid><category><![CDATA[High-Functioning]]></category><category><![CDATA[IET]]></category><category><![CDATA[Relationships]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:38:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/86017e_1add0fa8b9dd4fd8a5e9f642227f74b0~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_924,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Oberdan Marianetti</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>