The Calming Ark Psychological Services

Our Team

Psychologist Elaine Sum
Elaine Sum

Elaine Sum
Senior Clinical Psychologist
M.Psych (Clinical)

Elaine is a Senior Clinical Psychologist who graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology). Thereafter, she received the Ministry of Health Holdings’ Healthcare Graduate Studies Award and completed her Master of Psychology (Clinical) jointly from the University of Melbourne and the National University of Singapore.

Elaine’s years at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) in Singapore provided her with vast exposure to a wide variety of mental health conditions and diverse cultures. Above all, Elaine deeply appreciates the opportunity to journey with each of these individuals through their emotional struggles and life stressors. From these experiences, Elaine developed her clinical interests in Trauma/Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Mood and Anxiety Disorders and Psychogastroenterology.

At IMH, Elaine worked with patients in the outpatient, inpatient, as well as forensic settings, providing both psychological therapy and assessments. She is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR; Level 3), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Schema Therapy, and other forms of psychological therapies.

Elaine adopts a holistic, person-centered, and trauma-informed model of care. She strives to create a safe space for clients to process difficult emotions and distressing life experiences whilst journeying with them through life’s storms. Elaine also values psychology as a platform to address physiological responses to emotional distress. With compassion, warmth, and empathy, Elaine respectfully integrates various psychological techniques into a full therapy toolkit designed to meet the specific needs of each individual client. Elaine believes that regardless of one’s past adversities and/or current challenges, everyone can gradually heal and grow towards emotional health and wholeness.

Elaine speaks both English and Mandarin.