CAREER COUNSELLING

The beginning of a new school year often brings a renewed sense of planning. There may be new projects to prepare, services to promote, meetings to arrange, and goals to set.

For adults with ADHD, however, setting a goal does not always bring clarity. Sometimes it starts a chain reaction.

A new goal may lead to ten new ideas. Then another ten. Inspiration may appear in the shower, during meals, while doing household tasks, or just before sleep. The ADHD mind is often not short of creativity, motivation, or possible solutions. The challenge is deciding which idea to follow first — and how to turn it into action.

You may have experience, knowledge, and genuine ability. Yet you may still find yourself feeling mentally overloaded, as though your mind is constantly running but you are unable to move forward.

This is not laziness. It is not a lack of effort.

For many adults with ADHD, the difficulty lies in managing the volume of thoughts, demands, responsibilities, and choices that arrive at the same time. This can be especially challenging for parents, carers, and professionals who spend much of their day responding to other people’s needs. By the time there is space for their own work, there may be very little time, energy, or mental capacity left.

It can feel like a funnel: ideas, tasks, messages, family responsibilities, and expectations are continuously poured in from the top, while the outlet is narrow. When the system becomes blocked, it may look like procrastination from the outside. Internally, it often feels more like anxiety, exhaustion, and not knowing where to begin.

The aim is not to force yourself to do more. Instead, it may be helpful to create a system that works with your ADHD brain.

1. Protect time for your own work
It is easy to put everyone else’s needs first and leave your own work until the end of the day. However, your time deserves to be planned for too.

Try setting aside a short, protected period for focused work. It does not need to be several hours. A clear and realistic block of time, with one defined task, can be more effective than sitting at a desk for a whole day while feeling distracted or guilty.

2. Create an “Idea Parking Lot”
A busy ADHD mind may produce new ideas before the current task is complete. Rather than trying to remember every idea — or immediately acting on it — create one trusted place to put it.

This could be an Evernote note called “Idea Parking Lot.”

When a new idea appears, write it down and tell yourself: “This idea matters. I do not need to do it right now.”

This practice can reduce the anxiety of forgetting while allowing you to return to what is already in front of you.

3. Choose only three tasks per day
A long to-do list can quickly become overwhelming. Instead of writing down twenty tasks, select three meaningful and achievable tasks for the day.

For example:
One task that moves your work or business forward

One administrative or practical task

One task that supports your wellbeing

Completing three tasks is progress. The rest can wait. Reducing the number of choices can also reduce decision fatigue.

4. Break tasks into the smallest next step
Tasks such as “do marketing,” “plan a workshop,” or “organise my business” are too broad for the brain to know where to start.

Try asking: What is the smallest next action I can take?

For example, “do marketing” can become “write one Instagram caption.” “Plan a workshop” can become “list three workshop themes.” Small steps lower the barrier to starting, and each completed step builds confidence and momentum.

5. Let someone know your goal
Self-imposed deadlines can be difficult to maintain when ADHD makes time feel flexible or distant. Sharing a goal and a timeframe with a trusted supervisor, colleague, friend, or coach can create gentle accountability.

This is not about pressure or fear of failure. It is about having another person who knows what matters to you and can support you to return to your intention.

6. Seek the right kind of support
ADHD coaching can offer a structured, collaborative space to identify priorities, break goals into manageable actions, build accountability, and develop work systems that fit your real life.

Having many ideas is not a weakness. Creativity, energy, and the ability to see multiple possibilities can be significant strengths. The key is finding a way to hold those ideas without allowing them to overwhelm you.

With the right support and a system that suits your brain, the flow of ideas does not have to feel like a burden. It can become one of your greatest strengths.

Cindy Sau Yee Cheung & AM Team

Cindy Sau Yee Cheung is an EFT Therapist, Counsellor, and ADHD Coach. She supports adults, parents, and families through personal growth, emotional healing, parent-child challenges, and practical ADHD-friendly strategies for daily life and work. She provides counselling and coaching in Cantonese and English.

If you find yourself constantly overwhelmed by ideas, responsibilities, and unfinished tasks, ADHD coaching may help you build a clearer, more manageable, and sustainable way of working.

The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice or guidance. The author and publisher of this article are not liable for any damages or losses that may result from following the information provided. It is recommended that you consult with a qualified professional before making any decisions based on the information in this article.

Language: English

Could this be you?

• Are you feeling overwhelmed by workplace pressure, with stress that follows you home long after the working day ends?
• Have you reached a crossroads in your career and feel unsure which direction to take — or whether you have the strength to take it?
• Do you find yourself running on empty, using coping strategies that no longer serve you — or that you know are holding you back?
• Are you ready to stop simply enduring difficulties and start building the resilience to face them with confidence and clarity?
• Do you know your health needs to change — your weight, your energy, your habits — but feel stuck on where to start or how to make it last?

About Kane – Turning Pressure into Purpose

After 25 years navigating demanding corporate environments across the Asia-Pacific region — including more than a decade in Hong Kong, and earlier chapters in Australia, Japan, Singapore, Bangkok, and Shanghai — Kane Steele is making a deliberate transition into counselling as a counsellor-in-training. The reason is clear: he has seen, first-hand, what sustained stress and an absence of resilience can do to talented, capable people. And he is here to help change that.

Kane's work is grounded in the belief that resilience is not a personality trait you either have or don't have — it is a set of skills, strategies, and mental habits that can be learned, practised, and strengthened. His clients learn to draw on their own inner resources when conditions are at their hardest, emerging not just intact but with greater clarity, confidence, and direction than before.

Kane's interest in counselling extends beyond the psychological into the holistic. Having navigated his own significant health journey — including reversing a fatty liver diagnosis within six weeks through disciplined changes to nutrition, movement, and daily habits — he brings a deeply personal and evidence-informed understanding of what it takes to change not just your mind, but your body and your life. He has presented on health and wellness transformation, covering the science of fat metabolism, body composition, nutrition, strength training, and the psychological discipline required to make change sustainable. His life formula — discipline, fitness, clean eating, sun, nature — reflects a whole-person approach to wellbeing that he brings into the counselling room. Kane understands that physical health and mental health are not separate: they are two sides of the same coin, and that sustainable resilience is built through attending to both.

“Resilience is not about being unaffected by difficulty. It is about developing the knowledge, the tools, and the mindset to navigate difficulty — and to grow because of it.” – Inspired by the lessons of resilience at qf32.aero (book a session to learn more).

With a background spanning high-pressure commercial roles — including company-wide digital transformation in both senior management and C-suite positions — across sectors including technology, retail, manufacturing, and fast-moving consumer goods, and across markets as culturally distinct as Australia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, mainland China, Hong Kong, the United States, the United Kingdom, and parts of Europe — Kane brings to each session a genuine understanding of what professional life in the Asia-Pacific region demands. Having lived and worked across these diverse cultures, he has developed a deep appreciation for the importance of understanding different cultural contexts, customs, and the unique pressures they place on individuals. He understands what it means to be an outsider finding your footing, to manage across cultures, and to build a career far from home. He has lived the pressures his clients describe — the competing deadlines, the identity questions that come with career transitions, the exhaustion that accumulates when we don't know how to switch off, the quiet sense that our current coping strategies simply aren't working any more.

Whether you are a finance professional navigating a high-stakes pivot, a technology leader managing burnout, an expat questioning whether your career in Asia still aligns with who you are, or simply someone who has reached a point where the old ways of coping are no longer enough — Kane's blend of cultural fluency and counselling training means you will feel genuinely understood.

His approach is collaborative, pragmatic, and always forward-facing. Kane works with you to understand the patterns that are keeping you stuck, to develop coping mechanisms tailored to your life and circumstances, and to build the kind of durable, long-term resilience that carries you through not just today's challenges but tomorrow's as well.

Specialisations – Areas Kane Works In
Kane specialises in helping clients with:

• Stress Management — Workplace, life, and relationship stress
• Resilience Building — Lasting mental toughness and adaptability
• Coping Mechanisms — Replacing unhelpful patterns with effective strategies
• Career Counselling — Direction, transitions, and professional identity
• Burnout & Exhaustion — Recognising and recovering from burnout
• Health & Wellness Counselling — Integrating physical and mental wellbeing
• Nutrition & Lifestyle — Sustainable habits around food, movement, and daily routine
• Weight Management & Body Composition — Holistic, psychology-informed approach
• Life Transitions — Managing change with confidence and clarity
• Expat & Relocation Challenges — The unique pressures of life abroad
• LGBTQIA+ Affirmative Counselling — A safe, inclusive space for all
• ADHD & Neurodiversity — Working with how your mind actually works
• Childhood Trauma & PTSD — Processing the past to free the present

The Approach – Real-World Experience Meets Evidence-Based Practice
What sets Kane apart is the combination of lived experience and professional training. He doesn't just understand the theory of workplace stress and career uncertainty — he has navigated both across multiple countries, industries, and life stages. That experience creates a foundation of authentic connection in the counselling room: clients feel understood because Kane genuinely understands.

Therapeutically, Kane draws on a range of evidence-based modalities adapted to everyone’s needs and goals. He does not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Some clients need practical tools they can apply immediately to reduce the intensity of stress responses. Others need to explore the deeper patterns that drive their choices — particularly around careers and relationships. Kane moves at your pace, in the direction that is most useful to you.

Sessions are available in person at AMindset's Central Hong Kong office, and online for clients across Asia, Australia, the UK, Europe, and anywhere else in the world. Kane works with professionals, executives, creatives, expatriates, and anyone who wants to build a stronger, more resilient version of themselves — regardless of where they are in the world or where they are in life.

Credentials – Professional Registrations, Memberships & Qualifications
Kane holds the following professional registrations and academic qualifications. Clients searching for a counsellor-in-training in Hong Kong, or a credentialled counselling student working under clinical supervision, can be assured of Kane's commitment to professional and ethical standards.

Professional Registrations & Memberships
Greater Bay Counselling and Psychology Association — Student Member No. 069 — Hong Kong & Greater Bay Area
AMindset Psychological Services — Counsellor-in-Training, working under clinical supervision — Hong Kong

Academic Qualifications
Master of Counselling — Monash University, Australia (In Progress)
Honours Degree of Bachelor of Business & Commerce, eBusiness — Monash University, Australia
Bachelor of Business & Commerce, Management — Monash University, Australia
Diploma of Information Technology — Chisholm Institute, Australia
Kane is completing his Master of Counselling and works as part of the AMindset team under appropriate clinical supervision.

Ready to Build Your Resilience?
A free 20-minute introductory consultation is available for new clients. Take the first step — it costs nothing and could change everything.

Find out more about the LCC program here.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us here.

NEW LCC CLIENTS, PLEASE START HERE

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Psychotherapist and Group Counsellor. IFS level 1

Languages: English, German and Dutch. 

Contact Elise Phillipson HERE for a free online 20-minute introduction appointment.

• Are you feeling weighed down by the pain and anger of your past family dynamics, your parents' divorce, even though it happened years ago, for example?
• Do you feel like you have to be perfect all the time because of the constant criticism from your parents growing up? 
• Do you struggle with expressing your feelings and setting boundaries in your relationships? 
• Are unresolved issues from childhood causing tension and arguments in your adult relationships? 
• Is your life negatively impacted by an over-dependence on alcohol or drugs?
• As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, have you faced rejection and judgment from your family and society?

It's okay to feel this way. You are not alone. In fact, many people struggle with the after-effects of negative experiences, past and present, which can lead to depression, anxiety, and anger issues.

It's not uncommon to carry unresolved childhood trauma into adulthood, impacting every aspect of your life. But there is hope for healing. Through a psychodynamic and psychoanalytic approach, we can work through these emotions and find ways to cope and move forward.

Communication is key in any relationship, but it can be especially challenging when you've grown up in a social and family environment that didn't communicate effectively. If you struggle to express your own needs and boundaries, I can help you learn how to communicate more effectively and build stronger relationships.

Betrayals and broken promises can make it hard to trust others and be vulnerable. But it's important to remember that not everyone is the same. Together, we can work on building trust and learning how to open up in a safe and supportive environment.

As a psychotherapist working with a range of modalities, I can help you work through life's challenges which will enable you to find a path towards healthier relationships, at a professional and personal level. 

If you're worried about being judged or misunderstood, please know that I provide a safe and non-judgmental space for all my clients. 

I also have worked extensively with the LBBTQ+ community and can understand the unique challenges and experiences you may face. I can provide a space where you can feel comfortable sharing your thoughts and feelings so you can work through the trauma of rejection, judgment and misunderstandings and learn how to accept and love yourself for who you are.

I understand the challenges you're facing, and I want to help you break free from the unhealthy patterns of your past. Together, we can explore the root causes of these patterns, work through the unresolved trauma and conflicts that are holding you back and find ways to create new, healthier habits to help you live your best life, creating intergenerational change. 

Together, we'll help you overcome feelings of insecurity and unworthiness, and learn how to express your needs, boundaries, and emotions in healthy ways.

And please don't worry about dredging up painful memories from your past. We'll move at your pace and create a safe and supportive environment for you to express your feelings without fear of judgment or misunderstanding.

I understand that some people may be hesitant to seek therapy, but my approach is different. I use a psychodynamic and psychoanalytic approach, which means I'll help you uncover the root of your problems, and we’ll work through them together.

I understand that seeking therapy can be daunting, but it's important to prioritize your mental health and well-being. If you've had bad experiences with therapy in the past, I invite you to give it another try with me. My goal is to create a safe and non-judgmental space where you can feel heard and supported.

Don't let your past family dynamics hold you back any longer. Let's work together towards a happier and healthier future.

I know that time and money can be a concern, but investing in your mental health is an investment in yourself and your future.

If you're ready to break free from the weight of your past and create a brighter future, don't let your objections hold you back from getting the help you need. Let's work together towards a happier and more fulfilling future. 

I offer flexible scheduling options and affordable rates to make therapy accessible to everyone. 

About Elise

I am a psychotherapist who is committed to helping those going through transitions in their lives – voluntary or involuntary – and including LGBTQ+ communities. Using different counselling modalities, I help you learn how to accept and embrace change, look forward and build or discover new opportunities. I believe in working with you and in taking a collaborative approach to help you alleviate your troubles and to reach your goals (usually in around 12 sessions). If you want or need to go deeper, we can take our time and look at the root causes of your hurt and pain, using psychotherapeutic methods, including psychodynamics, psychoanalysis and existential therapy.

I work from the premise that there are external and internal influences that create how we live in and react to the world. That it is a mix of both as creative beliefs that we are not good enough, carrying the burdens and behaviours of the past, that we are somehow broken, not worthy, or at fault. These beliefs create behaviour and thinking patterns that are there to prove to ourselves that these beliefs are right.

As a psychotherapist, it is my role in your life to create a safe, supported space for you to help you, as the expert in your life, to unravel the origins of these beliefs and see if they still apply. 

The therapeutic process is built on trust, unconditional positive regard and compassionate, open-minded listening from the therapist. It is the therapeutic relationship that will be of most benefit to you and therefore therapy will be geared towards your wants, needs and preferences.

I use a wide range of therapeutic modalities to work with you, as I believe that as each person is unique, there is no one-size-fits-all therapy. When we work through your issues or trauma, I apply and adapt Psychodynamic Therapy, Psychoanalytic Therapy, Internal Family Systems Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Dialectic Behaviour Therapy, and other focused psychological strategies.

I also facilitate group counselling, in which I work with women going through the [peri-]menopause who are looking for support as I go through this prolonged, impactful change. To join, or find out more about these groups, please schedule a free 20 minute initial assessment by emailing office@mindset.hk.

I am Dutch but born in Germany and raised in Hong Kong, so I had a multicultural, tri-lingual upbringing. My background is in the service industry and in teaching, applicable parts of which influence my psychotherapy methods.

Professional Registrations and Memberships:

I have the following professional memberships/registrations:

• Hong Kong – Registered with the Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association and associate member of the Psychotherapy Society of Hong Kong.
• Australia – Certified Practicing Counsellor (Level 2) registered with the Australian Counselling Association.
• United Kingdom – Registered graduate member of the British Psychology Society.

Core Psychology and Psychotherapy Qualifications:

Batchelor of Science (Honours) Psychology with Counselling, First, Open University,  United Kingdom

Master of Counselling, Monash University, Australia

Specialist Training:

I have undertaken and am currently following specialist training from the following institutions: Beck Institute (USA), Internal Family Systems Institute (USA), Pink Therapy (UK), Mental Health Academy (Australia) and Tavistock and Portman, NHS Foundation Trust (UK). 

This gives me the knowledge and skill to work in a range of specialisations and issues:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Distress resulting from
  • dysfunctional upbringing.
  • Trauma
• Self-esteem and self-belief issues.
• Anger (and Violence)
• Life events: bereavement, divorce, empty nest, menopause to name a few

Elise offers counselling sessions in English, German and Dutch.

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Purchase Online Session Purchase F2F Session

Purchase 4-Session Package — Individual Purchase 4-Session Package — Couples

Master of Counselling, Monash University, HK.

Languages: English, Mandarin, or Cantonese. 

Megan Chang-

CBT, DBT, ACT and person-centred therapy counsellor

Contact Megan Chang HERE for a free online 20-minute introduction appointment.

I have been working with clients of all ages facing situations that result in a significant strain on their mental and physical health. For clients who want to find purpose in their lives, make difficult decisions, who suffer from emotional distress, or struggle with coping, my session is a safe space of unconditional support to work on any issues. Regardless of whether the matter may be related to external events like relationship conflicts or internal conditions such as depression, anxiety, grief, or self-esteem, together we can not only move past the issue but move forward in a more positive direction through systematic and solution-focused processes.

My psychotherapy sessions integrated evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), which are effective for a multitude of mental health concerns. I dedicated myself to supporting clients who struggled with their problems and difficult emotions by empowering them to find strength from within and solve their issues along with self-development. While respecting the client’s culture, background, religion, and values, I conduct psychotherapies via a person-centred approach based on the belief that everyone is capable of finding their own way to live to the fullest.

I am originally from Taiwan but have lived in Hong Kong for over 14 years. Having three children, I am familiar with the stress stemming from family development and different parenting dynamics. So I can relate and provide ample support to clients in various life stages. I worked with students with special needs and aided them in their social-emotional development as well as learning in school. In addition, I’ve been working with local foundations to promote the significance of mental well-being and education for our community. In my leisure time, I enjoy yoga, exploring good food, and immersing myself in the great outdoors.

With a Master’s degree in Counselling from Monash University, Australia, I am practising as a member of the Hong Kong Society of Counselling and Psychology (HKSCP), Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association (HKPCA), and an international member of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA). I also have the Monash University Professional Certificate of Adolescent Counseling and the Professional Certificate of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT).If you feel like talking to me, a free 20-minute intro consultation is available for new clients. Please email for booking information.

Megan Chang-

行為認知治療(CBT), 辯證行為治療(DBT), 接納與承諾治療(ACT),人本治療心理諮商師

我們都想成為自己的主宰，生活有時如我們所願，但有時卻挑戰重重，令人感到困頓。其實在人生任何階段都可能遇到脆弱的時刻，當這些低潮干擾到日常生活進行，或是導致人生偏離預想目標時，心理諮商可以提供適切的幫助。

在諮商室裡，我們提供安全放心的空間，諮商師能夠協助你與自己的問題共處，與情緒共處，甚至與創傷共處。運用多年來心理學家於臨床實證有效的方法，透過對自身情緒，認知，及行為的覺察，找到改變的契機，進而解決各種困境，重拾力量與希望。

在從事諮商工作以前，Megan於大中華區金融業服務超過十多年，此外她也參與過許多支持本地青少年及兒童身心健康發展的活動，為社會各界提供適切的資源。曾服務於學校，輔導特別教育需求學生，幫助其適應社交生活，處理各種情緒及學習問題。

Megan諮商的範疇包含憂鬱問題，焦慮及壓力調適，家庭與人際關係困難等，分析每個人不同的背景及需求，整合專長治療模式如行為認知治療（Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, CBT), 辯證行為治療（Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, DBT)，及接納與承諾治療 (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, ACT），以人為中心出發，依據不同的問題及目標，擬定個人化的諮商方案。

澳洲蒙納士大學心理諮商碩士

澳洲蒙納士大學專業青少年諮商輔導證書

香港專業輔導協會會員

香港輔導及心理學會會員

澳洲專業輔導協會國際會員

PESI辯證行為治療 (DBT)證書

葛文(Gottman)伴侶療法證書(認證中)

Megan can provide counselling services in English, Mandarin, or Cantonese. Please note your preference when booking.

• Discounted packages of 4 are available via the links below

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Packages must be used within 12 weeks of the first booking.

Read Megan's Articles:

• Saying Goodbye
• Talking about Eating Disorders

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Master of Counselling Monash University. ONLINE SESSIONS ONLY

Languages: English. 

Contact Kelly Hutchison HERE for a free online 20-minute introduction appointment.

Kelly is a corporate executive by background, with 20+ years of working across multiple industries and geographies.  She is also a qualified executive coach. She loves working with clients who are motivated to change and ready to look inward.  Often, people come to counselling with a sense of disconnect or a gut feeling that something isn’t working or isn’t where it should be.  Kelly’s own journey in therapy began with this ‘dissonance’, and she loves working with her clients to discover (or re-discover) who they really are, and what they really want.  The answers to our challenges in life nearly always lie within us, and Kelly works with her clients to build the confidence and self-belief they need to make a productive change and live a life that is true to themselves.  Inevitably, meaningful change results in uncertainty and turbulence, and Kelly’s focus on building resilience and adaptability helps her clients to navigate this change with greater clarity, calm, and purpose.

Kelly’s clients describe her as warm, open, supportive, and unconventional.  Sessions are often a mix of laughter and tears as clients work to understand and challenge themselves in a safe, caring environment. Kelly’s approach is person-centred, drawing on a range of therapeutic modalities including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Motivational Interviewing (MI); she is also a student of the Gottman Method for Couples Therapy. She has a wide range of interests including women’s identity and confidence, life transitions, trauma, healthy ageing, couples & relationships, and men’s mental health. ​  She also enjoys working in underserved communities, particularly with adults with special needs.

In her free time, Kelly can be found on the water or on one of Hong Kong’s beautiful trails.  She was born and raised in the US and is also an Australian citizen and Hong Kong Permanent Resident.

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Qualifications:

• Master of Counselling, Monash University, Australia
• Master of Applied Science (Innovation & Organisation Dynamics), RMIT University, Australia
• Bachelor of Arts (Liberal Arts/Music), Florida State University, USA
• Executive Coaching – Level Two Coach, Institute of Executive Coaching & Leadership, Australia

Member, Hong Kong Society of Counselling & Psychology

Member, Australian Counselling Association

Member, Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association

Articles by Kelly:

Re-entering the Outside World

"Doing" Leadership