Divorced mother and her son coping with grief among families who sought free counselling

, double the caseload in 2025.

This is to address a rise in demand for family counselling as the number of cases seen by FAM grew from 4,800 in 2023 to 5,700 in 2025.

Of the cases in 2025, the Ministry of Social and Family Development said 85 per cent involved marital and divorce issues, while the remainder largely concerned parenting and other family conflicts.

FAM counsellors told ST that the rise in cases reflects growing awareness of counselling services. Their clients include married couples, divorced individuals and those who struggle with parenting.

More are also seeking help early before problems escalate.

Madam Kay’s counsellor Nur Azmira said: “We see more people who are able to pick up some strains in the relationship and want to get help.”

In 2023, Madam Kay brought Hakeem for counselling at the PPIS As-Salaam Family Support Centre in Chai Chee after discovering their services online. She was surprised it was free.

Non-profit organisation PPIS converted the space – which specialised in providing support services for divorcing and divorced couples and their children –

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Counsellors saw Hakeem and Madam Kay separately. Through her sessions, Madam Kay realised she had been overloading her schedule in an attempt to move on with life.

She learnt how to take breaks and take turns with her son to ask each other “how are you”.

“(What helped was) being aware that I’m not going through this myself. Whatever I am feeling, he is also feeling,” she said, adding that they completed about nine sessions over two years.

Mr Jeremy, 51, and Ms Cai, 40, who did not want to reveal their full names, sought FAM counselling in their first year of marriage in 2024. The pair, who had dated for nine years, had frequent arguments which ended in icy silence for weeks.

Mr Jeremy, an IT consultant, initially felt uncomfortable about sharing his marital woes with a stranger, but eventually went ahead as both he and his wife wanted a healthier way of resolving conflicts.

Through individual and couple sessions, Ms Cai, an HR professional, learnt to see more from her husband’s point of view, while Mr Jeremy developed greater self-worth and learnt to set boundaries.

“We respect each other for who we are (though) we may not always agree with what each other wants to do,” said Mr Jeremy, adding that they now make an effort to talk through conflicts.

They have attended 15 sessions at Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities’ Commonwealth FAM centre since August 2024, and are still being counselled.

Encouraging other couples to seek help early, Ms Cai likened counselling to checking the “health status” of a marriage before tensions escalate.

Ms Debbyrina de Thomas, a FAM counsellor with Fei Yue Community Services, said some turn to tools such as social media and artificial intelligence chatbots for “quick fixes” to their relationship issues, but are still confused about what to do.

“Counselling is supposed to offer something different – a steady, personalised space where your situation is understood in context without oversimplified answers,” said Ms Debbyrina.

These sessions also empower individuals, such as one of her clients who learnt to make decisions on her own after divorcing her husband of 15 years who had dictated their relationship.

She also learnt how to set boundaries including not allowing her former spouse to enter her home.

Ms Debbyrina said: “The client realised that she has a stronger sense of self and resilience… she was able to tell me ‘I think I’m ready now to face whatever comes’.”

For Madam Kay, counselling does not mean being judged for doing something wrong; it is more like untangling a bundle of ropes with someone else.

She thanked Ms Azmira with a teary-eyed hug at the end of the interview.

“I have healed from the safe space she gave me. Because of that, my son and I are in a better place.”