Growing up in a modest staff quarter in Singapore in the early seventies shaped the values that continue to guide me today. It was a childhood marked by simplicity, resilience, and a strong sense of community. From a young age, I was deeply moved by the suffering of others—a trait my siblings lovingly teased me for. What seemed like sensitivity then turned out to be my greatest strength: compassion.
This innate empathy guided my academic path in Economics and Social Work at the National University of Singapore and ultimately defined my career—one rooted in service and in championing more equitable economic opportunities for the less privileged. Guided by the conviction that every person deserves a life of dignity, I left a stable civil service career to pursue a more personal mission.
In 2000, I founded Atman Counselling and Training Consultancy (ACTC)—a bold step into the private sector to offer inclusive, values-driven support for individuals and families. Through strategic collaborations with organisations and public institutions, ACTC has trained over 60,000 people and impacted the lives of many thousands through bespoke programmes grounded in empathy and real-world understanding.(e.g. EAP services, Management and Supervisor Self Awareness and Skills Training, Mental Wellness Talks, Programmes to Promote Work Life Balance, Family Bonding and Parenting. ACTC also provided consultancy in the development of the Family Life Ambassador Programme that was rolled out nationwide by MSF and conducted the necessary training for a few hundred selected HR personnel and employees nationwide).
These two decades of work—and the countless stories shared with me—have now inspired my next chapter: Atman Social. In a world where workplaces are becoming increasingly transactional, Atman Social is a call to bring compassion back into the heart of organisations. We believe employees are more than just resources—they are human beings deserving of empathy, support, and respect. We are especially concerned for the vulnerable: disadvantaged employees and workers struggling at work or facing challenges both professionally and personally.
Join us in creating workplaces where people feel valued, seen, and empowered. Let’s build cultures of compassion—where dignity isn’t a privilege, but a practice.
My journey followed the path familiar to many Singaporean children: excelling in school, securing a place at the National University of Singapore, and embarking on a stable career—in my case, teaching. While I found meaning in educating young minds, my straightforward, authentic approach in communicating with parents and colleagues gradually took a toll on me—both mentally and physically. On the brink of burnout, I made the difficult decision to step away from the profession, leaving my role as Head of Department to pursue a long-standing passion: music.
Thanks to my parents’ early investment in music education—especially my mother, who noticed and nurtured my interest—I was able to transition into a career as a freelance music educator. Teaching music brought joy and personal fulfilment, but working in the gig economy introduced new challenges, particularly the financial instability that came with starting a family. I took on multiple roles to make ends meet, but remained grateful to be doing work I truly loved.
During this time, I gravitated toward values-based, community-oriented initiatives. I volunteered with ALIVE (part of the International Living Values Education Movement) and found deep purpose in this work. In 2007, when the opportunity arose to join Atman Counselling and Training Consultancy, I followed that calling—and have since walked alongside my co-founder in serving individuals and families across various communities.
So, when I was invited to co-found Atman Social, I embraced the opportunity to help bring compassion and authenticity into workplaces. This new chapter reflects my enduring desire to serve, to make a difference, and to help build a more humane society.
We invite you to co-create cultures where people feel valued, seen, and empowered. Let’s build workplaces where dignity isn’t a privilege—but a practice.
Compassion is the emotional response to the suffering or hardship of others, combined with a genuine desire to help alleviate that suffering.
Authenticity is the quality of being truly genuine, aligning one’s actions (behaviour), words and intentions with one’s core values, beliefs, and inner experience, in communication and relationships.
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