Melanie Tang

"I was a marketer"

I used to be a marketer. I have been in the business world for more than 10 years. I am not an outstanding businesswoman. I am keen on weaving through the network of people and things to find solutions to problems. I believe that many people agree that "people" are more difficult to deal with than "things". I always like to deal with problems related to "people". I am often curious about the considerations and reasons of my colleagues when making decisions. I care about the feelings of my colleagues and give them more comfort as needed. I have no regrets in my business days, only many friendships that I cherish.

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"I'm a counselor now"

More than 10 years ago, I started to learn counseling out of my curiosity about people. Since I was young, I was considered a good listener by my classmates, so I naturally attracted friends who needed to "confide". I was not born with the ability to "listen". At that time, I did not know how to give advice or answers to others, so I just listened quietly. It was not until I learned counseling that I realized that "listening" brings healing effects. When people feel "understood", they have the strength to face their own problems.

Accompanying clients through different life journeys, exploring and discovering in various perspectives, seeking different possibilities and choices, allows me to experience the power of the "self-healing energy of life"; in the process, I continue to maintain a "growth mindset" to welcome new hope, and remind myself to look for new opportunities and light in the darkness with the client with a humble attitude.

“People” are indeed more complicated than “things”; however, “people” who can live out their potential and transform their beliefs are more important than getting all the “things” done!

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"Person-Centered Expressive Arts Facilitator"

Counselling is mostly for those who "have troubles and want to talk to someone". Some people are not used to expressing themselves in words, and are unfamiliar with describing feelings and identifying emotions. Through an "Expressive Arts" training workshop, I experienced a profound enlightenment about "self-care". Although I have received counselling training, I often ignore my feelings; the supervisor once reminded me "Don't analyze your feelings, feel your feelings." "Art" is a container that can hold feelings without analysis. I have liked painting and making paper clay since I was a child. In recent years, I practice oil painting as interest; I am curious and excited to combine arts to enhance my care and understanding about people. An intuitive inner driving force encouraged me to start learning "expressive arts". I have always believed in the belief of hope for people advocated by humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers, and was deeply attracted by Person-Centered Expressive Arts founded by his daughter Natalie Rogers.

The certificate course, which is held every two years and requires six trips to California, USA, for experiential learning, started in September 2019. Due to the global spread of the epidemic, after two trips to the United States, after several adjustments, the course was switched to online teaching; the flexibility and dexterity of the faculty, as well as the adaptability and cooperation/involvement of the cohorts, did not hinder the exchange of learning and the connection (connectedness) between each other even we could not touch each other in real time. The course was successfully completed in April 2021. This journey made me deeply realize that "cultural differences" (Note: I am the only Hong Kong student for that year course) did not weaken the power of "human connection"! Completing the course enabled me to develop my third function: Person-centered Expressive Art Facilitator.

 

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