President’s Message

Dear Members, Esteemed Colleagues & Friends,

It is with profound gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility that I was re-elected as the President of SBHS on 13 April 2024. Thank you so much for your trust, support, and unwavering commitment to our shared mission. I am thankful to be working with an exemplary Executive Committee team - Vice-President: Dr Clive Tan, Secretary: Dr Ellie Choi, Treasurer: Dr Rayner Kay Jin Tan, and our Executive committee members: Ms Nurliyana Daros, Dr Chrystal Fong, Ms Soh Lai Yee and Mr Chua Zi Yang; as well as our co-opted members: Ms Anne Neo, Ms Sarah Tan and Dr Aaron Ho (https://www.sgbehaviouralhealth.com/our-team).

As we approach the midpoint of my second term as President, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the exciting journey of growth, challenges, and remarkable achievements that I have been fortunate to be part of during SBHS’s rapid growth over the past three years.

Together, we have navigated the unprecedented post-COVID era, adapting and evolving to meet the needs of our community and profession. Through regular educational events, curiosity sessions, and social engagements—including well-received scientific conferences in 2023 and 2024—we have fostered continuous learning and professional growth.

SBHS’s rapid expansion has also been marked by meaningful collaborations with key stakeholders. A major milestone was the establishment of the Health Coaching Chapter, supported by an esteemed Academic Board, to advance the standards of health and wellness coaching in Singapore with the aspiration of contributing to Healthier SG and lifestyle prescription initiatives. In alignment with global best practices, we proudly signed an MOU with the UK International Health Coaching Association to standardise educational benchmarks and co-recognise registered health and wellness coaches.

At home, we are honoured to have the strong support of leading academic institutions—including the Institute of Technical Education, Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore University of Social Sciences, and Temasek Polytechnic—as well as healthcare clusters such as National Healthcare Group and SingHealth. These partnerships have been instrumental in advancing health coaching in Singapore.

Beyond education and training, SBHS has actively engaged in shaping the profession’s future by collaborating with stakeholders on policy matters, hosting roundtable discussions, and contributing to reports. Our collective voice has resonated in journals and articles, reinforcing the importance of behavioural medicine in preventive health and chronic disease management. As the government rolls out Healthier SG, we have played a pivotal role in developing a competency framework and launching the SBHS Health and Wellness Coach (HWC) registry to support the integration of behavioural medicine into mainstream healthcare.

Our resilience, dedication, and shared vision have sustained us and propelled us forward. These achievements are a testament to our collective efforts and the growing impact of behavioural health in improving population health outcomes. I’d like to give a big shoutout to of each member of the Exco team and SBHS for your hard work and dedication.

We have laid a strong foundation, and it is time to build on it. I am filled with optimism and excitement. Our goals for this term are ambitious but achievable, and together, we will strive to:

(1) Enhance Professional Development: We will continue to provide diverse but relevant publications, talks, workshops and training via our Curiosity Series and conferences, ensuring that you, as our members, continue to improve your knowledge and skills and advance your career through our network.

For health coaches, we will also start a mentorship programme to fostering competence and confidence in your practice.

(2) Strengthen Advocacy Efforts: Our voice must be heard at all levels. We will intensify our advocacy efforts, championing policies that support our professions and the communities we serve. The Health Coaching Chapter will continue to work together with stakeholders in the health coaching fraternity to build a pool of competent health coaches who can help people in Singapore to improve their lifestyle for healthy longevity and extension of health span. Together, we will work tirelessly to influence positive change in the diverse fields of behavioural health.

(3) Foster Innovation and Research: We will continue to provide you with solutions and opportunities through the Society’s resources that will help you pursue greatness in your work and your community as we collaborate with stakeholders to support research and practices that advance our fields. To foster a culture of inquiry and exploration, look out for SBHS Curiosity Series in Qualitative Research.

(4) Strengthen Community Engagement: SBHS exists because of the strong sense of community among our members. We will enhance our efforts to connect, engage, and support one another, creating a supportive and dynamic network. Our work at the Society is focused on enriching your experience as members, so we love to hear from you, your feedback, idea, suggestion, comment, improvement on our current offerings and how we can better serve you. We also invite you to reach out to us if there’s a related cause that you are passionate about and want to grow. Your active participation is key to our success, and we encourage you to get involved and share your ideas and feedback.

For the second half of my current term, I am excited to build new partnerships, including one with Exercise is Medicine Singapore. I encourage colleagues working in the field of behavioural health to reach out, share your work with our members, and explore how we can collaborate—whether building upon existing initiatives or forging new paths. Together, we can advance behavioural medicine and health coaching to achieve better health outcomes for our community.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to the International Society of Behavioral Medicine, the UK International Health Coaching Association, and the Singapore Society of Lifestyle Medicine for the great partnerships we have built over the years. I also want to express my gratitude to SBHS funding organisations for their continued support. Your contributions have been instrumental in our success, and we look forward to strengthening our partnership further in the future.

I have always been inspired by the words of Margaret Mead: ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.’ These words remind us that real change begins with passionate individuals who dare to take action. Each of you is an essential part of this journey, and together, there is no limit to what we can achieve a healthier future for all - tackling obesity and other lifestyle-related diseases via a multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral approach.

As a volunteer-led Executive Committee, we rely on the collective strength of our community to drive meaningful progress. Your support, engagement, and feedback are invaluable to our success. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me, or SBHS Exco team—we welcome your ideas and collaboration in shaping the future of behavioural health.

Please keep a lookout for our outreach emails and attend the upcoming events so that we can meet you. Thank you once again for your trust and support.  

See you around :)

Susan Tan