About Me
— Finding my language.
I'm Stephanie Tan — a psychodynamic psychotherapist, neurodivergent person, and the founder of Still Ground.
For most of my life, I didn't have the language for how my brain worked. I just knew that school was harder than it should have been, that I had to work twice as long for half the result, and that every exam felt like being asked to run a race in shoes that didn't fit.
I'm trained in art psychotherapy, working within a psychodynamic framework that uses image-making as an optional, supporting tool — alongside the traditional talk therapy to help reach the parts of an experience that are harder to put into words.
I'm also neurodivergent — I have ADHD and dyslexia. I don't say that as a footnote. It's the reason Still Ground was founded and works the way it does.
I understand, from the inside, what it means to look completely fine while something underneath is quietly running at full capacity. I understand the specific exhaustion of masking, the grief of an education system — and a wider society — that told you the wrong story about your intelligence and what you're capable of, and the strange relief of finally having language for how you've always been. I also know what it costs to function in spaces that weren't built with a brain like mine in mind — the sensory load of a waiting room, the executive-function tax of just getting yourself somewhere on time, the way "in-person and unstructured" can quietly become its own barrier before the therapy has even begun.
So Still Ground is digital, structured, and low-clutter — on purpose, not as a compromise. Sessions have a clear shape. Communication is straightforward. There's no ambiguity you have to sit with about what happens next, no clutter competing for your attention. Artistic ability is never the point, and never was — the image-making is a way in, not a performance.
This is the space I wished I'd had. Steady ground you don't have to work to fit into — just somewhere to stand while you look, honestly and without judgment, at what's been running underneath.
––This is Still Ground.
How I work
In therapy, my approach is calm, attuned, honest, respectful and collaborative. I don’t expect you to be “put together” here. This is a space where you can bring what actually feels real – both the polished parts and the messy, unsure, contradictory parts. I pay attention to what you say and don’t say, how you describe things, and how your tone of voice and body seem to respond as you speak. When it’s helpful, I gently name patterns or ask questions that invite you to look a little deeper, without pushing you faster than your nervous system can handle.
Sessions are collaborative. I think of therapy as a kind of personal project we work on together – something we slowly co-create over time. You bring your experiences, questions and a willingness to be curious about what is happening inside you; I bring a clear therapeutic framework, a contained, non-judgemental space, and psychological thinking and tools to help us make sense of what emerges, at a pace that feels manageable for you.
I will not only say, “That must have been hard for you,” and leave it there. Your feelings are taken seriously, and we also look at the patterns, histories and nervous-system responses underneath them. When it is useful, I offer clear reflections, language and small, manageable experiments to try between sessions, so that what we notice together can slowly translate into real shifts in how you live, relate and care for yourself – rather than staying only as insight. The aim is more than just short-term relief; over time, we are working towards deeper understanding and sustainable change.
As a neurodivergent therapist, I’m naturally attuned to nuance – small shifts in tone, pacing, and how things land on screen. I work digitally and online by choice, not as a compromise. Digital art-making offers a contained, adjustable way of working with images, colour and composition, so we can explore what sits under the surface without overwhelming your system. You do not need to be “good at art” or tech to work with me. We use whatever level of digital tools feels manageable for you—or we can work entirely through conversation.
My practice is fully online and is best suited to adults who seem to be managing well / ok on the outside, while carrying a lot on the inside, particularly high-performing, often sensitive or neurodivergent adults whose lives are full, but who sense that something inside needs attention. Many of my clients are used to being the reliable one, the problem-solver, the person others lean on. They may appear capable and composed on the outside while feeling exhausted, stuck, anxious or quietly disconnected on the inside. Therapy with me offers a contained, private space that fits demanding schedules and reduces the friction of getting support, without sacrificing depth.
I work best with clients who value depth over quick fixes, are willing to show up consistently, and are open to a collaborative, clear and respectful working relationship. I will be warm with you, but I will also be honest. Sometimes that means sitting with uncertainty together; sometimes it means gently challenging a story that has kept you small or over-responsible for a long time. Over time, our work is about helping you move towards more clarity, alignment and sustainable ways of living, not just coping.
Credentials & Registration
Registered Art Psychotherapist
I am a registered credential member with the Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapies Association (ANZACATA)
Master of Arts in Art Therapy
I have completed my Master's in Art Therapy with LASALLE College of the Arts, which is one of the ANZACATA-approved Master's programmes.