Private 2-to-2 Couple Therapy with Kavitha & Kester

About Kavitha and Kester Shekar-Tay

Kavitha (MSc, Dip. Reg. Therapy) and Kester (BA, Dip. Couns. Psych.) are trauma-informed therapists, relationship experts, and Founders of SACRED® Institute. They support couples who want to understand the deeper patterns beneath conflict and create a more intentional, connected partnership.

 Their work is grounded not only in therapeutic training, but in their own lived experience of healing past trauma, navigating relational conflicts, miscarriage, parenthood, and the ongoing practice of building an intentional marriage.

Kavitha brings deep experience in trauma-informed therapeutic work, including inner-child reparenting, parts work, shadow work, hypnotherapy, regression, mindfulness, and body-based emotional processing. Her approach helps clients safely explore the beliefs, wounds, and protective patterns that may be affecting how they love, communicate, trust, and respond under stress.

Kester’s work focuses on self-leadership, masculine development, emotional accountability, communication, and relational dynamics. He supports clients in seeing the role they play in recurring patterns, and in developing the capacity to lead themselves with greater clarity, integrity, and emotional steadiness.

Areas of Expertise

Together, Kavitha and Kester have supported more than 1,000 individuals, couples, and families through relationship challenges. They specialise in working with:

• Communication breakdowns and recurring conflict

• Infidelity, betrayal, and rebuilding trust

• Emotional distance, resentment, and disconnection

• Sex and intimacy challenges

• Trauma, anxiety, emotional reactivity, and shutdown patterns

• Premarital discernment and relationship readiness

• Parenting clashes and family-of-origin differences

• Blended-family dynamics

• Interracial and interfaith relationship challenges

• Financial conflict and differences in values or life goals

• Family enmeshment, boundary issues, and difficult in-law dynamics

• Sexual-orientation confusion and identity-related relationship questions

Kavitha and Kester's Approach to Couple Therapy

Many couples seek relationship counselling in Singapore after trying to “communicate better” without seeing lasting results. Often, the issue being argued about is not the real issue.

Kavitha and Kester use a holistic, multi-faceted approach that examines both the relationship dynamic and the individual experiences each person brings into it. Their work is guided by the SACRED T.R.U.S.T. Method™ — a practical and repeatable framework that goes beneath the surface-level conflict to address what's actually driving it: inner child wounds, core belief systems, masculine-feminine dynamics, values misalignment, and trauma-rooted behaviour patterns. 

Their work is not about deciding who is right or wrong. It is about helping each partner become more conscious of their patterns, more accountable for their impact, and more capable of creating the relationship they genuinely want.

Kavitha and Kester do not believe in making people dependent on therapy for years. Their aim is empowerment: helping you develop the awareness, language, tools, and emotional capacity to navigate challenges long after your sessions have ended.

Start Here: Book a Trial Session

During this 60-minute in-person trial session, Kavitha and Kester will:

• Help you get crystal clear on the exact root causes of your relationship challenges.
• Provide initial steps that bring about immediate shifts; many clients see breakthroughs within 60 minutes that months of conventional therapy couldn't deliver.
• Suggest a customised therapy plan that will help you and your partner find complete, long-term resolution to your issues.

This session will be held in-person at our physical space in Singapore.

Address: Leong Hin Building, 441 Balestier Road, #02-01, Singapore 329820

Investment: S$350 nett

Pick your timeslot below.

If you prefer an online session or have any questions, reach out to us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us at +65 88829412.

Testimonials

“Prior to coming to Kester and Kavitha, we had worked with a therapist (talk therapy) and also gone for several self development classes/workshops. We were frustrated that we came back to the same problems over and over again, even after spending a lot of money, and it seems like there is no end to therapy.

We stumbled upon SACRED Institute's Instagram and felt a pull to what they were sharing. The first trial session gave us the confidence to embark on couple’s therapy with Kester and Kavitha. While we had a voice that wondered how 8 sessions will help us, there was another voice that was excited that this could be it.

Through the whole 8 sessions journey, Kester and Kavitha provided us with a safe space to understand different parts of ourselves and our partner better. They brought us on a healing journey, to explore some parts of ourselves that we were afraid to see, to accept our pasts and heal from them, to give us insights to our emotions and behaviours as adults. They also gave us tools to love ourselves and tools to communicate from a space of love with each other. We saw ourselves grow individually and as a couple.

We thank Kester and Kavitha for leading us on the healing and growing journey, to see our partner from a less judgemental space and more from a loving and safe space. We now have more confidence that we can better support each other moving forward, and we are excited to see each other’s growth.”

– Zxane and Vera, Singapore

“Working with Kavitha and Kester has been an eye-opening experience for us. The decision to engage SACRED Institute was not an easy one, but one that gave us much hope and growth over the past few months.

Before starting therapy and due to many life changes, we were struggling to connect as a couple and that impacted many facets of our life together. Going through the process with Kavitha and Kester required us to examine our connection and expectations of each other and of our relationship, but going beyond that - also how various experiences in our life had contributed to the way we think and behave. There was so much to unpack but Kester and Kavitha led us with patience and grace, which in turn created a safe space for us to be introspective. 

To get something out of this journey, you have to be willing to be vulnerable and revisit past, perhaps uncomfortable, experiences. We knew undoing decades of insecurities and traumas was not going to be easy, but felt that it was worth the investment - for the hope that the rest of our lives together could be better. And while we now have many tools taught to us by Kester and Kavitha, we’re aware that it requires persistent self-discipline and mindfulness on our part to maintain this level of connectedness and harmony with each other. 

For now, I’m truly grateful to have a renewed connection with my husband. This has benefited every aspect of our life - from being able to share deeper feelings and aspirations with each other, communicate less combatively and have calmer arguments where we seek to understand instead of fighting with each other. We are grateful for the safe space and guidance that Kavitha and Kester have shown us and feel that they were truly invested in our growth as a couple. This process was difficult and strenuous at times, but definitely one worth doing.”

– A & S, Singapore

“Kavitha and Kester have been instrumental in helping us understand ourselves better. Their guidance allowed us to unpack our trauma at a comfortable pace, and we felt supported at every step. Kavitha and Kester's warmth made our sessions a safe space and ensured that all our thoughts were heard. They were very dedicated to our progress; arranging for timely check-ins over email where we could clarify our doubts, sending us a summary of what we learnt during each session, and encouraging us to put what we learnt into action. When N met with a distressing situation, Kester immediately arranged a phone call and guided him through it. We were also given exercises tailored to us to complement our sessions. Kavitha and Kester's personal touch and professionalism have made this journey enjoyable and brought us closer as a couple. We are both very grateful to Kavitha and Kester."

- M & N, Singapore

“My name is Pat, and I am a mid 20s woman in a 6-year relationship who went through 8 sessions of couple's therapy with SACRED Institute. Over the past few months, I went through an extreme and monumental internal change. Before starting the sessions, I felt trapped in my life as a middle-class Singaporean woman who was obliged to look, dress and behave a certain way. I had levied extreme expectations of myself and my partner, and when those expectations were not met, it began to take a toll on my personal and love life. Kavitha and Kester's guidance helped me confirm and navigate the 'new' path I wanted to be on, but a lot of the work also came internally from myself. This was done through 'homework' sessions and also individual meditation.

Today, I am a calmer and more confident person who is more assured about each choice I make. Although my personal and love life is by no means flawless, to me, it is perfect.

I also wanted to add that I have been to a few other therapists in the past 2 years but no one has helped me achieve breakthroughs the way Kavitha and Kester have. Here is my review of my time with them!

1) SACRED Institute's way of structuring the therapy sessions is excellent, and it provided us with a lot of guidance upfront: from what to expect, what type of growth one is likely to experience, what to prepare for each upcoming session, etc. 

My boyfriend I started our experience with a direct message (DM) through Instagram, after which Kester reached out to us for a trial session in order to get to know us better, diagnose our problems and suggest any potential solutions. That trial session provided clarity in what plagued our relationship (such as insecurities, anger issues, fear and anxiety, a lack of communication, high expectations from one partner, nagging, and more. Although we had been in a mostly happy relationship for 5 years by then, fear and anger began surfacing, and I feared that our relationship would naturally deteriorate over time if we stopped putting in effort and kept experiencing misunderstandings.) After that session, Intracresco was able to judge the severity of our lack-of-communication and prescribed an adequate response. For us, it was 8 sessions.

We paid the money upfront, which was difficult to stomach at first but made us realise we could not 'quit' halfway through the therapy course if and when it got difficult. There were definitely times when sessions got uncomfortable, so the upfront investment ensured we stayed on track, and made the best use of our investment. Additionally, because SACRED Institute laid out the general flow and timeline of the upcoming 8 sessions, we were clear on what to expect and what to prepare for each session. This is particularly helpful for any busy and time-strapped individual who may find it difficult to slot therapy into their hectic schedule.

Our 8 sessions were split into 4 couple sessions (4 of us in the room: my partner and I, and Kavitha and Kester) and 4 individual sessions (Kavitha spoke to me whereas Kester spoke to my boyfriend). The dynamic of the group VS individual sessions was very different, but provided a lot of insight and clarity on our INDIVIDUAL issues and how they manifested in our relationship.

For example, my own anxiety about being 'slow and dumb' when I was younger caused me to be anxious as an adult to always do my best. I displayed perfectionist traits in myself, but also expected those same traits in my boyfriend. He felt that I was pushing him too fast and too far, but was unable to bring it up, because when he disagreed, I would blow up in anger. It was through seeing the hurt and stress I put him through (in our first couples session) and then working it out in me (in my individual sessions) that I began to see a long-lasting and impactful change.

2) It has been a month since we 'completed' our final session with SACRED Institute. Since then, my boyfriend and I have still been able to enjoy quality conversations (even when conversations start to get heated) and I believe this shows the lasting power a good therapist can have - it is a tool that stays with you for years to come.

Although I say that we have 'completed' our final couples therapy session, I have come to realise that therapy never truly ends. Intracresco provides external stimuli/ external lessons (much like a teacher does in Primary School) but even after you graduate from school, you are always learning on-the-job and in every aspect of life. SACRED Institute's therapy sessions feel very much like this: they provided the first guiding materials, but, most importantly, they also equipped me with the skill to continue learning about myself everyday.

This has helped ensure my boyfriend and my relationship have evolved from simply a long-term relationship to a high-quality relationship. I have learned that anyone can have a simple long-term relationship. If you sweep all your problems under the rug and never fight, you CAN continue living in blissful ignorance, and you can make excuses for your own behaviour + blame others for the things that went wrong. However, through confronting and addressing our issues, we have been able to shift to a high-quality relationship. Although arguments still occur, which sometimes can still get heated if we are feeling physically unwell, we have been able to calmly, and more fully, resolve fights now. 

The communication tools Intracresco has equipped us in and helped in two ways : the first is to find a time that suits both parties well (and not just force a fight in the moment): therefore arguments are now calmer. The second is to dig deep and find out what each other is truly saying: therefore we can fully resolve arguments instead of leaving one party feeling dissatisfied with the outcome of a conversation.

3) Things to look out for once you start therapy with SACRED Institute: Your belief systems and your life will be questioned, so as you begin going through therapy, you will most likely feel resentful, angry, confused, and more.

One thing I struggled very hard with was the fact that my entire life and belief system was 'wrong', and I felt 'attacked'. I was defensive of how I lived my life and was rationalising it to Kavitha (and myself) that my life was perfect and that I didn't need to embrace a new way of life. (Of course the truth is that while I seemed to have the perfect life, I was always anxious and angry. Now that I have completed the sessions, I feel much more peaceful and content, and the truth is that my life has not even changed that much! It's just how I viewed things, and how I reframed my actions).

During one session, I was upset with Kavitha and explained to her that it felt like she was forcing me to believe in 'God' and that if I didn't, I would die in 'hell'. Basically, I felt that she was saying that unless I let go of my old ways and embraced a new way of thinking and living, I would always feel upset. At that moment, Kavitha seemed to sense that I was upset, and asked me what 'intimacy meant to me'. When I explained that intimacy meant true vulnerability and letting one's walls down, she expressed that I was not being intimate with her and with myself: with my walls up and defenses raised, she (and I myself) could not understand what I was feeling. I'm glad she was able to make me see and understand her actions in that moment, because I did feel lots of resentment towards her, and confusion in myself.

Also, the fact that the payment was required upfront meant it was tough for us to quit halfway! :P

(I joke, but it is the truth that in the past, when therapy began feeling uncomfortable for me, I would just stop seeing the therapist.)

4) Overall feedback: It was actually quite difficult for me to write this feedback because the person I am today, is vastly different from the person I was just last year. I can't really even remember how badly I used to feel! I am astounded (and almost can't believe) the amount of change that I went through over the past few months with SACRED Institute. The anxious, powerless, and easily irritable person I used to be feels like a stranger from a past-life. 

And while I have noticed this huge change in myself, something that brought me joy was the fact that my family members and friends also saw the change! I was trying to change myself for my own sake, and for my relationship - not necessarily for my family or friends. However, my sisters, cousins and friends have all benefited from the new me. They have shared that conversations are now so much deeper because we now ALL inspect and explore our private hurts & insecurities, and how they manifest in our lives. They also feel that I have begun to provide a safer space for private and shameful conversations that they did not have the courage to talk to other people about. (In fact, I must warn you that after completing therapy you will most likely be talking to and helping many others about their problems that you might feel tired, haha!)

Beyond my external relationships with others, my relationship with myself has improved greatly too. I no longer feel so restless and I am more able to sit in one spot and just enjoy life. Here are a few things that I've been able to do since starting therapy and working on my individual issues (these benefits had NOTHING to do with my love life so I was pleased to see them): Less of distracting myself with my phone, less of filling up a void with new clothes and shopping, less of gossiping and talking down about others. More of quality convos with everyone, more of internal reflection and figuring out what I truly want in that moment. (For example, when shopping for a new item perhaps what I truly want is not a new dress, but rather, a desire to cover up a feeling of insecurity and hurt from a past experience. Once I figure out that a new skirt = cover up of hurt, I can address the hurt in a less expensive way!)

So if you are thinking of starting sessions with SACRED Institute, go for it, and I wish you all the best! :)”

- Pat, S., Singapore

“We are grateful to Kavitha and Kester for creating a safe space for us to share our innermost thoughts and feelings. They were encouraging throughout the sessions and constantly made us feel at ease and not judged for the way we behaved or felt. Through their guidance, we each managed to address some of our personal issues at a deep level and learnt how to better communicate with each other. Of course, it does not mean that all our problems went away after the sessions but we definitely learnt how to cope better and our biggest takeaway was really, the commitment to our relationship and understanding where we truly stand with each other.

This was a great experience for us and we highly recommend Kavitha and Kester to anyone who is feeling stuck, seeking to heal or to learn more about themselves.”

– H&P, Singapore

Follow SACRED:

SACRED® Institute is a Singapore-based relationship education platform founded in 2019 by therapist couple Kavitha and Kester Shekar-Tay.

Our mission is to promote human connection and address the changing relationship landscape, loneliness and mental health challenges by sharing preventive, evidence-based relational and emotional skills at scale.

By equipping people to build authentic connections across romantic, family, friendship, and workplace ties, we foster long-term resilience and reduce reliance on reactive clinical models. We deliver this via courses, workshops and therapy. All our offerings are based on the SACRED T.R.U.S.T. Method™.