Dr Ling Sai Ang

Dr Ling Sai Ang

  • Senior Lecturer
  • School of Psychology
Faculty of Medical and Life Sciences
SDGs Focus

Biography

Dr. Lynda has been a practising counsellor in Malaysia since 2009, and she is an experienced LGBTQ+ affirmative counsellor. She works with individuals, couples, and families on diverse issues. Before counselling and teaching, she spent nearly 20 years in corporate roles across IT, HR, BPO, education, banking, and finance. Her professional experience has been enriched through her work in educational, mental health, and corporate settings. Beyond counselling, she has extensive experience in providing suicide intervention, crisis management, handling workplace fatal industrial accidents, assaults, and threats. Her diverse background enables her to support clients with empathy and expertise.

Academic & Professional Qualifications

  • Ph.D., Counsellor Education, University of Waikato, New Zealand (2019)
  • M. Edu. (Guidance and Counselling), Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia (2009)
  • Bachelor of Arts with honours (Economic), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia (1992)

Research Interests

  • Counsellor Education
  • Career counselling
  • Mental health
  • Suicide-related topics

Teaching Areas

  • Counselling Psychology

Courses Taught

  • Theories of Psychotherapy and Career Development
  • Counselling Skills
  • Crisis Intervention & Trauma Counselling
  • Career Counselling in Practice
  • Counselling Practicum and Internship

Notable Publications

  1. Ho, S.H.; Shamsudin, A.H.; Liow, J.W.; Juhari, J.A.; Ling, S.A.; Tan, K. (2024). Mental Healthcare Needs and Experiences of LGBT+ Individuals in Malaysia: Utility, Enablers, and Barriers. Healthcare, 12(10), 998;
  2. Ling, S. A. & Tan, K. K. H. (2023). Reflection of Providing Culturally Safe Counselling to LGBTQIA+ Clients in Malaysia [Letter to the editor]. Journal of Psychosexual Health, 5(4) 274–275. DOI: 10.1177/26318318231225049
  3. Ling, S. A., Kotzé, E., & Crocket, K. (2022). Practising hope with a client who speaks suicide. Malaysian Journal of Qualitative Research, 8(1), 13-23.
  4. Tan, K. K. H. & Ling, S. A. (2022). Cultural Safety for LGBTQIA+ People: A Narrative Review and Implications for Health Care in Malaysia. Sexes, 3(3), 385–395.
  5. Ling, S. A., Kotzé, E., & Crocket, K. (2019). Cultural knowledge and professional language: Counselling in the context of suicidal ideation. In Abd Halim Mohd Hussin, Rusnani Abdul Kadir, Noor Syamilah Zakaria, Maizatul Mardiana Harun, Neerushah Subarimaniam, Asmah Ismail, & Othman Jailani (Eds.), Proceedings of the 21st National Counselling Convention, 1-2 April 2019 at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur (pp. 583-594). Kuala Lumpur: Persatuan Kaunseling Antarabangsa Malaysia (PERKAMA International).
     

Achievements & Accolades

The Malaysia LGBT+ Mental Health Survey – Co-Principal Investigator for the Malaysia LGBTI+ Mental Health Survey and responsible for funding acquisition from the Williams Institute, UCLA. The 1-year long (2023-2024) project has been granted USD $4,940 for its activities in 2023. The main research aim was to develop a locally contextualised survey for LGBTI+ people in Malaysia to obtain comprehensive quantitative and qualitative data on the mental health of LGBTI+ people residing in Malaysia.

Professional Associations

1.    Kuala Lumpur AIDS Support Services Society (KLASS) - volunteer counsellor
2.    Montfort Boys Town, Shah Alam – clinical counselling supervisor
3.    Malaysian Association of Paediatric Palliative Care (MAPPAC) -  volunteer counsellor