In October 2007 Tokyo Counseling Services launched its new purpose designed counseling center conveniently located in Shimokitazawa and within easy access from Shibuya (4 minutes), Shinjuku (7 minutes), Omotesando (8minutes) and all central Tokyo stations. Counseling and Psychotherapy services are open to all residents living and working in Tokyo and the Kanto region, and these services are now provided in English, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Portuguese.

The TCS counseling center in Shimokitazawa provides a wide range of counseling and psychotherapy services, including individual counseling, couples and marriage therapy, family art therapy and group therapy. Easily accessible by car and train from Shibuya, Shinjuku and Kichijoji, the counseling center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.

This "Japan Mental Health Blog" contains news and informed commentary on online media reports and articles relating to the mental health care system in Japan, the national certification and accreditation of mental health professionals in Japan, and the mental health care issues and the work of Japan nationally licensed mental health professionals in the Tokyo Metropolis, the Kanto and Tohoku (East Japan) regions and throughout Japan as a whole.

2012.1.1

Happy New Year!! 開けましておめでとうございます！
Wishing you a very healthy, peaceful and wonderful New Year! With sincere and kindest regards to all our clients, friends of Tokyo Counseling Services and to all residents of Tokyo and Japan, and with sincere respect and continued support for the people of East Japan, as we all move together into the new year of 2012.

Best wishes from and kindest regrads from Andrew Grimes and all the Counseling and Psychotherapy Team at Tokyo Counseling Services.

2011.12.26

Licensed Clinical Psychologists in Japan: Media Reports have recently appeared in Japanese newspapers on bipartisan support for introducing plans for national licensing of Clinical Psychologists. These reports were brief and clarity on this issue may have been 'lost in translation' Below are two links to English editions of newspapers in Japan that published reports on the consideration of licensing for Clinical Psychologists possible some time in this new year. However it is important to keep in mind that no sources are quoted and neither has there been any official statement or announcement on this issue.

"Certification Eyed for Psychologists" - Japan Times, December 26, 2011

"Clinical Psychologists Eyed for National Certification" Mainichi, December 26, 2011

As and when there are further developments or reports they will be covered here. For now the following information may be of some assistance to understanding the backrgound to the current situation in Japan with regards to the licensing of Clinical Psychologists:

"Discussions have also been conducted at both parliamentary committee and ministerial level during the Koizumi administrations, even as recently as the Second Koizumi Cabinet (September 19th 2003 – September 21st, 2005. These discussions and high-level meetings received widespread coverage in the Japanese press as well as English language newspapers published in Japan: “Two groups of Diet members working separately to create laws for national licensing of mental health professionals have begun talks aimed at unifying their bills. Takeo Kawamura, former education, science and technology minister, and Ichiro Kamoshita, chairman of the Health, Labor and Welfare Committee of the House of Representatives, who lead the two groups, have held talks since late April to reach a consensus on the issue. A multiparty group of lawmakers with interests in health and welfare planned to pass a bill to license psychologists who treat patients in hospitals, while another group with educational interests had proposed licensing those engaged in counselling clients at schools and health centers. Both groups wanted their bills passed in the current Diet session. Psychologists provide mental health services at medical and educational institutions. The moves were prompted by a recent increase in demand for mental health services to help growing numbers of suicidal and depressed patients." (“Mental Health Professionals Plans To Be Merged.” – Article published in The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 17, 2005).

In spite of all these great efforts made by all who are genuinely concerned at both the highest professional and political levels with the need to provide and promote more psychotherapy services for the care and treatment of the large number of the people of Japan who are suffering the effects of undue stress and mental illnesses, it is unfortunately the case at the time of writing that these efforts have yet to come to fruition and yield more tangible results in the form of national licensing through the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labour for psychologists who are working in hospitals, psychiatric clinics and other medical institutions. However, even though there is as yet no national license as an [iriyou shinrishi] (psychologist in a medical setting; official translation yet to be determined), it is in reality not the case that there is no nationwide licensing for Clinical Psychologists in Japan. Since the early 1990s some overseas English language media reporters and journalists and the possible uninformed comments of certain drug company representatives, many of whom are based in countries other than Japan and nearly all of whom, with few notable execeptions, do not speak Japanese, have erroneously and misleadingly created an impression in countries abroad that there is no regulating body for professional Clinical Psychologists in Japan and that there is no nationally recognized license for practicing Clinical Psychologists.

The fact is that Clinical Psychologists have been examined and licensed by the Foundation of the Japanese Certification Board for Clinical Psychologists [Rinshyo-shinrishi-nintei-kyokai] since its founding and inception in 1988 by the Japan Society of Certified Clincal Pscyhologists. In 1990 the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology granted official approval of the Japanese Certification Board For Clinical Psychologists and official recognition of the Clinical Psychologists to whom it grants national certification and qualification. In October 2005 the World Health Organization published the most current editon of its Mental Health Atlas. In the Profiles Countries section gave one of the most succinct and accurate statements of the current situation with regards to which Japanese Ministry is legally responsible for overseeing the offical licensing regulation of all approved and recognized Mental Health Professionals in Japan:

“Physicians, nurses, social workers and occupational therapists are licenced by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and clinical psychologists are licensed by the Japanese Certification Board for Clinical Psychologists under the Minstry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.”

Mental Health Atlas – World Health Organization 2005 Profiles Countries: Japan p 258. World Health Organisation Mental Heath Atlas Profiles Countries J-M pdf

Please note that the above information is from "Well Planted in Fertile Ground: An Introduction to Japanese Psychotherapy" and may only be reproduced with the express permission of the author.
© Andrew Grimes JSCCP, JCP, M.Sci.Psy.

2011.11.7 ~ 11.8

Three members TCS's counseling team, Andrew Grimes, Haeyoung Jeong and Junko Kimura - who are all members of the Japan Society for Traumatic Stress Studies - participated in Skills for Psychologiical Recovery (SPR) and Psychological First Aid (PFA) workshops held in Sendai on 7th and 8th November respectively and that were organized through the Japan Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (JSTSS). Dr Melissa Brymer of the UCLA Center for Child PTSD and Dr Patricia Watson of the National Center for PTSD were the guest presenters and trainers during the two day workshops with Dr Kato and Clinical Psychologist Ms Tomoko Osawa facilitating and translating into Japanese on both days. Photoblog report to follow soon in January.

2011.10.10 - International Symposium on Trauma and PTSD

Association of Japanese Clinical Psychologists International Symposium on Trauma Recovery and PTSD: In Tokyo on 10th October 700 Clinical Psychologists from The Association of Japanese Clinical Psychology gathered in the main auditorium of Tokyo University for an International Symposium on Trauma Care, Recovery and Psychosocial Support with the focus on the ongoing psychosocial care and support progammes in East Japan, in particular in the Tohoku and Kanto regions.

2011.10.8/9 - AJCP Teaching Revcovery Skills (TRT) Workshop

An intensive two day workshop on "Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) " was organized through the Association of Japanese Clinical Psychology and was held in the main Hall of Tokyo University Department of Psychology Education under the supervision of Dr Shimoyama of the Department of Clinical Psychology Graduate Schooll of Education at Tokyo University and Dr William Yule, Professor of Applied Child Psychology University of London, Institute of Psychiatry. The workshop was held from Saturday 8th to Sunday 9th from 9 a.m. ~ 5 p.m. each day. The workshop was co-faciliated by JSCCP Clinical Psychologists Ms Miki Matsumaru and Mr Keiichirou Ishimaru. Photoblog report to follow soon in January.

2011.10.22

The Autumn Art Therapy Group is being held again this year and starts on October 30 at Tokyo Counseling Services counseling center in Shimokitazawa. The group as usual will be faciltated by Ms Haeyong Jeong who is a counselor and UK licensed Art Therapist. All materials will be provided and naturally the group is open to all residents of Tokyo. Please see Art Therapy in Tokyo for more information about this group and how to apply. TCS is pleased to wecome Ms Maki Mitsuya M.A. to counseling and therapy team. Maki is an Expressive Arts Therapist and Yoga Therapist. She provides individual Yoga Therapy and is the group facilitator of the Sunday Yoga Therapy Group that also starts on October 30th.

2011.9.3

Tokyo Counseling Services took part at the 2nd annual Canadian Embassy "Mini-Expo" that was held on the 4th floor Canada Garden and Exhibition Space of the Canadian Embassy in Akasaka, Minato-ku on 16th Sepetember, 2011. TCS's counseling center team was lead by Ms Yasue Yoshiike, our counseling center’s leading specialist in international couples and marriage counseling who has worked in this field for 30 years including sixteen years in Seattle and Mr Nicolas Dermota who is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist from Austria and a member of our international counseling and therapy team. To see photos of the counseling center's team and write up on TCS's particpation and information and at the Embassy's Mini Expo just simply click here.

2011.9.3

TCS's Director Andrew Grimes was interviewed the topics of the need for psychosocial support, on the subject of PTSD, (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) mental health care and what we can expect to see over the coming years in Japan following the Japan Earthquake, Tsunami and nuclear disasters on 11/3/2011. His comments were featured in The Magazine of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent in the artilce "Mending Minds" written by Tokyo based journalist Nick Jones and published in the International Red Cross magazine's English, French and Spanish language publications. "Mending Minds" focuses on the need for psychosocial and culturally sensitive mental health care in the wake of the East Japan Great Earthquake, Tsunami and Fukishima Dai Ichi nuclear power plants.

2011.8.1

Tokyo Counseling Services counseling center is open as usual throughout the Summer months and providing our full range of individual, couples and family therapy and group therapy services .

2011.4.13

CNN - Earthquake: Stress levels rise in rattled Japan - Andrew Grimes of Tokyo Counseling Services interviewed and featured in CNN article on the current impact and possible future effects on mental health that the psychological stress generated by the triple disasters of the East Japan Great Earthquake, Tsunami and Fukishima Dai Ichi nuclear power plants is having on the people the Eastern regions of Japan.

2011.4.2

We hope this message finds you and all you care for well during these difficult times since the East Japan Great Earthquake and Tsunami that occurred on 11th March 28, 2011. Here at TCS we too extend our condolences and sympathy to the people of the Tohoku Region who have suffered so much though this national disaster.

Tokyo Counseling Services counseling center has remained fully operational since March 12th and has continued to provide our full range of individual, couples and family therapy services as usual. In addition we are providing Crisis and Stress Management counseling for individuals and organizations in the Greater Tokyo Region who are in need of psychological support and care and to help cope with the stress that has naturally been felt by all residents in Tokyo and East Japan during these first few weeks of recovering from the effects of the earthquake and aftershocks as well as the health concerns and mental stress that have followed in the wake of the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Dai Ichi nuclear power plants in Fukushima Prefecture.

2011.3.11

East Japan Great Earthquake and Tsunami 2011Information and contact numbers to emergency services from Tokyo Counseling Services that hopefully will be of use to anyone here living in Japan or for anyone inside or outside Japan who are concerned for friends and family in Japan who are using the internet to search for help on the earthquake in Japan. Bloggers and websites worldwide please feel free to post and pass this information on. Thank you.

2010.12.18

Photos and report of Dr. Digby Tantam’s lectures on Asperger Syndrome held at Meisei University, Tokyo October 19th 2010. Dr Tantam'S lectures in Tokyo were organized by Tokyo Counseling Services in collaboration with Meisei University Health Service Center. These lectures on the topics related to Austistic Spectum Disorders were given by Dr Tantam were held at Meisei University Academy Hall. Many mental heath professionals, students and members of the general public graced the occasion with their presence.

2010.11.15

Here at Tokyo Counseling Services we get around 5 or 6 enquires a month in English, apart from many enquiries in Japanese naturally. Some of these enquiries come from people in Tokyo, some come from people within Japan and others come students and mental health professionals international locations who currently do not hold Japanese mental health qualifications in Japan. The following information has been compiled from answers that cover the range of questions and enquiries we most frequently receive: "Qualification Standards and Credentials for Mental Health Professionals in Tokyo and Japan seeking positions at TCS."

2010.10.22

We are pleased to announce that today marks the three years anniversary since we first inaugurated our new Counseling Center for Tokyo residents. Tokyo Counseling Services purpose designed counseling center opened its doors to all residents in the Metropolis and Kanto area exactly 3 years ago. Please see the Tokyo Counseling Services 3rd Year Anniversary Press Release here for more information.

2010.9.5

Lectures to be given by Professor Digby Tantam on the subjects of "The Interbrain' and Asperger Syndrome" and "Supporting Adolescents and Adults with Asperger Syndrome." at Meisei University. Dr Tantam is the Clinical Professor of Psychotherapy at the University of Sheffield; Consultant Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist, Sheffield Care Trust; and partner, Dilemma Consultancy Ltd. These lectures have been jointly organized by Meisei University Health Services Center and Tokyo Counseling Services (TCS). The lectures are open to all staff and students at Meisei University and staff at Tokyo Counseling Services. Mental health professionals from other centers and institutions ind Japan and members of the public with a specific interest in austistic spectrum disorders wishing to attend please feel free to contact the organizers through Tokyo Counseling Services.

2010.1.1

Happy New Year from Tokyo! Best wishes to you and those you love and we hope that you enjoyed a peaceful and relaxing holiday season either in your home countries or your hometowns here in Japan. Our second year of providing counseling, group therapy and psychotherapy services at Tokyo Counseling Services new counseling center went very well in the year of the Ox and we saw a doubling of the number of clients receiving therapy in English, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish. THe counseling center in is now fully operational from Mondays to Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and, thanks to Haeyoung’s Art Therapy Groups on Sundays, we are now open seven days a week and only close one day in the year, on New Year’s Day. In the latter half of last year the counseling team grew to 14 in total and the team is now comprised of counselors, JSCCP Clinical Psychologists and Japanese Federation of Psychotherapy qualifed Psychotherapists.

2009.10.6

The next 5 WeekArt Therapy Group will start on November 8th. Ms Haeyoung Jeong, a UK licensed Art Therapist, will be conducting her 5-week Art Therapy Group in Tokyo on Sundays from 12.00 to 15.00. As always this group is open to all residents of the Tokyo region. Ms Haeyoung will conduct the group in English but is also fluent in French and naturally Korean as well as being able to speak in everyday Japanese so the group is open to all nationalities. Please click on this link to the Art Therapy Group in Tokyo for more information about this group and how to apply. The group will be held at Tokyo Counseling Services' counseling center facilities in Shimokitazawa.

2009.4.27

TCS launches new Sunday Group Therapy Services from May 17th. Ms Heayoung Jeong who is a UK licensed Art Therapist will be conducting her next 5-week Art Therapy Group in Tokyo from 12.00 to 15.00. All materials will be provided and the group is open to all residents of Tokyo. Please click on this link to Art Therapy in Tokyo for more information about this group and how to apply. The group is held weekly and starts on Sunday 17 May at Tokyo Counseling Services counseling center in Shimokitazawa.

2009.9.13

A new weekly Art Therapy Group in Tokyo starts on Wednesday 25 March at Tokyo Counseling Services counseling center in Shimokitazawa. This art therapy group will be faciltated by Ms Haeyong Jeong who is a UK licensed Art Therapist. She will be conducting her 5-week evening Art Therapy Workshop at from 19.00 to 19.30. All materials will be provided and the group is open to all residents of Tokyo. Click on this link to Art Therapy in Tokyo for more information about this group and how to apply.

2009.2.24

Following Nicolas Dermota joining our counseling team in June of 2008 Tokyo Counseling Services was able to increase the range of languages that we provide to clients to include German and Portuguese. Now we are pleased to have Haeyoung Jeong, who was trained in the UK and has practiced counseling and art therapy in the UK, France and Korea, join us and so we are now also able to provide counseling in French and Korean too.

2008.8.4

The "Tokyo Shimbun" (lit. trans. "Tokyo Newspaper" ) interviewed and featured Ms Taeko Goto JSCCP, a Japan licensed clinical psychologist and member of Tokyo Counseling Services' English speaking counseling and psychotherapy services team, in an article titled "Kokoro no Senmonka" (lit. trans. "Expert of the Mind Heart"). For more information and to read this article in Japanese just click on this link to Kokoro no Senmonka.

2008.7.22

Tokyo Counseling Services is inviting you to a Group Therapy program this summer. Ms Mineko Horuchi M. A.is a Japan licensed clinical psychologist and group therapist who has trained with Natalie Rogers in America in Person Centered Approach Art Therapy Expression. She will conduct her second Art Therapy Workshop at TCS's counseling center in Shimokitazawa on Sunday 31st August from 12.00 to 17.00. Click on this link to Art Therapy in Tokyo for more information.

2008.4.2

Tokyo Counseling Services is launchiing a new Group Therapy program commencing from April. Ms Mineko Horuchi M. A. is a psychologist and group therapist who has trained with Natalie Rogers in America in Person Centered Approach Art Therapy Expression. She will conduct her first Art Therapy Workshop at TCS's counseling center in Shimokitazawa on Sunday 27th April from 12.00 to 17.00. Click on this link to Art Therapy in Tokyo for more information.

2008.3.18

Tokyo Counseling Services couples and marriage counseling services staff were interviewed and quoted in the Couples Counseling and Domestic Violence sections of a feature on these topics printed in the March 18 edition of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, the top financial newspaper in Japan.

2008.1.5

Full counseling and therapy services at TCS counseling center have now resumed after the holiday period. With Best Wishes to you all for a Peaceful, Healthy and Enjoyable New Year.

2007.12.24

A new series of therapy groups and support groups will be held in 2008 commencing in February. Anyone over the age of 18 living in the Tokyo Metropolis and its surrounding area is very welcome to join any of these groups. The exact programs dates and times will be announced on in this News and Information section of TCS web sitein January. Early applications for places in any of these groups or other inquiries about these groups can be accepted by email anytime from Monday December 17th onwards.

2007.12.11

New Tokyo Counseling Services web site was launched with ten counselor, clinical psychologist and psychotherapist staff profiles in English and Japanese.

2007.9.25

New Tokyo Counseling Services pre-site was launched.

2007.9.25

Tokyo Counsleing Services opens new Counseling Center in Shimokitazawa.