Tokyo Mental Health is here to support you and provide you with the help you need.
Individual Counseling
Ever feel confused about your thoughts and feelings?
Are you worried that your mental health is deteriorating?
If you are concerned about your mental health, Tokyo Mental Health is here to support you and provide you with the help you need.
All counseling services are provided by psychologists, therapists and counselors with international backgrounds,
As such, we are specially equipped to work with the international and foreign community and Japanese returnees. We are able to provide services for adults, couples, families, adolescents, and children.
Our goal is to do more than just provide counseling services. We are here to help you achieve recovery, promote good mental health, and help maintain a positive wellbeing. Good mental health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “the promotion of mental well-being, the prevention of mental disorders, the protection of human rights and the care of people affected by mental disorders.” We believe everyone is deserving of a full life that is free from mental health issues. As a counseling team, we have helped hundreds of people beat their depression, overcome anxiety, and take their life back from other mental health issues.
We can help you. We are here for you. At Tokyo Mental Health, we work tirelessly to provide you with the best counseling services in Japan. If you are not satisfied with your consultation, you will not be charged for it.
Do I need therapy? When should I see a counselor?
Knowing when counseling might be for you
You may feel that your mental health is not the best it could be, and/or know that something is wrong, but not sure whether psychotherapy may be for you. You may also have been treated for a mental health problem before, and feel that you may be relapsing (getting back into “old habits”).
It is, however, important to access the right care at the right time, as research has shown that accessing early care can increases the likelihood of a positive treatment outcome and recovery process.
If you are unsure whether you are experiencing mental health problems, recognising the signs of a mental health crisis can be a good indicator of when you should seek help from a mental health professional.
Signs of a Mental Health crisis
Signs of a mental health crisis can include, but are not exclusive to, feelings of:
- Not being able to cope on your own
- Not being in control of your own situation
- Increased distress and anxiety, such as excessive worrying or fear
- Increased depressive and negative thoughts, such as feeling excessively sad or low
- Tearfulness or crying
- Inability to cope with day-to-day activities
- Increased thoughts of self-harm and suicide
- Feeling confused or inability to concentrate
- Feeling excessive or prolonged anger or irritability
- Avoiding social situations (such as seeing friends or family)
- Changes in sleep
- Changes in eating habits or appetite
- Changes in sex drive
- Experiencing somatic symptoms with no identifiable physical causes, such as headaches, stomach pain, chronic pain)
- Difficulty perceiving reality, such as experiences of delusions and hallucinations
If you are unsure whether counseling might be for you, please do not hesitate to contact us on [email protected]. We will be happy to assist you by answering your questions.
What Is individual counseling?
Definition of 'Counseling'
The American Counseling Association defines counseling as:
…a collaborative effort between the counselor and client. Professional counselors help clients identify goals and potential solutions to problems which cause emotional turmoil; seek to improve communication and coping skills; strengthen self-esteem; and promote behavior change and optimal mental health.
Counseling (or counselling in the UK) is certainly a broad field with many methods, styles, aims and approaches.
Tokyo Mental Health offers supportive counseling for children, adolescents and adults, for a broad range of problems including depression, anxiety disorders, stress, psychosis, and more. We also offer couples and family counseling for those in need of support and guidance in their relationships.
What is counseling like at TMH?
Methods in Counseling
Counselors can use a variety of approaches to treat mental health issues. Below are examples of the different counseling methods:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): A “gold-standard” psychological intervention for most mental disorders. Couseling sessions emphasise the relationships between thoughts, feelings and behaviour, and how these factors maintain mental health.
- Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT): A collaborative therapy between the client and counselor. Counseling sessions focus on the way the client feels, thinks and reacts to different situations, relationships and events in the client’s life.
- Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: Focuses on the unconscious content of a client’s psyche to alleviate psychic tension.
- Third-Wave CBT Approaches: Extending on to traditional CBT, third-wave approaches focus incorporates positive psychology and approaches problems in a holistic approach by considering the context of the problem. Examples of third-wave approaches include Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Metacognitive Therapy (MCT).
- Person-Centered Therapy: The client is seen as the ‘expert’ on themselves and so the therapy is very much led by the client and not directed by the therapist. Supported by the therapist, clients are encouraged to explore their problems, feelings, thoughts and perspectives to come to a greater awareness and understanding. The therapist will provide a safe space for this exploration using empathy, unconditional positive regard and congruence. The aim is to empower clients and build the self-confidence they need to tackle problems independently.
What to expect in your first appointment
While we have a range of psychologists, counselors and therapists here at Tokyo Mental Health who all work differently, you can expect your first appointment to include some of these components:
Introduction:
Your therapist will introduce themselves and explain about how they work. They will ask your preferred name and, if you would like to, you can let your therapist know your preferred pronouns. Your therapist will give you an opportunity to ask any questions about their qualifications and experience if there is anything you are unsure about.
Before coming to your appointment at Tokyo Mental Health you will sign a consent form outlining company policies regarding our services, confidentiality, cancellations and emergency contact information. In your first appointment your therapist will review some of this information briefly with you.
Session Content:
After introductions, your therapist will generally cover the following topics:
- The presenting issues – what are the problems you are currently facing?
- Your current life circumstances – what are the factors that are contributing to your problems from your past and present experiences? (this includes biological, environmental and psychological factors)
- Coping strategies – what do you currently do, if anything, to help with your problems? Are there any factors that are maintaining the thoughts, feelings and behaviours that are troubling you?
- Relationships – who is currently in your life and what effect do they have on your problems?
- Impact on functioning – how do your problems affect areas in your life such as work/school, relationships and hobbies/interests?
- Safety/Risk – your therapist will ask you about self-harm and suicidal thoughts and if you present with some risks your therapist will go through a safety plan with you
- Goals – what are your goals and expectations for therapy? How can your therapist support you?
Conclusion:
Towards the end of the consultation, you and your therapist will decide the next steps to take. Please note that in some cases it may be necessary to refer to other providers after an initial consultation. Your therapist will discuss with you the frequency of sessions and may outline a structure for future appointments – this is dependent on the therapist’s approach. If you are unsure about anything this is a good opportunity to ask your therapist any questions.
Can I see a Counselor online?
Our online counseling services
We offer online therapy services for those who would feel more comfortable in seeing a therapist online. We also offer telephone counseling services. For more information, please email us at [email protected], or contact us using our online enquiries form.
Where Can I find more information about counseling?
Got questions?
You can read more about counseling for specific disorders on our webpage under ‘resources’.
You can also visit our page to read more about couples counseling, or family therapy.
If you have any questions, please visit our FAQ page where we answer our frequently asked questions. Got a question that is not there? No problem. Email us at [email protected]. We are happy to help you.
