I’ve accepted that I need therapy. I need physical therapy and psych therapy. I want to be better. I want to improve my relationships with myself and others. I want to engage with my past so I can concentrate on the present and look forward to the future.
I want to do it in person. I’m willing to go away for a while to get it done. I don’t want to spend a lot of money, but will if I have to.
I need help, I can’t do it alone. I need somewhere to go. Living in Kansai.
10 comments
Look up Jiujitsu. It’s not for everyone but it’s the best therapy you will get.
You can get a lot of help just from Youtube videos on philosophy. Look up existentialism.
Hopefully someone will have some more personal recommendations to offer, but in the meantime if you haven’t already found it, Tell does have a directory of counselors on their page. Looks like there are a few in Kyoto, Osaka, and Hyogo. (There are none in my region so I can’t really speak to the quality of the directory overall, but it might be worth a look if you haven’t already.
I can’t give you specific advice about who to see, but I can give you a bit of general advice as someone who resisted going down this path for far too long, but finally did and realized that happiness in life is possible:
1) Finding a therapist is the start of your journey, but it is also a journey in itself. I went through probably 10 before I found the one that I clicked with. It has to be someone who vibes with you, and who you really trust to open up to and who you feel genuinely wants to help give you the tools you need to be happier. I gave up several times and suffered for it. Don’t give up. Keep trying people until you find the one for you.
2) You probably don’t have to go away for it – at least not into a hospital. I wouldn’t recommend hospitalization unless you are an extreme danger to yourself and others on a regular basis. If you insist on doing therapy in person, you may really struggle to find the right therapist for you in Japan (see above). If you’re willing and able to take a break from your current life and relocate to get yourself on the right track, that would open doors.
3) This post is a good start. Just putting out there in public that you want to improve and can’t do it alone is a huge step. Asking for help is one of the hardest parts of this process. You can do it. I’ve been nearly as rock bottom as is humanly possible. I never thought that happiness was possible for me. I was too “broken”. I got my shit sorted out through therapy, meds, and lifestyle changes, and my life is amazing now. I don’t even need the meds anymore. Seriously, don’t give up.
Feel free to DM me if you have any questions.
/r/JapanMentalHealth
Unfortunately mental health is Japan is like 20 years behind other developed countries as far as resources go. Better than calling people with MH issues witches, but still pretty bad. You’re more than likely going to have to do Skype or Zoom sessions. Beat of luck on your journey. You already self realized that you need help. That’s a huge step.
Here is the resource I have used for finding a therapist in Japan. There’s a good mix of Japanese and English-speaking therapists along with other languages.
Really wish you the best. It takes a lot of courage to admit you need help, and sometimes more to admit that you want it.
https://www.imhpj.org/all-members/?_categories=therapists-counselors
Also if your in the countryside look at the online therapist from good help.com I’ve heard some good things from others.
Remember a therapist is a relationship so if you don’t mesh with them change it’s not offensive as they understand. Find the one you feel comfortable talking to and more will work out.
You can try zooming with Singapore’s private psychologists. We are in the same timezone as Japan (only one hour ahead), and we have many therapists offering remote therapy:
https://www.aic.sg/resources/Documents/Brochures/Mental%20Health/Mind%20Matters%20Resource%20Directory%20Listings.PDF
DM me if you need more info.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/13lpiuj/suggestions_for_getting_clients_as_an_english/](https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/13lpiuj/suggestions_for_getting_clients_as_an_english/)