Mental Health Counseling in Japan: A Horror Story

We need to talk about mental health.
Considering that Japan is a country with a high suicide rate, it's a shame that mental health care remains relatively inaccessible to this day, with scant information about counselling, as well as the fact that the national health insurance does not cover it.
For foreigners living in Japan, mental health care is even more challenging as choices are limited and practices are sometimes left unchecked. This video is about a terrible experience I had with an American counselor in Tokyo. It still baffles me how this person is allowed to practice to this day, given that his behavior is offensive and questionably legal.
What I have said here only scratches the surface. If you google well enough, you will find several accounts of how this so-called counsellor stalked, scammed, and scarred us all.
You have been warned.
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■Official Website: tokyopast3.com
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[@unclejoe7958]

Counsellors aren’t supposed to give advice. They are paid listeners who try to help you to find your own solutions. It’s actually contrary to their code of ethics to tell you what to do. At the most they can offer options.

[@glenbrugge7430]

And it is not all too uncommon for foreign counselors and psychiatrists to operate out of an apartment in Japan. That being said, he doesn't sound terribly good.

[@glenbrugge7430]

It's not all that strange. A licensed counselor is not qualified to prescribe drugs. In the US, one must be a medical doctor who has specialized in psychiatry in order to be able to do so. A counselor provides therapy, while a psychiatrist prescribes drugs and does little to no therapy. It is common for both to work in cooperation. One will counsel you on your problems, while the other will prescribe drugs, if necessary to combat any mental disorders, such as anxiety or depression.

[@Buffalosabskis]

PAs and NPs can also prescribe any medication

[@tokiimori]

Thank you so much for this story, I currently am working towards my bachelors in psychology in America and have heard from research that malpractice can be awful in Japan due to there not being a law in place to regulate therapy/counseling :( I hope to one day work as a psychologist in Japan, and am trying to learn as much as I can!

[@人暇-l6d]

日本の精神医療の現状に興味を持ってくれて嬉しく思います🥲 私は精神疾患を持っていて、トラウマが主な症状です。 ですが日本ではトラウマ(PTSDやC-PTSDなど)についてほとんど正しく知られていない様に感じています。 なので治療を行える精神科医がとても少ない状況です。 私の実体験として誤診も処方箋のミスも医者からの失礼な発言もありました。 私は現在なんとかトラウマの治療を受けられる状況にいますが、ここまでの道のりや治療ができなかった場合のことを考えるととても怖くなります。 その研究についてとても興味があります、世界が日本の精神医療について気にかけている姿勢が私にとって希望になります。 学士号の取得と日本での心理学者としての活躍を願っています。😌

[@jessicajohnston5693]

Thanks for this video and the community in the comments! I am definitely going to become a therapist and am considering working in Japan. It is helpful to know what challenges I will be working with if I go there. Thank you!

[@Mizhelle]

Good luck on your journey! 🍀

[@motionboy356]

In my experience counseling in Japan in general seems awful. It has become a nightmare to find a decent therapist here. Sorry to hear of your experience.

[@glenbrugge7430]

And after looking up Berger, he's an MD and Psychiatrist. They are not particularly well versed in counseling, and are essentially doctors who can prescribe psychiatric drugs. They are rarely trained to counsel people and the majority appear to have no interest in it. Find s counselor, someone licensed as a family therapist (MFT etc.). Counselors are trained to help people through personal struggles, while psychiatrists are essentially there to treat you with drugs. If you want to avoid drugs, avoid psychiatrists.

[@Buffalosabskis]

Glen Brugge Yes as someone that works in addiction psychiatry I will definitely say this is true. Psychiatrist are full doctors that have completed the same schooling as any MD and can prescribe any medication. This is mostly (medication based therapy). If medication is needed in treatment it is recommended that the patient see a counselor or therapist for talk therapy as well as their psychiatrist. A medication management session is typically 15 minutes and designed to discuss how your medications are going.

[@akankshamohapatra6072]

in Asian countries clinical psychologists often do the job of counselling psychologists so they can be an option too (ANYTHING BETTER THAN PSYCHIATRISTS)

[@jackalexander209]

Thanks for posting that. Nicely presented too! About 10 years ago I was having counselling in Tokyo and I was warned very emphatically by another professional not to have anything to do with the counsellor you are talking about. Just adding to Glen's commnent, the guy I saw (who was very good) did operate from an apartment - it's not an unusual arrangement in Tokyo.

[@samtron5000]

Dr Berger isn’t it

[@alikool0001]

He seems more like a celta salesman than psychologist.

[@herydehaan3720]

You are very brave Mizhelle. Thank you for sharing.

[@SMCwasTaken]

Otra razón para no vivir en Japón ☠️☠️☠️

[@sashatagger3858]

If you've got ADHD and live in Japan, well your screwed anyway...

[@wowwowm8394]

Ouch

[@rachaelcaruso7096]

Why?

[@sashatagger3858]

@@rachaelcaruso7096 the traditional medication treatments are illegal there

[@KantoCafe715]

Funny and interesting

[@sou_desu8587]

Are you from philippines

[@debajitiem]

Can you share the free legal advisor details , I too am the victim

[@Jnaa0172]

Hello. Interesado ako sa story mo about sa ganyan topic. Sana magkaron tayo ng chance na makapag usap. I want to share din

[@MilkTeaASMR]

Hi Mizhelle, did you find a counselor that you liked? If so, what did you like about them. I’m currently in school to be a counselor, so I love to know about others’ experiences with mental health professionals. I’m also interested in working with the foreign population in Tokyo after I am licensed. Thank you for sharing ❤

[@ElenaElena1]

"The Prince" written by Niccolo Machiavelli. The entire book can be heard on this platform.

[@rachaelcaruso7096]

Thank you for sharing this, Beautiful!

[@eilands1919]

Is dr.loser really a psychologist?

[@bhavyejot9659]

Nah

[@bhavyejot9659]

I checked he isn't

[@AL-ri6bk]

Heavens the goal?

[@djayers]

wrong place at the wrong time naive expectations