How To Find An English Speaking Therapist in Tokyo & Japan?

Living abroad may sometimes be quite taxing, especially if your personal life is not going well or you are dealing with mental problems. We all need someone to listen to our feelings, thoughts, and viewpoints at various stages throughout our life. 

Even if you have access to family members and friends, there are occasions when you need an objective, professional viewpoint. Sometimes the circumstances or emotions you are going through are awkward or intimate, making it uncomfortable for you to discuss it with anyone.

Therefore, you may seek in-person or online therapy help from professional therapists. It might be difficult to find qualified English-speaking therapists in Japan. We will help you in finding English-speaking therapists in Tokyo or anywhere else in Japan.

To support the work of the people working on TherapyHunter.com, we may receive compensation if you sign up for online counseling through the links provided.

Price Comparison for a therapist in Tokyo, Japan

For traditional in-person therapy in Japan, the cost starts from ¥8000 to ¥22000. However, depending on the kind of therapy you require, the therapist’s experience, your insurance plan, and the place you reside, the cost of therapy vary greatly.

However, since BetterHelp’s therapists may operate from home and do not need to cover additional fees like rent for office space, it is less expensive. The therapy price of BetterHelp in Japan costs $60 to $90 or ¥7994 to ¥11992 per week. 

Due to the rising cost of operating for a therapist, the additional expenditures can increase the price of therapy sessions for patients. Whereas, by providing online therapy their expenses can be kept low, which also offers them a more varied audience with different financial backgrounds.

How To Find An English Speaking Therapist in Tokyo & Japan?

A lot of counseling services in Japan virtually provide useful advice on everyday living and legal issues. However, very few provide support for anxiety, depression, emotional anguish, trauma, and marital issues.

Numerous clinics that offer therapy in solely Japanese are available for individuals and couples. However, they require you to speak Japanese as a native. If not, you might need to provide documentation demonstrating your Japanese language skills or bring a translator.

You should seek your primary healthcare provider for referrals for Japanese-language individual counseling because the therapist may require a referral to secure an appointment.

Individual therapy can be beneficial for various problems, including anxiety, depression, stress, and seasonal problems. However, if you reside in another nation, you can find it to be nearly impossible due to linguistic and cultural obstacles.

Additionally, it might be difficult to get couples counseling if you and your spouse have different cultural backgrounds and may not fully comprehend one another’s languages.

You should, for your own good, seek out and obtain what you require. No matter what anyone may think, you have a right to be your best self.

Due to the epidemic, some ward offices provide individual and couple counseling services, although these are often few. If any of these services are offered in your locality, inquire about whether Japanese National Insurance covers them.

To support the work of the people working on TherapyHunter.com, we may receive compensation if you sign up for online counseling through the links provided.

Directories

Since in-person therapy is not inexpensive, you will want to choose the correct therapist or psychiatrist to avoid wasting your time and money. Unfortunately, the industry not being strictly or regularly regulated is one of Japan’s commonly raised problems with mental healthcare. 

Fortunately, many specialists in Japan’s regions, specifically Tokyo, provide their services in English and other languages. Simply searching for clinics in Tokyo will turn up a number of them, but the next question is whether or not these therapists are good. 

There is no national license system for psychologists, even though members of organizations for mental health practitioners can increase their reputation. 

We advise you to be cautious since anyone with even a passing familiarity with psychology might call themselves a therapist and offer their services.

Ask as many people as possible before choosing the first Google result that appeals to you. This might be challenging in Tokyo because it is such a big city without anybody you know.

If you cannot find an English-speaking therapist, you can always take a translator. However, that would be a headache and additional cost. 

Before taking a translator with you, you must first negotiate this with the clinics because each has different guidelines and specifications for translation services.

Furthermore, it might be challenging to inquire about therapy or counseling from others. It may be challenging even to bring up the issue of mental health since there is still a lot of stigma around it in Japan.

International Mental Health Professionals Japan (IMHPJ)

IMHPJ is a national mental health specialist organization that supports Japan’s foreign population.

Although it is a private, professional organization that does not grant licenses or certification, it has strict membership qualifications, so you may be confident that its members are credible.

On the other hand, if you are looking for counseling, you can browse their website for therapists who take clients and meet your needs. Their network also includes therapists who are based outside of Tokyo.

​Online Platforms

Online counseling services are also widely available. BetterHelp offers mental health services for mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, anger issues, trauma, sleeping disorder, PTSD, and stress.

BetterHelp provides more directed and evidence-based psychological treatments, such as acceptance and commitment therapy, CBT, client-centered counseling techniques, mindfulness-based therapies, and systems-focused psychotherapies. 

They deal with people of all ages and individuals who are single, in a relationship, or have families. All psychotherapies are provided by English-speaking therapists who are certified therapists.

BetterHelp’s mission is to deliver professional therapy and mental health knowledge in native English and other languages, particularly for the international community and Japanese returnees, in Tokyo and other regions in Japan via telehealth.

A person can acquire good coping mechanisms that will last a lifetime through therapy. You will encounter difficulties, trauma, stress, or any other challenging obstacle to overcome at some time in your life. 

Furthermore, an individual can learn and practice coping skills in therapy that will be helpful in a variety of challenging circumstances that may emerge in the future.

At BetterHelp, the therapy sessions plan costs $60 to $90 weekly, payable every four weeks. Plus, unlike many other healthcare sectors, you can terminate your membership anytime and for any reason.

Additionally, you can sign up for financial aid if you cannot afford therapy. If you meet the requirements might get financial help.

Final Thoughts

Online solutions can be helpful for individuals who reside in especially rural or distant areas of Japan or where there may not be any English-language mental health care providers nearby. 

BetterHelp offers online solutions that allow users to converse through video chat, audio calls, live chat, and unlimited messaging. 

Online therapy sessions are a good option for individuals who lack the reliable transportation to attend in-person therapy appointments or do not have treatment services nearby. 

BetterHelp offers the greatest online treatment, helping you get a therapy appointment by just going onto your phone, computer, or tablet without paying exorbitant fees commonly connected with this sort of mental health therapy and counseling.