CJMH offers telephone and video counseling to Japanese-speaking clients outside the Greater Los Angeles area, particularly to caregivers, relief workers and social workers assisting in Japan’s recovery efforts in the earthquake and tsunami ravaged regions, or anyone who is unable to find effective counseling in their local area.

For those in Japan: The Japanese government does not regulate clinical psychologists or psychotherapists, and Japanese insurance companies do not cover their services. The certifications for the Japanese versions of these vocations only require about 10% of the training hours required by California’s Board of Behavioral Sciences. Not surprisingly, Japan psychologists and psychotherapists are prohibited from making diagnoses. CJMH counselors provide telephone counseling and refer patients in Japan with severe diagnoses to Japanese licensed psychiatrists and/or psychiatric hospitals for confirmation of their diagnoses and for further treatment. If determined to be sufficiently stable for outpatient treatment or in the case of a non-severe diagnosis, patients can continue treatment using distance counseling from CJMH.

For those in the USA: Outside of Los Angeles, New York and Hawaii, the states with the largest population of Japanese residents, it’s likely difficult to find a properly trained, licensed and experienced psychotherapist or other mental health professional who can comfortably and knowledgeably help a native Japanese speaker.