If talking with friends or family back home is not helping your situation, reach out to your fellow JET participants (especially District Representatives or PAs), co-workers, or supervisor(s). If you would like to speak with someone anonymously, you have several options:
- JET Online Counseling System
- Mental Health Counseling Assistance Subsidy
- Visiting a Local Hospital
- AJET Peer Support Group
- Tokyo English Life Line
- International Mental Health Professionals Japan
JET Online Counseling System
Counselling is done through webmail (unlimited) and Skype (a maximum of 7 sessions per JET per year). Your CO should give you the access password, as this changes each year. If you lost the password, please ask your supervisor or a PA.
You can gain access to the Online Counselling site via a communal log-in and password from the CLAIR newsletter. To register for the newsletter you will need to use your JET Number. Please note your JET Number is NOT required to make an account for the Online Counselling services as that is anonymous.
Mental Health Counseling Assistance Subsidy
If a JET would like to receive professional mental health counseling, CLAIR provides a partial subsidy (50%, up to 30,000 yen per year) for costs incurred through consultation with mental health professionals not covered by health insurance.
IMPORTANT: Receipts sent as proof of payment must display the name of the counselling institution (or provider), name of the applicant, date of payment, and costs incurred for the service(s)
To claim the Mental Health Counseling Assistance Subsidy:
- Pay for the counseling session out of pocket and save your receipts.
- Submit the “Assistance Programme Application Form” (Form 1) for Mental Health Counseling Assistance Subsidy to your Contracting Organization (ask your local CLAIR representative to explain to your Contracting Organization if they do not have the information on hand). You should attach the receipts and a copy of the inside cover of your bank book.
- CLAIR will review the application and let you know if you qualify. If so, the subsidy will be paid directly into your bank account.
Visiting a Local Hospital
If you need help making an appointment or need an interpreter if meeting with a non-English speaking doctor or counselor, please contact SPIRA (info@spira.or.jp) for assistance (they prefer Facebook messenger for communication). They offer this help for free, but it is nice to offer the volunteers at least 1000 ~ 2000 yen in appreciation for their efforts and costs involved.
AJET Peer Support Group
The AJET Peer Support Group (PSG) is the JET Community’s confidential and anonymous listening and referral support service. The PSG is open every night from 8pm to 1am – a period when other services such as the Tokyo English Life Line (TELL) are not in service, and when Prefectural Advisors (PAs) are often unavailable. PSG volunteers are all current JET Programme participants.
You can reach the PSG via Microsoft Teams by searching AJET Peer Support Group (ajetpsg@gmail.com). Current information on hours and detailed information about what the service provides are available on their website.
Tokyo English Life Line
Free, anonymous help-line from 9 AM to 11 PM and a chat service available 10:30 PM to 2 AM, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Longer-term distance counseling sessions available for a sliding fee.
International Mental Health Professionals Japan
Association of therapists who provide mental health services to the international community in Japan. The associates are professionals, so there is a fee involved with these sessions. Several members, notably Nan Yamada and Jim McRae, have extensive experience working with JET Programme participants.
Saga JET Programme 