16 May Interview with TELL Japan – 50 years of supporting mental health in Japan

Q. What is TELL? 

A. TELL is a non-profit organization that offers mental health support through community events; a free Lifeline, available in English; and mental health counseling services in English, Japanese, and other non-Japanese languages. 

Q. Why did you join TELL?

A. I have been in the corporate world for the last several years. Although I enjoyed my work, I wanted to make a contribution to society. I was especially interested in supporting people who do not have access to mental health resources. That is when I found out about TELL. 

Q. What are TELL’s goals and aspirations? 

A. Our first goal is to support underserved communities across Japan. In fact, we have  Outreach Coordinators in Kansai and Okinawa to cover regions that are distant from Tokyo. 

Our second goal is to further expand our Lifeline and counseling services. 

TELL was founded 50 years ago (meaning 2023 marks TELL’s 50th anniversary) to serve the international community in Japan, including bicultural and Japanese folx who have returned from living overseas. 

We began by offering the Lifeline service, but expanded to offering professional counseling services as we noticed mental health needs going unmet in the international community. In addition to conducting counseling in English, we added many languages, such as Japanese, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, etc. 

We believe that language should not be a barrier for someone to access counseling and mental health support. 

Q. Could you tell us more about TELL’s Outreach team? 

A. In Outreach we focus on meeting the needs of our community, organizations, and schools to raise awareness of mental health in Japan. We have actually been to diverse schools in Japan, including Japanese schools and international schools. We host various events throughout the year and talk about the resources available in Japan. 

Q. How can students get involved if they are interested in contributing to this cause? 

A. We visit different schools and share about mental health and TELL’s services via presentations. If any schools are interested they are welcome reach out to us through our website – https://telljp.com/outreach/

We are also actively looking for student interns so that students can experience TELL more directly. You can join our team as an intern, some schools even offer academic credit for the experience. In the past, we have had both high school and university students serve as interns. 

There is also a volunteer form on the website—we are always looking for people who want to volunteer for the Lifeline, as well as those who could volunteer to help at different events. In addition to our booth at this year’s Tokyo Rainbow Pride – we will have a booth at, Osaka Rainbow Festa, Kyushu Pride, and will march in the Okinawa Pink Dot Parade this year. 

Q. When should someone use the Lifeline? 

A. I would encourage anyone to use the Lifeline whenever they feel the need to talk. 

Lifeline support workers are trained to be non-judgemental. Our goal is to offer a space where everyone can communicate about anything that is important to them. Our role is to listen and create a safe and open call or chat. 

Q. How much is the counseling service? 

A. The Lifeline is free to use, though the phone service is not free dial. It is available by phone and chat, so you have those two options. 

TELL’s counseling services are fee-based. Though national health insurance does not cover therapy, TELL’s counseling fees are determined on a sliding scale – meaning the counseling fee is based on the client’s income level. 

There is a form on the website; once it is filled, someone from TELL will reach out to you about the available pricing. 

If you are a student, you might also want to check if your school is offering counseling; in-school counseling is becoming more common in Japan, and it is usually provided without charge. 

Q. I am not sure what to talk about during the Lifeline/counseling session

A. Our Lifeline and counseling teams are trained to listen. Even if you do not know how to start the conversation and might need some time to get to the topic, there is nothing wrong with taking your time. In other words, you do not have to fill every moment of the conversation. 

We use “user-centered” approaches on the Lifeline, which means the service user is the expert of their own life. Our support workers are not there to push you to share, and you can take your time. Also, the service is anonymous and confidential. 

Q. Do you have any messages to people who may be suffering from depression / not sure about how to use the Lifeline or counseling services? 

A. We are here for you. Our line is open for you. We welcome you to reach out to us. We won’t judge you or have any expectations. We are here to listen. We invite you to call and reach out.