Mental health and sleep

Counseling

When you want someone to listen or help you sort through your worries

Online consultations available

Ask us on LINE How it works

In Japanese,
with a medical interpreter

Consult on LINE
24 hours a day, 365 days a year

Families
OK to consult together

Insurance and
payment information

About

About Counseling

A qualified professional (psychologist) takes the time to listen to you. Unlike a medical consultation, this service is for sorting out your concerns and caring for your emotional well-being (it may be self-paid and not covered by insurance).

Why it happens

Emotional distress isn't necessarily an illness; it's often a natural reaction to changes in environment, relationships or roles. Counseling helps you sort out your thoughts and feelings by talking, and see your situation more objectively. When living abroad, you have fewer people to talk to and fewer chances to put your feelings into words, which can cause strain to build up.

What's happening in the body

Putting your difficulties into words helps you become clear about what is troubling you. When you only think things over in your head, worries and frustrations can blur together and be hard to pin down, but talking to someone else separates events from feelings and shows which parts you can deal with and which you can't. Counseling is this process, supported by someone with professional training. It's not just a place to receive advice, but support that helps you sort things out yourself. The same event can also feel more or less painful depending on how you take it. Noticing long-standing habits of thinking and trying a different perspective can change how you act, and as a result you may feel lighter. What is worked on depends on each person's situation.

Main symptoms

Vague anxiety or loneliness
Unable to sort out your feelings or thoughts
Struggling with relationships (at work, at school or in the family)
Worries about parenting or your relationship with your partner
Finding it hard to adjust to life abroad
Nothing feels fulfilling, or finding it hard to feel motivated
Having no one to talk to about your feelings

When you can wait and see

What you can do yourself

Try writing down how you feel to put it into words
Look after the basics: sleep, meals and exercise
When you notice yourself thinking self-blaming thoughts, set them aside for a while
Have small pleasures and connections outside work
Don't force yourself to be positive

Please consult us

If any of the following apply

You want someone to listen
You have worries about relationships or parenting
You want to sort out your worries about living abroad

Seek care right away

If any of the following apply

Thoughts of wanting to die, or harming yourself
Unable to eat or sleep, and unable to manage daily life
Unable to stop using alcohol or drugs on your own
Concerns about your own or your family's safety

Don't wait for a Cotovia consultation; call the emergency number in your country.

See the emergency guide for each country

Clues

Thoughts of wanting to die, or harming yourself

Care

Please don't hesitate to contact us right away

* This is not a complete list. If you're not sure, please consult us.

When it might be something else

Course

Typical course

This is the general course. Actual progress varies from person to person.

First session
We hear about your current situation and what you'd like to sort out

You don't have to talk about anything you don't want to
A few sessions
Your situation becomes clearer, and so do the themes you want to work on

Fit matters, so please tell us if you feel it isn't working
Ongoing sessions
You try out new ways of thinking and acting little by little and see what changes

How often you meet is decided together
Wrapping up
You can finish whenever you feel you've achieved what you wanted

You can come back whenever you need to

Local Insight

For people living in Southeast Asia

The climate, healthcare and access to medication differ from Japan. Here are points specific to this region.

Abroad, there are few places where you can convey the nuances of your feelings in Japanese, and local psychological services are mostly offered in English or the local language. Simply being able to talk in your native language can make a big difference.

Family members who come along (spouses) can easily become isolated because of restrictions on working or driving and a limited community. They may show problems before the employee does.

Expatriate life tends to pack major life events, such as postings, returning home and children changing schools, into a short time. Getting support before and after these milestones can help.

Online, you may be able to keep talking to the same person even when you move between countries or cities, which is an advantage for people who relocate often.

Care

What Cotovia can do

Counseling with a psychologist (no medication is prescribed)
Suggestions for combining it with a doctor's consultation
Ongoing support

Tests you may have

Not knowing what will happen can make people hesitate to seek care, so here's what actually takes place.

Time to talk

Understanding your situation and clarifying the themes you want to work on

Usually about 45–50 minutes You don't have to talk about anything you don't want to

Questionnaire assessment

Gauging your mood and anxiety levels

About 5–10 minutes Just fill it in

Assessment by a doctor

Deciding whether medical care is needed

Depends on the situation We'll arrange it if it's judged necessary

Treatment options

Listening support

Helps you sort out your situation and feelings

It's not just a place to receive advice

Adjusting thoughts and behavior

Rethinking how you see things and trying new actions

Which approach suits you depends on your situation

Considering changes to your environment

Reduces the source of the strain itself

We think together about adjustments you could make at work or at home

Working with medical care

Connects you with medical care when needed

Counseling and medical care aren't in conflict; you can use both

* Tests, procedures and prescriptions are decided by the doctor after a consultation. Services may vary by country and location.

Preparation

Before your visit

When seeing a doctor abroad, simply organizing what you need to say makes a big difference.

What to bring

Passport or residence card
Insurance card and your insurer's contact details
Your medication record book, if you take any medication

What to tell us

What you'd like to sort out (it's fine if it's vague)
Roughly how long you've felt this way
How much it affects your life and work
Whether you've had counseling before
How often you'd like to meet and how you'd like to proceed

Self Care

What you can do yourself

Along with seeing a doctor, here are things to keep in mind in daily life.

Prevention

Make sure you have a regular place to talk about your feelings
Consciously lighten your load before and after big changes such as a posting, a move or having a baby
Make sure each family member has someone to turn to
Seek help early (it's more effective before things become serious)

How to Consult

How to be seen

Choose from 3 ways to be seen, depending on your symptoms and schedule. If you're not sure, we'll guide you on LINE.

Online consultations

See a doctor by video call from home or the office. Medication delivered or from a pharmacy.

Available for this symptom

In-person care

In-person consultations at our clinics and partner hospitals, including tests and procedures.

Ask us about this symptom

Cotovia Counter

Support with an interpreter for visits to general hospitals.

Available for this symptom

If an online consultation finds that tests or procedures are needed, we'll guide you to in-person care or Cotovia Counter.

From consultation to receiving medication

Add us on LINE and consult

Tell us your symptoms, and we'll recommend the right way to be seen.

Book and be seen

See a doctor online or at the nearest location, with an interpreter present.

Receive your medication

Have it delivered or pick it up at a pharmacy or the clinic (varies by country).

Follow-up

You can also consult us on LINE about how you're doing afterward.

Fees and insurance Payment methods and accepted insurance vary by country and location. Our doctors and medical interpreters Doctors who trained at medical schools in each country work as a team with Japanese interpreters.

Special Care

People who need extra care

Family members who came with you

Without a workplace or school to belong to, they can easily become isolated. They can use the service for themselves

Parents worried about their child

Even if your child can't attend, you can use the service as a parent

If you have thoughts of wanting to die

Please don't hesitate to contact us right away. If it's urgent, also consider local emergency services

People who had counseling in Japan

If you'd like to continue, telling us about your sessions so far makes the handover smoother

FAQ

Common questions before a visit, and common assumptions that lead people to judge for themselves.

QWhat's the difference between a medical consultation and counseling?

A medical consultation is for assessment and treatment by a doctor, while counseling is for sorting out your feelings by talking with a psychologist. You can also use both together.

QCan I use it even if I'm not ill?

Yes. You can use it whether or not you have a diagnosable condition.

QIs it OK if I don't know what I want to talk about?

Yes. You're welcome to start talking even if your thoughts aren't in order.

QIs it covered by insurance?

It may be self-paid (not covered by insurance). This depends on your insurance policy, so we recommend checking beforehand.

Common misconceptions

Myth It's for people who are ill

Fact You can use it without a diagnosable condition. Having something you want to sort out is reason enough

Myth Talking won't change anything

Fact Talking can make your difficulties clearer and show which parts you can deal with

Myth It's a place to get answers

Fact It's not only about receiving advice but about supporting you to sort things out yourself

Myth Your company will find out

Fact What you discuss is confidential. If you're worried, please check with us beforehand

Myth Once you start, you have to keep going for a long time

Fact You can finish whenever you feel you've achieved what you wanted

Feel free to ask us on LINE first

It's fine to contact us even if you're not sure you need to see a doctor. We're available in Japanese 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Symptoms
When it started
Your country of residence
How you'd like to be seen

Sending these 4 things helps us respond faster. It's fine if you don't have them all.

Ask us on LINE