Counselor Net Work

I would like to make a counselor net work. If you have

- Master's in Counseling, Psychology (Clinical), or related field
- More than 1 year counseling experience

Benefit of the net work is

- I will introduce you to my clients if they live near you.
- Your website address will be linked on my top page (which has more than 50 accesses per day. In MSN search, my website will be hit on 10th (First page) by key word, "Counseling" (in Japanese))

If you meet these criteria and have interested in it, please e-mail me at admin@knhclinic.com

Study or Job

I have been busy. Today, all day long, I sit down in front of computer. I did not work only couple of days, but these days kills me now... My webpage got more accesses than before. I got my own counseling room, and I am thinking to run group counseling soon. I do not have time for studying. These days, I am thinking why I should go back to the U.S if my job becomes stable. Now, I do what I want and will want to do. If I go back, I may do everything all over again. Is it smart idea? However, I still want to get a ph.D. Therefore, I try to make time for studying everyday. But...

For a while

I was busy these couple of days, so I could not update my homepage. Today, I found that my homepage is hit on the tenth in MSN search by word of "counseling." What has happened while I am out?

Today, I went to Nihonbashi to see a rental office. The office was very nice and cheap, so I have decided to use it for my counseling office. The rental office building also has group meeting room. Now, I will be able to run group counseling!

In addition to the things that I did in this week, I advertised my website to a company, met my old friends, played soccer and so on. So many enjoyable things I did! I refreshed my mind. Now, I have a good motivation for this week!

(But, I could not get English teaching job...(I took the interview the other day.))

Free Counseling

You believe or not. In Japan, many counselors are counseling for free, and companies and clients expect counselors to do counseling for free too. If people are looking for free, why would they not ask old neighbors to do counseling. I cannot do counseling for free, because I want to keep myself as a professional. If I do, I will not be able to motivate myself and give up taking care of clients. I may misdirect my clients and give responsibility away. (On my website, I offer free counseling, but only for a client who takes my counseling frist time.)

Rental Office

Next week, I might officially announce on my web page, but I will have my own counseling room! Of course, I will not buy the room, but I will rent it. There are several rental offices in Tokyo area, and they have a very good deal. I will only rent it once or twice a month and if I have more than 2 clients on the same day. This is not final decision. I should go and see the room before announce it, because I still worry about their policy and noise. If they do not allow me to do counseling using the office and/or others can hear our conversation easily, I will not go for it. I will check it out on Sunday or Monday. I have been exciting so much! If I have my own room, I will not only be able to do individual counseling, but I will also be able to do group counseling and so on.

Speaking

Today, I had to call to the U.S for billing problem. The conversation was very short with customer service, and the problem was not big. During the conversation, I found that I lost my English accent a lot. My English becomes Japanese tongue. Words were still coming through my mouth fluently, but I know this will not be a long too. I should find English speaking job as soon as possible!

Media Image

I went to an event to see a famous Japanese professional wrestler, Masahiro Chouno. When he showed up, I thought that he was smaller and shorter than what I expected. He was a very polite man too. On TV, he seemed a big, tough, and unruly guy. Now, I feel that we cannot trust media a lot. They always make image and give us information that they want us to have. I took several his pictures by my cell phone camera, but it does not have code to hook up with my computer. I wish I could show you his picture in this blog. Sorry!

Like each other, love each other

The other day, I got an e-mail from my elementary school co-worker. She often tells me what has happened in the school since I came back to Japan. I had appreciated her job until the last e-mail. According to her most recent mail, some teachers have talked about me. I e-mailed to the school the other day to say, "Hello!" She said that I should better not do that anymore, because they do not take my mail as a positive. Otherwise, I just give them resource of their gossip and entertain them. I told her that she should not tell me that! If I do not know this kind of information, I only can keep good memory, but since I know it, I will hesitate to e-mail them from next time. She does not like the school, so I know that she just tries to get more people in her side. However, she should know that I am not the staff of the school anymore, and I just want to have a good memory of the school and relationship with the staff. I do not want to play her game.

Strong

Who is strong person?

If you beat anyone up, will you call yourself strong?

If you carry heavy stuff that no one can do, will you call yourself strong?

If you can do things that no one can do, will you call yourself strong?

I think that strong person accepts himself and is comfortable being own.

Strong person never gives up and always challenges.

Strong person contributes anything what he has.

Strong person cares himself as well as others.

Strong person cries, laughs and mad.

Strong person does anything what he wants to do.

But, the problem is

The society does not allow strong person to exist.

Cheer Up!

Your child can do.

Your child knows how to do.

Your child makes you happy.

But, you should know how to treat your child before expecting him.

Adults make child bad, not child make himself bad.

Please, trust your child.

Because, he is your child.

Own Counseling Room

These days, I have been willing to have own counseling room. If I have it, I will be able to do individual and group counseling. My most interest is group counseling. The group dynamic makes counseling effectiveness greater. One day, I circulated all the cost... I found that it is still dream...

Publication

As I mentioned in the previous blog, I have registered the company's waiting list as a juku teacher. The other day, the company emailed me that they want to introduce my activities as the teacher and the counselor. This is very honorable. Therefore, I said, "Please!"

I already emailed my answers for their interview questions with several pictures. I will announce in this blog and my website when it comes up. Since next week is bon-yasumi (holidays), it will be publicized a week after next.

Complaint

Not for my website, but I saw a client's comment, "Paying 4000 yen for just listening is too expensive!" I have really disappointed after I read this comment. There are still counselors who are only listening and believe that it is the best way of counseling. They might call them as "Rogerlian counseling." I like Rogers. He is one of my favorite counselors. However, doing person-centered counseling is very difficult than they think it is. Probably, Rogers was only one who could do it. Also, the clients of him already knew Rogers's way of counseling before coming to his session. Normally, we do not have this kind of agreement with the clients. Therefore, if the counselors only listen, the clients will not think it is worth for pay. Counselors! Please understand you are not Carl Rogers.

Tel chat

Before one of my clients asked me to use tel chat for the phone counseling. At that time, I did not have a device. Since I thought it was a good idea, I bought it. Today, I tried to use it with my friend, and it worked well. Now, I can provide free call service for the phone counseling!

Sushi

Today, I went to sushi bar with my friend. Sushi was so tasty! I have not eaten them pretty for a while. Before, I told my American students that Japanese people eat raw fish. They think we are people with bizarre tastes in food... They have never seen any food other than beef or chicken though.

Indoor Soccer

Today, I played indoor soccer with my old mutual friends. It was our first time to meet each other after I came back. As soon as they saw me, they said, "You have gained weight!" :( The soccer was fun. I have only played with other races in the U.S, so it was fresh for me to play with Japanese people. On October, we will join in a tournament. We should keep practice hard!

Last Day of Teaching

Yesterday was my last day of teaching. Since many students have gone to international schools in their countries, their English level was high. Sometimes, I had difficulty with answering their questions :( I enjoyed talking with them. They have a lot of unique experiences. Their experiences and ideas were inspired me well. I could motivate to study again and get back strong desire to go back to the U.S for working toward the ph.D degree.

Last Year

These days, I often remember what I did last year. Around this time in the last year, I was preparing my guidance room, and had waited students coming. I had a dream, future, and worry. Probably, it was so exciting moment which I had never experienced in my life. My life was gracefully fulfilled.

It was not easy for me to speak second language and work with people who have different value and custom from mine everyday. In fact, I had a lot of problems in the first couple of months with my job, but I had slowly adjusted new environment. I never forget that process of adjustment. The experience is my treasure. I got such experience so that I can be patient any kind of circumstance. I know if I believe myself, I will definitely make any situation!

After I came back to Japan, everything becomes so easy. I speak my own language, so I can communicate with anyone. My mom cooks for me or I can find good restaurant easily, so I do not have to cook. Finding jobs are not too hard as what I experience in the U.S. I have been losing energy to create my own future which I used to feel inside the body. This is very disappointed.

Teaching

Only this week, I teach at Juku. Today was my second day. When I was a student, I hated teachers, because they were always authoritative and demanded. In some reason, I have been teacher or some kind of teaching related jobs for couple of years. I try not to be the old day authoritative teacher, because I believe this is not the way how people treat others.