Gaijin Support Group in Tokyo
Finding Connection While Living in Japan
Living in Japan can be an exciting and enriching experience. But adapting to life in another country can also be more challenging than expected.
Language barriers, cultural differences, loneliness, difficulties forming meaningful relationships, workplace expectations, or simply the feeling of never quite fully belonging can gradually take their toll. Even people who have lived in Japan for many years may find themselves questioning where they belong and how living between different cultures has changed them.
At REFUGIUM Tokyo, we are therefore planning a new Gaijin Support Group for expats and other international residents living in Japan.
A Space to Talk About Life Between Cultures
The group will offer a confidential and professionally facilitated space where participants can meet others who may be dealing with similar experiences.
Possible topics include: Adjusting to Japanese culture and everyday life, loneliness and social isolation, making friends and building meaningful relationships, intercultural relationships and family life, workplace stress and Japanese working culture, homesickness and missing family or friends abroad, identity and the question of where “home” is or deciding whether to stay in Japan or eventually leave
There is no requirement to be experiencing a mental health disorder. Sometimes it is simply helpful to meet other people who understand what it means to build a life far away from one’s original cultural environment.
More Than an Expat Meetup
The Gaijin Support Group is not intended to be another social networking event.
It will be facilitated within the professional framework of REFUGIUM Tokyo, an international mental health institute providing psychological counseling, psychotherapy and mental health services in Tokyo.
The aim is to create a small and respectful group in which participants can speak openly, reflect on their experiences and learn from one another. Psychological perspectives on cultural adjustment, identity, relationships and mental wellbeing may be introduced where helpful.
At the same time, the group should remain personal and accessible. Participants do not need previous experience with counseling or psychotherapy.
When Living Abroad Changes Who We Are
Moving to another country is not only a geographical change.
Over time, living in a different culture can change the way we think, communicate, form relationships and see ourselves. For some people this becomes an opportunity for personal growth. For others, it can create a strange feeling of being somewhere between two worlds – no longer entirely at home in the country they came from, while never feeling completely Japanese either.
These experiences are particularly common among long-term expats and migrants, but they are rarely talked about openly.
Our Gaijin Support Group aims to provide a place for exactly these conversations.
Interested in Joining?
The group is currently being organized at REFUGIUM Tokyo in Aoyama.
It will be conducted in English and is intended for international residentsliving in Tokyo and the surrounding area. Further details regarding dates, group size, frequency and participation fees will be announced shortly.
If you are interested in participating, please contact REFUGIUM Tokyo to register your interest.
Sometimes adapting to another culture is easier when you do not have to do it alone.
If you would like to learn more about our group therapy and support group services in Tokyo, please visit our Group Therapy page here: https://refugiumtokyo.com/group-therapy-t-group