Counseling and Support Groups

AJET Peer Support Group
The AJET Peer Support Group (PSG), at 050-5534-5566, is a listening and referral service which operates on the principles of confidentiality and anonymity. They are open to all JET Programme participants every day of the year, from 8:00 pm to 7:00 am - a period when other services such as the Tokyo English Life Line (TELL) are not in service, and when PAs are often unavailable. When you call their number, you will hear a recording announcing the phone numbers of the available PSG volunteers on duty that night. Their volunteers are all current JET Programme participants that have been through (and survived) many of the same things that you may be having trouble dealing with. Whether you've had a bad day at work, need to see a doctor at 3:00 am or just want to speak English with someone, the volunteers at PSG are available to listen. For more information, visit their website at http://psg.ajet.net, or email the National Coordinator at jetpsg@yahoo.com.

In times of serious stress it can be good to contact a professional counselor or the peer support line. Sometimes isolation, physical or linguistic, can make simple problems very stressful, and sometimes very disheartening. Rather than letting problems get on top of you, call the Peer Support Line and chat about how to sort things out, or just get the frustrations out of your system. The Peer Support people are very good listeners, and know a lot about the problems JETs face. For all JETs, there are millions of stresses that you inevitably go through. Each might seem small or insignificant to an outsider, but together they can cause an incredible roller coaster of emotions and reactions - even for the strongest of us. The Peer Support Line is staffed by experienced JETs and ex-JETs that have been through (and survived) many of the same things that you may be having trouble dealing with.

Women's Centre
Under the DV Prevention Law (DV boshi ho), there are Spousal Violence Counseling and Support Centers (SV centers) in each prefecture. These play a key role in combating domestic violence, by offering services including counseling, emergency temporary shelter, and support for victims of domestic violence who wish to become independent of their abusers.

Counseling Office and Women's Shelter for Fukushima Prefecture Hours: 9:00 -　21:00 (excluding Sundays, national holidays, and the end/beginning of New Year)

◆ Fukushima Women's Counselling and Support Centre 024-522-1010

There are a variety of other counseling centres available throughout Fukushima. For a comprehensive list of Welfare, Public Health, and Family and Child Counseling centres, please visit the Fukushima Prefectural website here.

Alcoholism
Alcoholics Anonymous Tohoku Central Office, Sendai Phone:Main: ( 81)22-2765210

Japan General Service Office 4-17-10 Tsuchiya Building 3-F Ikebukuro Toshima-Ku, Tokyo, Japan 171-0014, Japan Phone:Main: ( 81)3-35905377 Site: www.aajapan.org

AL-ANON Family Support Group

Japanese Site/Site for International or Electric Meetings

GLBTQ Support
Intl. Friends Gay Support Network 0356-93-4569

Intl. Lesbian Support Network 0422-56-3953