Consultations

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In-Person Consultations

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Consultations are conducted in person at an office near Nagoya Station.

A standard session lasts 60 minutes, although sessions may extend to 90 minutes when clinically appropriate.

Individual session (60–90 minutes): ¥8,000

Couples session: ¥10,000

Payment is made in cash or by bank transfer at the end of each session.

• A sliding-scale fee system is available. This system, commonly used in Japan in psychological services, allows fees to be adjusted according to the patient’s financial circumstances. Please inquire for further details.

The frequency of sessions varies according to each case. During the initial stage of therapy, sessions may commonly be scheduled four times per month, with the frequency gradually reduced as appropriate. However, this depends on the patient’s needs, clinical situation, and budget.

The therapeutic framework is discussed and established during the first session. Each treatment plan is therefore adapted to the patient’s individual needs and to the particular demands of their situation.

For example, depending on the nature and severity of their mental health condition, some patients may require four or five sessions during the first month or two. In such cases, both the frequency of sessions and professional fees may be adjusted, taking the patient’s financial circumstances into account.

The priority is to address the patient’s most urgent and immediate needs.

 

 

Psychological Assessment and Diagnosis for Children

The cost of an assessment process varies according to the individual case. For example, the administration of a Wechsler intelligence test takes approximately two hours. In many cases, however, greater accuracy and professional rigor require a battery of tests, combining different assessment tools, followed by a written report.

For this reason, when a child requires a professional diagnostic assessment, we begin with an initial interview, develop an assessment plan, and provide a fee estimate based on the child’s particular characteristics, environment, context, and needs.

Although psychological tests are standardized and supported by established levels of statistical validity and reliability, we believe that every child must be understood within their own individual circumstances. Assessment therefore involves more than testing alone. Depending on the case, it may include clinical interviews, play-based assessment, exercises, interviews with family members, and other relevant methods.

A properly conducted diagnostic assessment generally requires several sessions, usually around four or five, although this varies according to the tests required and the individual circumstances of the child. The corresponding fee is determined accordingly.

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The Importance of Context in the Assessment of Foreign Children

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A common example involves a foreign child who comes to consultation with a diagnosis previously made by Japanese psychiatrists, in Japanese, even though the child’s first language is Spanish and Japanese is still being acquired as a second language.

In some cases, the assessment may have been based primarily on quantitative test results obtained during a single session. A diagnosis such as mild intellectual disability may then be given, despite the parents feeling that it does not accurately reflect the child’s actual abilities, particularly when the child performs very differently in Spanish and in the familiar context of home.

If the child’s linguistic and cultural circumstances are not adequately considered, the assessment may be affected by cultural and linguistic bias. A child who has recently arrived in Japan, is still acquiring Japanese, and has difficulty communicating, socializing, or understanding culturally specific concepts may also struggle to understand the examiner’s instructions. These factors can inhibit the child’s performance and affect the responses elicited during testing.

We believe that the possibility of an inaccurate diagnosis exists in every area of medicine and healthcare. However, in mental health, a biased diagnosis can have particularly significant consequences. When a child is understood primarily through a diagnostic label, that label may limit how their development and abilities are perceived and supported. Stigma can affect not only the child’s quality of life, but also the wellbeing of the entire family.

Our approach therefore seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of the child’s mental health, integrating both qualitative and quantitative aspects of assessment.

This includes:

• Psychological and contextual factors: family life, environment, personality, cultural context, traumatic experiences, and upbringing.

• Cognitive and developmental factors: executive functioning, intelligence, language, and other relevant cognitive abilities.

We begin by listening to and understanding the child. We then use appropriate tests, questionnaires, developmental history, play-based assessment, and other tools to confirm or refine our initial clinical understanding.

In other words, we do not allow test results to determine our clinical understanding of the child in isolation. Rather, assessment tools support and inform our clinical judgment, helping us understand the nature and extent of the difficulties involved.

For example, testing may help clarify the degree of intellectual impairment, if present, or identify where a child’s characteristics may fall within the autism spectrum. However, these results must always be interpreted within the broader psychological, developmental, and cultural context of the individual child.

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Online Consultations

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We generally encourage patients to attend consultations in person whenever possible. In-person sessions allow us to observe not only verbal communication, but also paraverbal and nonverbal communication, body language, and other aspects of the patient’s presentation.

We also believe that attending therapy in person can itself support the therapeutic process. Making time for an appointment, getting ready, leaving home, traveling, taking the train, and making an investment in one’s own mental health can all become meaningful steps toward recovery.

For this reason, patients living in or near Aichi, Mie, Gifu, and surrounding prefectures are encouraged to attend in person whenever feasible.

Nevertheless, patients who genuinely need psychological support but live in another prefecture, or who have a genuine difficulty traveling, may access consultations online through Zoom, Skype, or another suitable video-calling platform.

A hybrid approach, combining online and in-person sessions, may also be possible. In many cases, I consider this to be the most effective approach when in-person attendance is not consistently practical.

However, every patient has their own circumstances and needs. Please feel free to inquire without obligation. The therapeutic framework and treatment process are developed collaboratively between the patient, as an active participant in their own care, and the therapist.

The aim is to create a therapeutic approach adapted to each person’s individuality and circumstances, prioritizing individual needs over standardization when addressing human difficulties.