Online Therapy & Counseling in Japan
Social Anxiety | Panic | OCD | & More
Are you living in Japan and experiencing:
Worry that feels circular?
Persistent and intense feelings in your body?
Avoiding certain situations, people, or tasks to manage intense feelings?
Anxiety and stress are limiting, at best, but oftentimes they cross the line into being confusing, exhausting, and even scary:
- "Sometimes I feel like I'm losing my mind"
- "I'm so scared that I'm going to lose control"
- "It's embarrassing thinking about how others perceive me"
- "What's wrong with me? Why can't I handle this like everyone else?"
These experiences are challenging enough in our home culture, but going through this while in Japan, far away from our usual support systems, it's common to feel like we can't cope.
Anxiety is not your fault and Therapy can be an effective treatment option.
About Brian
As a California Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, my aim is to provide a warm and accepting environment for you to explore the challenges you're facing and collaboratively carve out a pathway towards your goals.
I began working with clients in 2016 as an intern at Dominican University of California and Family Works in San Rafael, California. I also worked as a Clinical Specialist for the UCLA Semel Institute in Twentynine Palms, CA and here in Okinawa on Camp Courtney & Kadena AB, working with the U.S. military population. I became licensed in 2020 and opened my private practice in Okinawa in 2021. I work with clients exclusively online from my office located in Okinawa.
Though a lot of my recent research and training focuses on the treatment of anxiety, I do have experience and may be able to assist with other challenges.
Common Questions & Concerns
"Japan has a small expat community. I don't want others to find out that I'm going to therapy"
This is a very important concern, especially here in Japan, in our small foreign population. Unfortunately, there can be harsh judgement if someone discovers you're going to therapy. It can quickly get around and negatively impact your social and professional life.
Confidentiality is my number one priority.
Confidentiality is foundational to therapy and is something we will review and discuss thoroughly during our first session.
"I have friends to talk with. How is therapy different?"
Having a social support system is crucial to our mental health. At the same time, talking to a therapist is a much different experience than getting support from friends.
First, often times friends give advice and try to be fixers. Though well intended, advice usually lands flat. Instead of fixing, we're usually looking for understanding and acceptance. Second, friends aren't always the best listeners. Often times they try to help by relating what we're going through with a similar situation they've experienced. Third, it's hard to go to friends on a regular basis for the same challenges. We risk burning them out.
Therapy is not about me giving clients advice. I don't know what's best in someone else's life. Instead, my training and experience is in helping clients increase self-awareness, uncover helpful and unhelpful patterns in their lives, and assisting them in clarifying their struggles and desires. Through this process, many people find change to be more possible and choosing which direction to take in life becomes more clear.
"Do I have to have a mental health condition to come to therapy?"
Not at all. People utilize therapy for a number a different reasons. Some people come for one session to get support before making an important decision. Other people come for assistance in managing and to recover from mental health challenges.
I place less emphasis on diagnosis and more emphasis on understanding why you're coming to therapy, what sort of change you're looking for, and to assist you in making lasting change.
by Brian O'Sullivan, LMFT
Productive vs Unproductive Worry
Mental Reps
Perfectionism to Self-Compassion
Subscribe and Receive
Weekly Thoughts on Anxiety + Events + Video Updates
Are you living in Japan and experiencing:
Worry that feels circular?
Persistent and intense feelings in your body?
Avoiding certain situations, people, or tasks to manage intense feelings?
Anxiety and stress are limiting, at best, but oftentimes they cross the line into being confusing, exhausting, and even scary:
- "Sometimes I feel like I'm losing my mind"
- "I'm so scared that I'm going to lose control"
- "It's embarrassing thinking about how others perceive me"
- "What's wrong with me? Why can't I handle this like everyone else?"
These experiences are challenging enough in our home culture, but going through this while in Japan, far away from our usual support systems, it's common to feel like we can't cope.
Anxiety is not your fault and
therapy can be an effective treatment option.
About Brian
As a California Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, my aim is to provide a warm and accepting environment for you to explore the challenges you're facing and collaboratively carve out a pathway towards your goals.
I began working with clients in 2016 as an intern at Dominican University of California and Family Works in San Rafael, California. I also worked as a Clinical Specialist for the UCLA Semel Institute in Twentynine Palms, CA and here in Okinawa on Camp Courtney & Kadena AB, working with the U.S. military population. I became licensed in 2020 and opened my private practice in Okinawa in 2021. I work with clients exclusively online in Okinawa, greater Japan, and California.
Though a lot of my recent research and training focuses on the treatment of anxiety, I do have experience and may be able to assist with other challenges.
Common Questions & Concerns
"Japan has a small expat community. I don't want others to find out that I'm going to therapy"
This is a very important concern, especially here in Japan, in our small foreign population. Unfortunately, there can be harsh judgement if someone discovers you're going to therapy. It can quickly get around and negatively impact your social and professional life.
Confidentiality is my number one priority.
Confidentiality is foundational to therapy and is something we will review and discuss thoroughly during our first session.
"I have friends to talk with. How is therapy different?"
Having a social support system is crucial to our mental health. At the same time, talking to a therapist is a much different experience than getting support from friends.
First, often times friends give advice and try to be fixers. Though well intended, advice usually lands flat. Instead of fixing, we're usually looking for understanding and acceptance. Second, friends aren't always the best listeners. Often times they try to help by relating what we're going through with a similar situation they've experienced. Third, it's hard to go to friends on a regular basis for the same challenges. We risk burning them out.
Therapy is not about me giving clients advice. I don't know what's best in someone else's life. Instead, my training and experience is in helping clients increase self-awareness, uncover helpful and unhelpful patterns in their lives, and assisting them in clarifying their struggles and desires. Through this process, many people find change to be more possible and choosing which direction to take in life becomes more clear.
"Do I have to have a mental health condition to come to therapy?"
Not at all. People utilize therapy for a number a different reasons. Some people come for one session to get support before making an important decision. Other people come for assistance in managing and to recover from mental health challenges.
I place less emphasis on diagnosis and more emphasis on understanding why you're coming to therapy, what sort of change you're looking for, and to assist you in making lasting change.
by Brian O'Sullivan, LMFT
Productive vs Unproductive Worry
Mental Reps
Perfectionism to Self-Compassion
Subscribe and Receive
Weekly Thoughts on Anxiety + Events + Video Updates