Sexual Abuse and Human Trafficking
It started when she was young, maybe 5 or 6 years old, and went on for years. Some just looked the other way, some blamed her for it. As a freshman in high school, she met some new friends and one of them introduced her to her soon-to-be boyfriend. Her friend said that he was […]
Sexual Abuse and Awareness
The pandemic has seen a rise in abuse and sexual violence in many countries, with lockdowns creating a pressure cooker environment where people have been exposed to more ongoing stressors with reduced access to support services in the community. Official police statistics in Japan, however, suggest that the incidence of sexual violence has been falling, […]
Happy New Year 2022
Firstly, I would like to start this message by conveying our heartfelt thanks to all the very many people that support TELL – the devoted volunteers of the Lifeline, the therapists of our clinical services, our board directors, and support staff, and mostly, all our friends and partners. You all have lovingly devoted time, effort, […]
Donate this Holiday Season
For the second year in a row returning home for end-of-year holidays is not an option for many foreigners, as new strains emerge creating further uncertainty and unease about travel. Many will again miss an important opportunity to be with their loved ones, offer support and feel those much-needed connections. For others, strained family relationships […]
Will You Join in Giving a Gift of Hope and Connection This Holiday Season?
Every day, we respond to calls and chats from people all over Japan asking for help. As we near the second full year of the pandemic, many of us have gotten used to the ongoing changes and challenges COVID-19 has wrought. We’ve adjusted our work lives, changed travel plans, and reworked daily routines. But we […]
Spring 2022 Lifeline Support Worker Training
As we approach the end of 2021, you might be reflecting on what you have achieved this year and the skills and areas of your life you want to develop next year. Almost everyone believes they are a good listener, but effective active listening takes work! Providing support to the English-speaking community can be an […]
Happy International Volunteer Day
December is a time when many of us are busy getting together with friends and colleagues and buying gifts to celebrate the holiday season. It is also the time that we celebrate and recognize the power and potential of volunteerism and thank those who give and create a community in a different but equally important […]
Keeping Children Safe During Pandemics and Disasters
November is Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Campaign Month in Japan, and at TELL we would like to highlight the urgent need for increased support for vulnerable children and families. While child maltreatment existed in Japan long before the COVID-19 pandemic, the conditions COVID-19 has created have increased the stressors and vulnerabilities that caregivers’ are […]
Humans at Work Podcast – TELL
Listen to TELL’s Lifeline Director, Vickie Skorji, and Michael G. from the podcast Humans at Work as they discuss mental health in Japan. “Vickie Skorji is the Director of the Tokyo English Lifeline (TELL) and explains mental health trends and challenges in Japan, how to take care of our mental health in a crisis, and what’s unique about […]
International Domestic Abuse Awareness Month
The stories are incredibly unique and nuanced. Yet a thread of similarity strings them together. Despite the country one finds themselves in, the echo of strength, resiliency, and so much confusion can be heard in the voice of survivors. Their questions are asked both explicitly and implicitly through the stories they tell. What is violence […]
Coping Skills for Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Join TELL’s Anxiety and Panic Attack Group Sessions! Saturday, January 15 – Saturday, March 5, 2022 (8 sessions) 10:00 – 11:30 AM JST on Zoom ACT is highly effective in coping with anxiety & panic attacks. Fees for 8 sessions are a flat rate of ¥25,000. This group is for adults & participants will be […]
I am so OCD
Most of us have said or heard someone say this phrase before, whether referring to a color-coded closet, “floors you could eat off of,” or liking your car really clean. While people who have OCD can be organized and clean, the difference between using OCD as slang vs. OCD as a diagnosis is whether that […]