Counsellors’ Report
By Takanori Kuge While I missed seeing everyone in person at this year’s AGM, it was nice to connect with new faces and familiar faces of the people attended the meeting. In this issue I’d like to describe a summary of the counsellors’ report that I presented in the AGM. [ Current trend ] While the total number of counselling service users […]
Counselling fees updaetd
With generous supports from the community and funders, JSS has been able to provide high-quality counselling service by qualified, bilingual (Japanese – English) counsellors at extremely low user fees for many years. Based on a user survey outcome and recent consultation with internal and external experts, we have come to a conclusion that it is […]
COUNSELLOR’S CORNER: JSS Services in Aging Community
Takanori Kuge The population of Japanese Canadians, even “Newer” Japanese Canadians, is aging. This fact is reflected in the cases that I have been dealing with in our counselling services. We have seen an increase in the number of cases involving senior’s issues. For clinical issues such as dementia and various mental disorders, JSS provides […]
Notice of a New Fee Schedule for Counselling
With generous supports from the community and funders, Japanese Social Services has been able to provide high-quality counselling service by qualified, bilingual (Japanese – English) counsellors at extremely low user fees for many years. Please check here for details. Based on a user survey outcome and recent consultation with internal and external experts, we have […]
Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2019
On October 20th Sunday, on a rather chilly and windy day that inevitably reminds one of the fast approaching winter season, our president David Ikeda and counsellor Kuge’s two daughters ran the full 5 km marathon at Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2019 to support JSS fundraising. To Kuge’s much disappointment who loves running marathon, he […]
FUNDRAISING: JSS is running for the community
On October 20, JSS will participate in the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. For the 6th straight year, JSS staff, board members, and their family members will be running and walking with the goal of raising $5,000 for JSS services and programs. Unfortunately, JSS counsellor and runner extraordinaire, Takanori Kuge will not be able to participate […]
COUNSELLOR’S CORNER: Time never stops, everyone ages
COUNSELLOR’S CORNER: Time Never Stops, Everyone Ages Takanori Kuge, JSS Counsellor The population of Japanese Canadians, even “Newer” Japanese Canadians, is aging. This fact is reflected in the cases that I have been dealing with as counsellor for JSS. Our organization is becoming more involved with cases involving senior’s issues such dementia and various mental […]
COUNSELLOR’S CORNER: Cautionary Information for Young Visitors to GTA
COUNSELLOR’S CORNER: Cautionary Information for Young Visitors to GTA Takanori Kuge, JSS Counsellor Each year thousands of young people from Japan make their way to the GTA to legally work and live under the Working Holiday visa program. For most of these visitors, their stay will be a great chance to increase their skill and […]
COUNSELLOR’S CORNER: Confidentiality and boundaries in therapeutic settings
Junko Mifune, JSS Counsellor For many people, it is not easy making the decision to seek support for issues from an agency like Japanese Social Services (JSS). You may feel hesitant contacting JSS because it is located within a relatively small Japanese community in the GTA, and you may not want to restrict yourself to […]
COUNSELLOR’S CORNER: Accept Yourself and Like Yourself :)
Generally speaking, people with high self-acceptance and self-affirmation are able to maintain healthier mental states than those who with low self-acceptance and self-affirmation. In a sense, self-acceptance and self-affirmation are like the immune system for mental health.
On Counselling
JSS has been providing counselling services to clients for almost three decades. Being the only available counselling and social work agency where services are offered in both English and Japanese in GTA or in Ontario, the issues that are brought forward for consultation, understandably, extend to all areas of the human experience.
Counsellor’s Corner: Domestic Violence
By Yuka Sato, Clinical Supervisor & Junko Mifune, Counsellor.
When a couple faces prolonged conflicts, or when they are not able to understand each other’s concerns or needs, actively engaging with these issues by having open dialogue or utilizing couples or marriage counselling are important steps the couple can take to improve the situation. However, sometimes the couples may need to make the difficult decision to get separated.
A Race Report: The North Face Endurance Challenge 80km
By Takanori Kuge, JSS Counsellor On July 18, 2015, I ran an 80km race called ‘The North Face Endurance Challenge — GORE TEX 50 MILE’ at the Blue Mountain Resort in Ontario. The course consisted mostly of mountain trails with many uphills and downhills including several ski slopes. This race features the trails with the […]
Social Work and I
By Jean Peasah, Former JSS Counsellor Being born in the 1930s, I find that what most people would regard as history, remain very current and active in my mind. When the media, for example, comments that it is now 70 years since the end of the Second World War, my initial reaction is to be […]
Impact of Domestic Violence (DV) on Children
By Junko Mifune, JSS Counsellor To follow up on my previous article, I would like to write about the impact of DV on children. As noted in my previous article, in homes where DV occurs, the victim is a mother, the abuse she experiences impacts her physical and mental health, and she is often traumatized by her adverse experience. Children living with DV are also greatly affected by their exposure to violence in their homes, because their needs for safety, stability, and consistency that children require are threatened.
COUNSELLOR’S CORNER: Domestic Violence
Japanese Social Services (JSS) is asked to consult on a wide range of problems, including Domestic Violence (referred as DV), some of which involve life and death situations. JSS’s two counsellors have been involved in such issues for many years, and each issue needs a lot of time, effort and resources to try to resolve.