Healing Japan

Although 5 years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake, there are many needs for mental health care programs in the disaster areas of Tohoku. Radiation exposure caused by the nuclear plant explosion is one issue that needs to be handled with care. When the tsunami hit Fukushima nuclear plant, many people were thought to have been exposed to radiation. Many parents in Fukushima and also Miyagi and Iwate worry about the effects of radiation on their children.

 In order to address such concerns, a Christian organization called Izumi has been conducting thyroid tests on Children since 2014. Consequently, Izumi requested Japan IsraAID Support Program (“hereafter JISP”) for some training on how to best deal with parents who would become anxious or panic when the children were undergoing the tests or when they were receiving counselling after the tests. In June 2016, JISP and Ryoko Ohtaki a specialist on post disaster trauma care, monitored the overall process of the testing and counselling of the parents and children and provided technical advice to the staff on how to best deal with the children and parents. In the future, JISP also plans to hold staff training on how to handle parents and children undergoing these thyroid checks.