JAFAREC

Support from Those Who Understand, for Those Who Are Going Through It

At JAFAREC, we operate under the belief that an individual's pathology and any form of violence are merely symptoms of societal pathology. We do not view individuals as subjects for treatment, education, or rehabilitation. Instead, we aim to help people break free from the manipulative values and structures of a society that perpetuates these issues, allowing them to live authentically and freely, choosing a life that is neither controlled nor controlling. Therapists, too, are individuals who live in the same society, facing their own struggles. By adopting a stance of "standing under" the client, we learn alongside them. We believe in fostering a relationship of equality, where both the therapist and the client grow together.

Our Support

●  Counselling
   —  We offer counselling for those suffering from and struggling with domestic violence, abuse, and various difficulties within family settings.●  Shelters
   —  We provide shelters for both women and men, regardless of whether they are abusers or victims.●  De-Violence Workshops
   —We run group workshops in Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo for men and women who wish to let go of violence. There are no gender restrictions for participation.●  OH Fortune-Telling
   —By listening to your story, we interpret your life using the combination of text and picture cards from OH cards.●  Visitation
   —We provide a space for non-custodial parents to meet and spend time with their children due to separation, divorce, etc.●  Support Facility "Ten-Sho-An"
   —This facility is a traditional Japanese house set on a large plot of land, which includes a Japanese garden, farmland, and woodland. It features a dining space suitable for hosting workshops and mini-concerts, and offers accommodation for training retreats.

Message from the Representative

To Those Struggling with Anxiety and Difficulty,

In modern society, many people find themselves burdened with various problems stemming from interpersonal relationships or past experiences. You may feel that someone is to blame, or that things are unfair — I understand there are many emotions and situations involved.You may have consulted with others, but found no resolution. Laws and systems may not have been helpful. While mental health professionals may have listened, they may not have provided the support you needed. Many people, I believe, are uncertain where to direct these feelings of frustration.The issues you face are not yours alone to bear, and yet, they do not have to be fought out through legal battles or systems. I hope to provide a space where we listen to your thoughts, ease the pain in your heart, and work together to develop solutions. We will change what can be changed, let go of what cannot, and eventually, find the joy of being in harmony with the world.It is my sincere hope that I can help you in this journey.Michiaki 'Mich' Ajisawa

Head counsellor and representative of JAFAREC. Born in 1954 in Hiroshima Prefecture. After 10 years of working as a salaryman, he gave up his corporate career. Alongside teaching natural cooking, he led the men’s movement in Japan. He began providing support for perpetrators of violence, addressing men’s issues, and eventually expanded his focus to offer support for individuals facing domestic violence, emotional abuse, and other related challenges. Currently, he offers various types of support to those caught in the difficulties surrounding domestic violence, emotional abuse, and gender-related issues, regardless of the perpetrator or victim's gender or age. He provides approximately 450 counselling sessions annually. Since the establishment of JAFAREC, he has conducted around 7,500 counselling sessions over the past 20 years.

Voices of Clients

NamiTwo years before my divorce, my wife began to engage in long, intense interactions with me. We never had physical violence, but my wife was constantly anxious. Before, she would direct her anger towards others, but something triggered her to direct it towards me. Until then, I had brushed it off, thinking it wasn’t my problem, but once it was aimed at me, it became increasingly painful, and I started reacting. I could no longer tolerate it.It started happening frequently – first thing in the morning, late at night after returning from work, on holidays when we went out, and even in the car. I had always had low self-esteem and struggled with making decisions, so I thought, "It must be my fault," and kept feeling cornered. At the same time, I began to wonder, "Could this be domestic violence?" Eventually, I lost the motivation to go to work and started missing work often. I knew I had to do something, so in a state of desperation, I visited the consultation window at the city hall and legal consultation services, but due to COVID-19, they were closed. Feeling disheartened, I decided to visit bookstores to find any useful information. There were a few books about domestic violence, and as I read them, they all seemed to suggest temporary solutions like "Consult the government! Go to the police! See a psychiatrist! Go to a shelter!" which felt unrealistic and more like short-term remedies. But when I read "Transforming Lives", I found the content to be practical and fascinating. I decided that this was the right approach and decided to undergo counselling.My first encounter with Mich was via Skype. My first impression was, "Is he just out of a bath? Tired? He looks quite different from the photo in the book…" But that sense of relaxation was comforting. If he had been someone who pressured me with something like “You’ll get better, definitely,” I think I would have been more tense.During the first counselling session, we didn’t specifically talk about or decide anything, but Mich simply said, "You’ve been through a lot. Well done," and even in the middle of all the turmoil, I felt very much healed.Later, my wife also expressed interest in reading the book, so I cautiously handed it to her. She seemed moved by the content, and we attended a few couples’ counselling sessions together. However, she stopped attending later (perhaps she didn’t believe in it?), and that’s when I started attending the workshops in Tokyo.I participated in the workshops for about a year, and then, after separating, I requested a divorce.AfterwardActually, I thought that once I had completed the divorce, I would have graduated from the workshops, but (even though "Transforming Lives" mentions that divorce is not the solution), I found that I had to face my personal issues more than ever. This led me to continue with the work for another two years. I feel that recovery began when I started acknowledging my own weaknesses, dishonesty, and my internal tendency towards domestic violence.Through the workshops, I became aware of the domestic violence tendencies within myself. I came to understand that there’s no such thing as just being a victim or just being a perpetrator; both sides are struggling with their own issues. This is something I further deepened my understanding of, based on the things written in the book.The workshops have become a place where I belong, and I want them to continue for a long time, so I plan to keep participating.