Report on fukushima counseling support professional team: Interdisciplinary team approach for psychosocial care of evacuees

Abstract

The Great East Japan Earthquake brought enormous pain and sorrow, but it tested resilience and tenacity among the people in Japan at the same time. In Fukushima, certified social workers, care managers, medical social workers, physical therapists, psychiatric social workers, and occupational therapists promptly assembled right after the disaster to help people at the evacuation centers and the affected areas maintain their dignity and prevent deterioration of their health and functioning. The unique interdisciplinary Counseling Support Professional Team (“the Team”) formed in Japan gives inspiration to all helping professionals about what can be done during the disaster. In this article, two themes are presented that may facilitate a successful intervention relative to the psychosocial aspect of evacuees in order to help readers prepare for similar situations. The first theme maps out the conditions that are unique to Fukushima, and the other explores what has been learned from the experience.