Prof. Yoshikawa, Dr. Hatanaka and Prof. Sugihara (Director, Kyoto University General Student Support Center) Gave Lectures at the Open University of Japan, Kyoto Learning Center

Prof. Sakiko Yoshikawa, Dr. Chihiro Hatanaka and Prof. Yasushi Sugihara (Director, Kyoto University General Student Support Center) gave a lecture at the Open University of Japan at the Kyoto Learning Center on July 22, 2018.



In a lecture entitled, “A psychological perspective of the kokoro of young people and contemporary society”, Prof. Sugihara discussed the struggles that students face from the viewpoint of the university’s counseling office. The lecture was entitled: “Adults who don’t act like adults are having a hard time understanding youths who don’t act like youths”, and was followed by Dr. Hatanaka’s lecture, “Contemporary society via young people’s reality: The atypicalization of society and kokoro”
Contemporary changes in people’s kokoro were discussed, including the recent research results based on the clinical experiences of junior high and high school students and adult clients.
During the talk, it was suggested that characteristics that are difficult to understand due to intergenerational gaps may reflect the society as a whole.

In response to the preceding two lectures, Prof. Yoshikawa gave a lecture entitled, “Difficult and interesting aspects of intergenerational communication”, which introduced how psychotherapy has changed how we adapt to new eras. She touched on the importance and difficulties that occur when familiar things change.
She drew a comparison between online psychotherapy – in which therapists respond to their teen clients’ problems via text messages, and the techniques of “Humanitude” – in which caregivers provide care to dementia patients using the senses of sight, smell and touch.
It was pointed out that despite superficial differences, both are transgenerational communication tools to connect the kokoro of others.
In a discussion moderated by Prof. Yoshikawa, Prof. Sugihara and Dr. Hatanaka responded to questions from the audience. More than 130 people were in attendance, despite the extremely hot weather.

2018/08/01