Kazue Minamori

Q: How long have you been a TIR trainer?
A: I completed my TIR Trainer Certification and Also Life Stress Reduction Trainer Certification in 2009

Q: What inspired you to Become A TIR trainer?
A: When I first visited my facilitator in 2007, I had very huge DIFFICULTY with PTSD Symptoms. After I had an Intake session, we discovered a number of traumas which affected my whole life. My ordinary life was troubled and bothered by these traumas, and I carried a burden I could carry no longer.I had sessions every day. My facilitator had a tremendous patience and deep understanding about my situation, and especially good recognition of the difficulties faced by clients like me.

One day, with the oldest and biggest trauma gone, I suddenly spilled tears while I was driving a car on the way back from the session to my hotel. At that moment I found I was no longer carrying any burdens or the feeling of being a victim. I was climbing a slope, and big wide blue sky was in front of me on the top of the slope. That is the most beautiful and blue sky I have ever seen. I found that my all feelings were now free and fully functioning .

When I found out that I had PTSD, I could not find any hospital who would take responsibility to cure me. In one of the most famous hospitals I was told that, “We are not able to do anything for you.” There was a doctor who was contracted with my company; he told me, “.. You should check US facilities. Because of war, they developed many new methods.” That was the start. I did not have enough English ability to get treatment in USA ;. I spent a lot of hours reading websites googled by key words “trauma” “PTSD” etc. And finally I found the very good site of “TIRA”, the Traumatic Incident Reduction Association, and decided to attend training, having no knowledge about the organization. I had some concern about it.

After I found out all the worries which I had about the organization were groundless apprehensions, I asked to find out someone who will help me take care of my trauma. I was looking for a kind person who voluntarily takes care of “the person who is not fluent in English and knowing nothing about TIR coming from Far East only for reduction from TRAUMA “. At that moment my facilitator thought I am a brave woman. Because of her marvelous sessions, I could get a new life and purpose for living. And biggest point is that I could not understand everything the facilitator was saying, nor could she always understand my words. (My English has much improved since those days.) The TIR sessions worked perfectly without full verbal communication. We were engaged, heart and soul. TIR makes it work. That is the most beautiful point of TIR.

I had spent only 2 weeks or so working in session on my “big catalog of Trauma”. I got back to Japan without feeling anything burdening me. And I decided to study TIR for other Japanese people who have traumas, and PTSD. That is the best way to pay back my luck.

Q: What do you find rewarding about it?
A: In the Japanese way of thinking, trauma is easily misunderstood as that the person is incapable of self-conditioning or has a lack of effort to change the situation. But trauma IS something real, which the person who has it would not be able to remove by themselves.TIR is brief and done in well-managed sessions and incredibly effective. TIR can help a lot of people who now feel misunderstood by family and friends because of the burden of grief they are carrying. Many people turn to medication because they are not aware of any other possible solution to their pain. Holding such pain inside tends to perpetuate it. A TIR session is a safe space to face and release the pain of past traumas without fear of consequences.It is very sad when people avoid seeking help because they do not wish to be stigmatized as a “broken human being”. The truth is, all people have trauma, pain and loss at some point in their lives. When we have a tooth ache, we go to the dentist. It would be silly not to. In the same way we can go to a TIR facilitator when we are experiencing pain from a traumatic event, especially since a particular trauma is usually resolved to the client’s satisfaction in one session.

TIR is a very Effective and strong process; it requires the ability to build a strong engagement with client in short time. Even though the method seems simple, it requires good training and supervised experience to ensure good results for clients. Training, supervision, and practice are required.

Q: Are you willing to travel to deliver training and if so, under what conditions?
A: I will go anywhere to provide TIR trainings INCLUDING abroad even if your country ts under a very difficult situation if there is any chance for me to help people who are living with heavy traumas. To provide training other than in Tokyo, I need to ask you to gather at least 8 students, to pay the regular training fee plus accommodation and transportation. Please contact by E-mail for further information.  Note: I am not a native English speaker.

Q: Describe your professional background?
A:  I have some years experience in a number of forms of counseling. Besides giving TIR Sessions, I do career counseling for all ages, and advising on resumes. I have licensing as an Industrial Counselor and A Career Counselor in Japan and have taken the National Social Worker Test and the National Psychiatric Social Worker Test.

Q: Are there Other TIR / Applied Metapsychology courses you are currently teaching?
A: Traumatic Incident Reduction Workshop (Both Japanese and English)
Life Stress Reduction – Case Planning Workshop and the TIR – Expanded Applications Workshop (English only).