New Era Relationship Bible 'The Art of Skillfully Navigating People You Can't Understand' to Release on June 12, 2026, Breaking the Curse of 'Talking Will Solve It' and Protecting Self-Esteem

KADOKAWA Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Takeshi Natsuno) will release 'The Art of Skillfully Navigating People You Can't Understand' by Shunsaku Tadokoro, a clinical psychologist and representative counselor at Kokoro no Care Kenkyujo SHINKA, on Friday, June 12, 2026.

For everyone suffering from 'relationships they can't easily escape' – such as overbearing bosses at work, partners who spread bad moods, or in-laws. This book, by a clinical psychologist with 8 years of experience in various psychological support, reveals realistic methods for cultivating true boundaries and preventing your mind from being exploited, based on the principles of 'don't fight, don't change, don't blame'.

Letting go of the expectation that 'talking will solve it' is the first step to recovery.

Each of us lives with different 'mind glasses' (cognitive distortions) and value rules created from past experiences. The more earnest and sincere a person is, the more they try to understand each other through words. However, people who cannot understand each other may sometimes have their psychological defense mechanisms go into overdrive, turning you into a 'mental trash can'.

When communication fails, it's not due to your lack of effort but simply a 'difference in structure.' Letting go of expectations is the foundation for saving yourself.

Affirm Your Body's SOS! Understanding Defense Reactions with the Latest Psychological Theories.

Even if you intellectually understand that you should 'draw a boundary,' when you face the other person, you might freeze up and be unable to speak. This is not because your will is weak. The brain prioritizes 'survival' over 'reason,' so it's evidence that your body is reflexively trying to protect itself.

Based on the latest 'Polyvagal Theory,' this book unravels the mechanisms of the body, such as hyperarousal (agitation mode) and hypoarousal (freeze mode), and offers hints to break free from the vicious cycle of blaming yourself for being unable to act.

Practice in Clinical Settings! 5 Steps to Effortlessly 'Cultivate' Boundaries.

The boundaries proposed in this book are not walls to reject others, but 'the contours of self-esteem that cherish yourself.' Starting with preparatory exercises to notice subtle feelings of 'like/dislike' in daily life, it carefully explains the 5 steps of 'boundary work' used in actual counseling settings.

It teaches the wise adult option of 'strategic retreat,' which involves not standing on the same ground as the other person, but protecting your own dignity and the steering wheel of your life.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Why Do You Feel 'Dead Tired' Around Certain People?
・To You Who Picked Up This Book
・To You Who Are Trapped in a Cage of 'Inescapability'
・Three Promises of This Book
・The 'Mechanism of Relationships' That Is No One's Fault
・What This Book Will Convey

Chapter 1: Dispelling the Assumption That 'Talking Will Solve It'
1-1 We Each See the World Through Different 'Mental Filters'
1-2 Why the Premise of 'Talking Will Solve It' Torments You
1-3 The Problem Lies Not in 'Difference' but in 'How to Maintain Distance'
Summary of Chapter 1

Chapter 2: What Lies Behind Their 'Problematic Behavior'?
2-1 Understanding Is Not for 'Forgiveness' but for 'Not Getting Involved'
2-2 The Inhabitants Within Our Minds
2-3 The 'True Nature' of Their Problematic Behavior and What's Happening Inside Them
2-4 They Use You for 'Defense'
Summary of Chapter 2

Chapter 3: Why Do You Let Your Boundaries Be Crossed?
3-1 Why Do You Repeat Actions Even When You Know Better?
3-2 The 'Four Reactions' That Occur When People Defend Themselves
3-3 Lack of the Lifeline Called Attachment Creates an Obsession with 'Connection'
3-4 Schemas as 'Mental Survival Strategies' That Have Protected You Until Today
3-5 The Real Reason You Couldn't Draw a Boundary
Summary of Chapter 3

Chapter 4: Boundaries Are Not 'Drawn' but 'Cultivated'
4-1 Why the Advice to 'Draw a Boundary' Torments You
4-2 The Brain Prioritizes 'Survival' Over 'Reason'
4-3 Boundaries Are Not Walls of Rejection but 'Contours of Self-Esteem'
4-4 Preparatory Exercises for Cultivating Boundaries
4-5 Boundary Work Used in Clinical Settings
4-6 'Strategic Retreat': The Choice to Let Go of 'Understanding' and Protect Yourself
Summary of Chapter 4

Chapter 5: Securing a 'Safe Base' to Protect Yourself
5-1 Techniques for Self-Recovery
5-2 Habits of 'Being Present' to Regulate Your Nervous System
5-3 Relying on Others Is 'Advanced Independence'
5-4 'Leaving' Is a Courageous Choice to Protect Yourself
Summary of Chapter 5

Bibliographic Information

Title: The Art of Skillfully Navigating People You Can't Understand

Author: Shunsaku Tadokoro

Price: 1,925 yen (1,750 yen + tax)

Release Date: Friday, June 12, 2026

Format: 46-size

Pages: 256

ISBN: 978-4-04-330085-3

Publisher: KADOKAWA Corporation

KADOKAWA Official Bibliography Detail Page >>

Author Profile

Shunsaku Tadokoro

Clinical Psychologist / Certified Public Psychologist. Representative Counselor at Kokoro no Care Kenkyujo SHINKA.

After working as an MR for a major pharmaceutical company, he re-entered graduate school for psychology due to employee mental health issues and transitioned to a psychological profession. He has 8 years of clinical experience in medical fields such as psychiatric hospitals and psychosomatic clinics, engaging in psychological testing, counseling, and psychiatric evaluations.

He opened an online-only psychological office in 2023 and currently focuses on cognitive behavioral therapy and schema therapy, disseminating 'mental care applicable to real life' through lectures and YouTube.

YouTube Channel: Kokoro no Care Kenkyujo SHINKA, Psychology Explanation Channel

X (formerly Twitter): @sakulabo179

Kokoro no Care Kenkyujo SHINKA: https://mental-shinka.com/