Book cover: "Opening the Door to the Heart: Visiting Support for Individuals in Hikikomori States and Their Families"

Igaku-Shoin Ltd. (Location: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Shun Kinbara) will release the book "Opening the Door to the Heart: Visiting Support for Individuals in Hikikomori States and Their Families" (Authors: Akiko Funakoshi / Masako Saito) on April 6, 2026.

To those who worry, "I can't meet them even if I visit."

Much of hikikomori support begins with family support. While supporting the family, consultations with the individual in a hikikomori state begin, leading to attendance at intermediate/transitional social participation venues such as community spaces, and then progressing to employment support. However, it is not uncommon for family support alone to become prolonged and aimless because the support worker cannot meet the individual in a hikikomori state.

Practical Knowledge of Visiting Support Gained from 21 Experienced Support Workers

The aim of this book is to clarify when and how to effectively provide visiting support for hikikomori. To achieve this, we conducted interview surveys with 21 experienced support workers who have extensive experience in visiting support for hikikomori, theorized qualitative analysis methods, and explain how to effectively provide visiting support, step by step, incorporating the practical knowledge of these skilled professionals.

No more "intuition-based" visiting support. We've compiled it into "7 steps" that anyone can use.

Visiting support, while being a key method in hikikomori support, has lacked systematized concrete know-how. This book thoroughly deconstructs the implicit knowledge held by experienced support workers and reconstructs and presents it as "7 steps." This is a groundbreaking guide, unlike any before, that will raise the quality of hikikomori support.

Table of Contents

Part I: Visiting Support as a Trump Card

Chapter 1: Hikikomori as Social Isolation

Chapter 2: The Position of Visiting Support in Hikikomori Support

Chapter 3: Support for Finding One's Own Way of Social Participation

Part II: Know-How of Skilled Support You Should Know – The 7 Basic Steps of Visiting Support

Chapter 4: Step 1: Setting a Vision for the Goal

Chapter 5: Step 2: Creating an Environment to Engage with the Individual

Chapter 6: Step 3: Sending a Sign of Wanting to Meet

Chapter 7: Step 4: Making Contact with the Individual Continuous

Chapter 8: Step 5: Responding to Daily Life Difficulties and Hopes

Chapter 9: Step 6: Expanding Activities and Relationships

Chapter 10: Step 7: Watching Over the Maintenance of Connection with Society

Part III: Mastering Visiting Support

Chapter 11: Arrangements for Various Cases

Chapter 12: What is Required of Support Workers

Chapter 13: Visiting Support from the Perspective of the Individual – Psychological Changes from Receiving Visiting Support to Finding a Way of Working That Suits Oneself

Bibliographic Information

Title

Opening the Door to the Heart: Visiting Support for Individuals in Hikikomori States and Their Families

Authors

Akiko Funakoshi, Professor, Kobe City College of Nursing

Masako Saito, Visiting Professor, Nagaoka University of Technology

Publication Month

April 2026

Format

A5

Pages

144

Price

2,750 yen (2,500 yen + 10% tax)

ISBN

978-4-260-06525-2

Publisher

Igaku-Shoin

Details / Sample Text

https://www.igaku-shoin.co.jp/book/detail/117230

Contact for this matter

Please use the inquiry form on our website.

https://www.igaku-shoin.co.jp/inquiry/books

About Igaku-Shoin Ltd.

Since its establishment in 1944, Igaku-Shoin has been providing the latest medical and healthcare information with the mission of "recognizing its role and responsibility as a specialized publisher, accurately conveying specialized information necessary for the advancement of medicine and healthcare, and contributing to the development of medicine and healthcare and the welfare of society." We publish a wide range of specialized books and magazines, including the medical yearbook "Today's Treatment Guidelines" and the "Systematic Nursing Education Series" textbooks for nursing students, releasing over a hundred titles annually. In recent years, we have been engaged in creating content in various forms such as web distribution services, e-books, e-magazines, seminars, and owned media, and have received strong support from many medical professionals and students.

Company Overview

Company Name: Igaku-Shoin Ltd. Founded: 1944

Representative: Representative Director and President Shun Kinbara

Location: 1-28-23 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo Business Activities: Publishing specialized books, magazines, and electronic media in medicine, nursing, and related fields

URL: https://www.igaku-shoin.co.jp/

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