Counseling Resources

As many people already know, counseling resources can be hard to come by in Korea. Mental health issues, which have a large stigma attached to them in Western cultures, are even less discussed here than at home. But this is starting to change, slowly, and more counseling resources are becoming available to those who need them, both Korean and foreign. This is information that has been gleaned from our Facebook group members in the past few months in regards to English counseling available in Ulsan. If you are struggling with Depression, Anxiety or other health issues, don’t be afraid to ask for help. It is available.

In Ulsan, there are a few psychiatrists around town. One is based at Ulsan University Hospital in Donggu, which has an English speaking receptionist to help foreign patients, as well.

Another is at Mother’s Hospital in Samsandong, behind Lotte/Bus Terminal (052-270-7090). Though the psychiatrist here (Dr. Kang) speaks English, the reception staff don’t, so you may want to either go in person, or have a Korean-speaking friend make an appointment for you.

There is also a doctor who speaks English at this address  (한양신경신과 (Hanyang Singyeong Singwa) Office:052-224-9649 Location: 울산광역시 중구 성남동 95-3 2층 (Ulsan, Junggu, Seongnamdong (Shinae)).

And this website, though no one was clear whether this doctor spoke English or not –  http://www.minddr.co.kr/

There are also a few religious leaders around, both native speakers and English-speaking Koreans who maybe helpful. There are several churches and the local Islamic center pinned on the Interactive Map.

Finally, there is this service available from Seoul – Counseling Korea, which offers Skype, phone, and email counseling.

There may be more English speaking psychiatrists in town, so please, share them with us if you know. You can annonomously add information to our Where to Find section if you prefer.

One tip I read online is that if you pay for the psychiatrist through your health insurance, the information may be available to your employer, which may bring about problems with your employment situation due to the stigmas around mental health here. If you want to be assured of confidentiality, you can pay out of pocket instead of through the insurance plan.