Be Safe Inside Your Mind: The Bethel House as a Human Security-Centered Approach to Mental Health
Be Safe Inside Your Mind: The Bethel House as a Human Security-Centered Approach to Mental Health
By: Leire Maria Martinez Camara
In the discussion of human security, mental health is often forgotten, leading to insecurity that deeply impacts psychological well-being. True human security requires addressing vulnerability and inclusivity, including neurodivergent individuals and those labeled with “mental illnesses.” This article explores an alternative approach to improve the well-being and protection of these individuals through three sections: first, introducing key concepts from critical psychology; second, examining the Bethel House case study; and third, discussing Tojisha-Kenkyu as a framework for inclusive, community-based models that enhance human security across a variety of situations.
Critical Psychology: An Introduction
The critical psychology approach was developed by Klaus Holzkamp (1927-1995) at the Free University of Berlin. This approach argues that individuals with mental illnesses are commonly forgotten because experimental and “mainstream” psychology tend to separate the subject from its context. As a result, mental suffering is treated as an isolated issue, rather than being seen as part of a contextual, social, and structural issue in society. Some initiatives have decided to consider this approach to develop an alternative way of conducting therapy based on cooperation, the naturalization of “different” cognitive processes, and a subject-centered perspective. In the following section, several of these concepts will be explored through the case of the Bethel House, which demonstrates how community-based practices can enhance human security for individuals experiencing mental distress by providing a safe environment created through collective agency.
The Bethel House and Its “Tojisha-Kenkyu”
Established in 1984, the Bethel House serves as a safe space for individuals labelled as “mentally ill” living without institutional care. It was founded by social worker Ikuyoshi Mukaiyashi, in collaboration with a group of individuals with mental disorders discharged from the Red Cross Hospital. The house quickly became a refuge for those experiencing psychic suffering through its role as a community development hub and a place for integrating people with disorders. The primary practice to achieve this goal has been the “Tojisha-Kenkyu” initiative, developed at the Bethel House. Tojisha-Kenkyu aims to offer an alternative treatment option that avoids pathologization and empowers patients as active agents in control of their conditions. Inspired by this idea, they encourage the entire community of Urakawa, where the Bethel House is located, to be a space for lifelong learning, allowing residents to share their achievements and self-discovery experiences. The increased ability to control their own conditions allows individuals the freedom to live in dignity, improving their subjective welfare and decreasing suffering.
Tojisha-Kenkyu is carried out by individuals, not on them. At Bethel House, all the users contribute to the agency’s upkeep by respecting their personal needs while cooperating with others. Through this system and their work at Bethel, they are guaranteed a house, utilities, and three meals per day. Most members can save enough money to ensure leisure and savings for the future, and individuals who are unable to work receive benefits. Bethel House also has a collaborative relationship with the Red Cross hospital, allowing members to attend workshops, social skills training, and Tojisha-Kenkyu sessions. This collaboration embodies core principles of human security because it provides reliable access to basic needs, integrates social and psychological support, and strengthens individuals’ autonomy and participation in community life.
Through this alternative practice and initiative, some of Holzkamp’s main concepts and ideas can be appreciated. For example, users of Bethel House are active subjects in Tojisha-Kenkyu, participating in the different businesses conducted by Bethel and learning to empower themselves through community-building activities. Likewise, the practices and integrated space for community development offered by the Bethel House serve many victims of abuse and trauma. Initiatives like this one are safe areas that offer essential support to marginalized individuals with mental illnesses, addressing the root causes of their integration challenges. As the Bethel House states: “We don’t ask members to fit themselves to the society. Rather, we ask the society to change itself to become a better place for everyone, including Bethel members, to live in.”
Conclusion: A Call for Further Research
In the future, it would be enriching to study the application of the Bethel House model to a broader range of social enterprises. Using the theoretical foundation of Tojisha-Kenkyu, researchers could further develop this idea by exploring its implementation in social enterprises that collaborate with hospitals or public organizations. In such models, patients could participate as employees, contributing to the daily operations that sustain the enterprise. This application of the Bethel House framework redefines human security by suggesting the creation of a variety of safe, dignified spaces for marginalized individuals with mental suffering or neurodivergent conditions. This framework could even be applied across other countries and cultures.
Finally, the Bethel House framework may also serve as a potential option to help refugees, migrants, and other victims of conflict or disaster to regain control over their minds, conditions, and lives. For example, evidence suggests that after sexual violence, it is crucial to take care of the emotions and the mental suffering of the women affected. A Bethel House framework could be used to create spaces that reduce the stigmatization of trauma and aid in victim rehabilitation. These are essential factors in a human security-centered approach. Bethel House demonstrates the power of community-driven models and the importance of integrating mental health care into human security frameworks.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leire Martínez Cámara is a Social Entrepreneurship and Management graduate from Roskilde University, combining her academic training with her work as a freelance language teacher. With a Psychology background centred on social psychology, education, and methodology, she has contributed as a research consultant to a variety of educational projects. She is now growing her language-teaching business while pursuing research opportunities that align with her long-term academic goals.