Relocating to a new country is one of life's most demanding transitions — and for Japanese professionals and families living in Malaysia, the pressure is very real. A new language, unfamiliar social norms, and the absence of established support networks create a daily layer of stress that rarely gets acknowledged, let alone measured.
Yet employers and schools expect full productivity almost immediately after arrival. This gap — between the emotional reality of expat life and the performance demands placed on people — is where mental health often quietly deteriorates.
It was this environment that inspired the Galini trial in Malaysia.
This trial in Malaysia was made possible through the collaboration of Mr. Miyoshi, Malaysia's only Japanese clinical developmental psychologist. Based at Toy Eight in Kuala Lumpur, he offers a comprehensive range of child development services rooted in Japanese therapeutic approaches, working not only with Japanese families but with any family seeking that level of care.
Mr. Miyoshi has long incorporated cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness into his sessions. However, he says he had been grappling with the challenge that, whilst he could sense the therapeutic response, it was difficult to quantify the effects.
This led him to take an interest in Neeuro’s solution, which combines the ‘SenzeBand’—equipped with EEG sensors—with the ‘Galini’ app. The ability to visualise stress levels based on brainwave data was precisely what Dr Miyoshi needed to address his challenge.
The trial ran over approximately one month per participant, with five adults from educational institutions and private businesses in Malaysia taking part — all connected to the Japanese expat community.
Participants used Galini and the SenzeBand for sessions of at least 10 minutes, three or more times per week over three weeks. One participant completed the programme using the Galini app only, without the SenzeBand, allowing for a secondary comparison between device-assisted and app-only experiences.
To measure psychological changes, Mr. Miyoshi developed a card-based assessment method. Participants selected from three sets of illustrated cards with Japanese words representing before and after the trial.
stressors (S)
Examples: Someone cut queue in the cashier
stress responses (R)
Examples: Irritated, Hard to sleep in
Changes in the number and type of cards selected were tracked to reflect shifts in each person's subjective mental state.
The goal: S and R should decrease, while C should increase.
Across five participants, the results revealed something important — stress management is deeply personal, and progress doesn't always look the same.
Mr.K
Mr. K exhibited ideal improvement across all three indicators, with coping strategies increasing by nine cards.
His feedback: "Listening to the sounds and letting my mind go quiet — it was a genuinely good time. When I do it at night, I feel the tension release."
Mr.M
Mr. M saw the most dramatic reduction in stressors (−11), and reported sleeping better, waking up refreshed, and even practicing breathing exercises on his own in the elevator — without the headset.
Mr.S
Mr. S became significantly more aware of his stressors after the sessions, reflecting a deeper recognition of what was affecting him.
"Being able to see my state in numbers was valuable. It helped me look at myself more objectively," he said.
Mr.G
Mr. G's results stood out for a different reason. While stressors and stress responses remained relatively stable, his coping strategies decreased significantly — the opposite of what CBT frameworks typically predict. However, when discussed with Mr. Miyoshi, a nuanced picture emerged: rather than relying on many different people and methods to cope, Mr. G had arrived at a clearer, more focused set of strategies that felt genuinely his own. The reduction reflected a shift in quality, not a decline in wellbeing.
Mr. F (Trained without the SenzeBand）
Mr. F, the app-only participant, showed a meaningful drop in stress responses (−8) and added new coping strategies.
"It felt good to really focus on something. I came away feeling calmer," he shared.
One of the most important factors in successful outcomes was the ability to use the SenzeBand at home. Participants who were limited to in-clinic sessions often spent most of their time simply learning how to use the tool. Daily access was essential to seeing real change.
Galini tends to work best for people who engage consistently — those who are diligent, responsible, and willing to show up for themselves. This profile aligns closely with many Japanese professionals: conscientious, high-achieving, and often the last to ask for help. These are also the people most at risk of burnout.
Looking ahead, Mr. Miyoshi sees potential for Galini in continuous daily monitoring — understanding which times of day trigger the most stress, or how different environments affect concentration. He also sees applications in parent support, where objective data could inform more tailored parenting strategies.
One of Galini's core strengths is that it doesn't prescribe a single approach. Some people find calm through music. Others respond better to breathing exercises, or to gentle movement. Galini's sessions are designed to accommodate these differences — and the trial confirmed just how individual stress responses can be.
Some participants found it helpful to turn their phone face-down to reduce visual stimulation. Others found that closing their eyes deepened their focus. These aren't workarounds — they're meaningful data points about how each person's nervous system works.
Understanding what works for you isn't just a nice-to-have. It's the foundation of sustainable self-care.
If you're working in an environment where people are expected to perform under sustained pressure — international schools, multinational corporations, or communities navigating significant life transitions — Galini offers a way to make wellbeing measurable, personalised, and actionable.
Stress management doesn't have to be another obligation on a long list. With the right tools, it becomes something people want to come back to — because it works for them, in their own way.
■ Click here for more details on Galini and SenzeBand
https://www.neeuro.com/ja-jp/solutions/stress-management/galini