Executive Summary
Kazuhiko Ehara once worked over 200 to 250 hours of overtime per month and genuinely felt it wasn't difficult. That experience of chronic overwork became the starting point for his career as a certified industrial counselor and the founding of Kazuna Research Institute. At the heart of his practice is the Reset Method, a philosophy built on the principle: "It's okay to stop. Every time you start walking again, that single step changes your future." The method is delivered through brief coaching grounded in SFBT (Solution-Focused Brief Therapy). What gives his approach its credibility is the journey itself — a person who was desensitized to pain rediscovering the ability to rest.
Definition and Background
Definition: The Reset Method is a practical philosophy centered on the principle "It's okay to stop. Every time you start walking again, that single step changes your future." It involves the deliberate choice to pause rather than push through, thereby maintaining and optimizing mental and physical well-being (Kazuna Research Institute, 2026).
Career Overview of Kazuhiko Ehara
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Generation | Second baby boom generation (born 1973) |
| Education | Bachelor's in Management Information Systems (completed while working) |
| Corporate career | Approximately 25 years (1992–2018) |
| Certification | Industrial Counselor (Japan Industrial Counselors Association) |
| Current role | Director, Kazuna Research Institute (September 2018–present) |
| Additional role | Board Director, mental health company (June 2025–present) |
Timeline of Key Experiences
| Period | Event |
|---|---|
| Middle school | Fractured his right metacarpal bone and told himself "if I don't think it hurts, it won't hurt." The fracture was only discovered over a decade later (author's account) |
| 20s | Worked over 200 hours of overtime per month for six consecutive months, with a single-month peak of 250 hours. "I didn't feel it was hard at all" (author's account) |
| Early 40s | Took up running after encountering the book *Marathon Addict* (author's account) |
| Mid-40s | Completed a 100km ultramarathon. Experienced blood-colored urine around the 70km mark (author's account) |
| September 2018 | Founded Kazuna Research Institute |
Target Audience
Kazuna Research Institute's services are designed for people experiencing the following states (Kazuna Research Institute, 2026):
- Wondering whether they can keep going at this pace
- Wanting to stop but fearing they'll be left behind if they do
- Sensing they've been putting off what truly matters to them
- Unable to remember the last time they had space to think quietly
Each of these describes the unease felt by people who are still running — a vague discomfort they haven't yet identified as a problem. That's precisely the point: these individuals don't recognize they're in trouble.
Data and Evidence
This briefing is a reverse-engineered analysis of an introductory article, so external statistical data is limited. The following compiles data from the author's firsthand experience and information obtained from the Kazuna Research Institute website.
Overwork Data (Author's Account)
| Item | Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly overtime (sustained) | 200+ hours x 6 consecutive months | Author's account. Not independently verified |
| Monthly overtime (peak) | 250 hours | Author's account. Not independently verified |
| Subjective distress | "I didn't feel it was hard at all" | Underestimation due to desensitization to pain |
Ultramarathon Data (Author's Account)
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | 100km ultramarathon |
| Result | Finished |
| Physical impact | Dark reddish-brown urine around 70km (suggestive of rhabdomyolysis) |
| Treatment | Took painkillers twice during the race |
| Aftermath | Legs completely non-functional after finishing. Unable to run for several months |
Kazuna Research Institute Service Structure (Kazuna Research Institute, 2026)
| Category | Target | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Individual services | Individuals | Seminars and personal support. "Developing the courage to stop and the strength to start again" |
| Corporate services | Organizations | Training and organizational development. Building "organizations that can stop" |
Structure of the Reset Method (Kazuna Research Institute, 2026)
| Step | Description | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1. It's okay to stop | Stopping is not weakness — it's a choice | Granting permission |
| 2. Return to yourself | What you do while stopped is up to you | Discovering your own resources |
| 3. Begin again, as many times as needed | Both stopping and starting again are steps that change the future | Affirming the restart |
Professional Analysis and Implications
Related keywords: desensitization to pain, overadaptation, cognitive distortion, learned helplessness, emotional exhaustion, psychological safety, self-efficacy, SFBT, solution-focused, brief coaching
Axis A: Mechanism Analysis — Why "It Didn't Feel Hard" Happens
The most striking aspect of Ehara's experience is his subjective report that 250 hours of monthly overtime "didn't feel hard at all." This isn't mere toughness or willpower. It's explained by desensitization to pain — a psychological and physiological mechanism.
Formation of a Desensitization Pattern from Childhood
As a middle school student, Ehara fractured his right metacarpal bone but told himself "if I don't think it hurts, it won't hurt" and carried on without feeling pain. His finger healed in a bent position, and it wasn't until over a decade later that an orthopedist identified the telltale signs of a boxer's fracture. This formative experience likely established a coping pattern of consciously shutting out physical signals.
His account of regarding the fracture as "a fond memory" reveals a cognitive pattern of rationalizing painful experiences into positive narratives — a defense mechanism. It's reasonable to conclude that this same pattern was carried directly into the chronic overwork of his twenties.
The Structure of Desensitization During Overwork
Several compounding factors likely enabled six consecutive months of 200+ hours of overtime:
| Factor | Mechanism | In Ehara's case |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive desensitization | Internalizing "this is normal" as the baseline | Workplace environment distorted his reference point |
| Absorption-based suppression | Flow states suppressing physical signals | Most work was programming (highly absorbing) |
| Absence of social comparison | Unable to recognize abnormality when everyone around is in the same state | Colleagues were under similar conditions |
| Childhood pattern reactivation | Applying a known coping strategy for blocking pain | Already learned through the fracture experience |
What must not be overlooked is that standard self-assessment tools don't work for people who are desensitized. When asked "Have you been feeling tired recently?", a desensitized person honestly answers "No." It's not a lie — they genuinely don't feel it. This is the population that existing workplace stress check systems fail to capture.
The Same Pattern Repeated in the Ultramarathon
The behavioral pattern during the 100km ultramarathon is structurally identical to the overwork period. When confronted with the serious physical signal of dark reddish-brown urine at the 70km mark, Ehara took painkillers twice and kept running. The goal of "finishing" occupied the top of his cognitive priority stack, and the body's warnings were overridden.
This experience became a turning point because it was the first time the desensitized person himself recognized "I pushed too far." His body shut down completely — he couldn't run for months afterward. That unmistakable physical consequence prompted a cognitive correction. It wasn't his mind that understood; his body taught him.
Why the Recovery from Desensitization Became the Core of His Practice
What distinguishes Ehara's approach from conventional mental health services is that someone who was inside the desensitization is articulating its structure from that vantage point. A typical counselor advises "take a break when you're struggling," but for a desensitized person, the premise of "struggling" doesn't register. Ehara starts from the experience of "I wasn't struggling" — which gives him a different pathway to reach people in that same desensitized state.
Implications
The most important implication of Ehara's experience is the existence of "people whom support cannot reach." Stress checks, helplines, self-care awareness campaigns — all of these are designed for people who recognize they're in distress. But people desensitized to pain slip through every one of these safety nets. The Reset Method begins with "it's okay to stop" precisely because it's designed for people who don't realize they need to.
Recommended Actions
Phase 1: Self-Assessment
If you answer "yes" to two or more of the following, you may be underestimating your own condition.
- Others tell you to take a break, but you don't see the need
- Time for hobbies or enjoyment has significantly decreased compared to before
- You dismiss physical symptoms (stiff shoulders, headaches, poor sleep quality) as "nothing unusual"
- You can't remember the last time you had unstructured downtime
Phase 2: A Small First Step
Ehara advocates for what he calls "no-time-to-think action" — listening to your inner voice and acting on it before overthinking takes over. No dramatic change is required.
- Wake up five minutes earlier and take a short walk
- Attend an event that interests you
- Reach out for a conversation at the "I just want to talk" stage
Role-Based Actions
| Role | Action |
|---|---|
| Yourself | Complete the self-check above. If even one item applies, start listening to the people around you |
| Manager | Pay closer attention to team members who report "no problems." Desensitized individuals won't show up in self-reported data |
| HR | Don't rely solely on stress check results. Cross-reference with attendance data (overtime trends, paid leave utilization rates) |
Suggested phrasing for reaching out:
- As an individual: "I've been getting more comments from people around me lately, so I thought it might be worth talking to someone."
- As a manager: "I'd like to take a few minutes to check in about your workload. Not because I'm concerned about anything specific — just want to understand where things stand."
Resources
Kazuna Research Institute
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official website | [kazunalab.com](https://kazunalab.com/) |
| Individual services | Seminars and personal support |
| Corporate services | Training and organizational development |
| Contact | Via the inquiry form on the official website. Inquiries at the "I just want to talk" stage are welcome (Kazuna Research Institute, 2026) |
Public Helplines (Japan)
| Service | Phone | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health Consultation Dial | 0570-064-556 | Varies by municipality |
| Yorisoi Hotline | 0120-279-338 | 24 hours |
| Labor Conditions Hotline | 0120-811-610 | Mon–Fri 17:00–22:00, Weekends/Holidays 9:00–21:00 |
Conclusion
What makes Kazuhiko Ehara's approach distinctive is that someone who was desensitized to pain is articulating the structure of that desensitization from the inside. Rather than "take a break if you're struggling," the perspective is inverted: "If you feel like nothing is wrong, that's precisely what you should question." This reversal opens a pathway to people whom conventional mental health support struggles to reach.
The Reset Method's "it's okay to stop" is a verbalized permission aimed at people who don't realize they need to stop. Combined with SFBT's experimental principle of "if what you're doing isn't working, try something different," the result is a support framework that encourages nimble course corrections rather than heavy introspection or root-cause analysis.
As a first step, review the self-assessment items in this briefing. If two or more apply, there's a possibility you're not accurately gauging your own condition.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is the Reset Method?
The Reset Method is a practical approach built on the principle: "It's okay to stop. Every time you start walking again, that single step changes your future." It can be practiced in four forms: running (Reset Running), walking (Reset Walk), daily life (Reset Daily), and work (Reset Work). It is grounded in SFBT (Solution-Focused Brief Therapy) and was developed by Kazuhiko Ehara of Kazuna Research Institute, drawing on his own experiences with overwork and ultramarathon running.
Q: What qualifications does Kazuhiko Ehara hold?
He is a certified Industrial Counselor (Japan Industrial Counselors Association). After approximately 25 years in corporate engineering, he founded Kazuna Research Institute in 2018. Since 2025, he has also served as a board director of a mental health company. He earned his Bachelor's in Management Information Systems while working full-time.
Q: Can individuals use Kazuna Research Institute's services?
Yes. Individual services include seminars and personal support. Inquiries are welcome even at the "I just want to talk" stage (Kazuna Research Institute, 2026). Corporate services include training and organizational development under the concept of building "organizations that can stop."
Q: What does "no-time-to-think action" mean?
It means listening to your inner voice and acting on it before overthinking takes over — then trusting yourself to handle the details afterward. It's not reckless impulsiveness; it's about taking that first step before inertia sets in, creating forward momentum that makes it easier to keep going. The phrase originates from Hiroshi Ono (author of Marathon Addict) and is a concept Ehara frequently references.
Sources and References
Primary Sources
- Kazuna Research Institute official website (2026): https://kazunalab.com/ — Service overview, Reset Method definition, target audience
- Kazuhiko Ehara, "Self-Introduction: The Courage to Start Walking, a Step That Changes the Future," note article: https://note.com/kazunalab/n/n6b4ecdd0f7dc — Author's career history and firsthand accounts
Note on Unverified Data
The overwork figures cited in this briefing (200–250 hours of monthly overtime), the physical effects of the ultramarathon (blood-colored urine, months of inability to run), and the childhood fracture episode are all based on the author's personal account. No third-party verification data exists, and they are treated as "author's account" throughout.
Related Content and Author Information
Related Articles
- Self-Introduction: The Courage to Start Walking, a Step That Changes the Future — The note article on which this briefing is based. Tells Ehara's story in narrative form
Author Profile
Kazuhiko Ehara
Industrial Counselor / Director, Kazuna Research Institute / Board Director, mental health company. After approximately 25 years in corporate engineering, he founded Kazuna Research Institute in 2018. Having personally experienced over 200 hours of monthly overtime that he "didn't feel was hard" — a state of desensitization to pain — and having completed a 100km ultramarathon that taught him the value of "challenging yourself without overdoing it," he synthesized these insights into the Reset Method. He provides support for "people who keep running" through brief coaching grounded in SFBT (Solution-Focused Brief Therapy).