Are you an expatriate looking for a therapist who can help you cope with the uncertainty and stress of adapting to life in a new country? As a German living in France for more than two decades, I share with you the experience of living in a culture that is different from my native one. This experience of being an expatriate has been an important part of developing my skills as a therapist and expatriate issues are one of my specialties.
My expatriate experience
I am from the northern part of Germany, and I live in the South of France. When I came here, I was looking forward to the experience, and I had few worries since I thought that French and German cultures were essentially similar. After all, it was not like leaving for Beijing, Nairobi, or Dubai! What I discovered was amazing. Even though our two countries have similar historical and cultural backgrounds, the way of being and the way of relating to others was so different!
What I discovered is that adapting to life in a new country is about much more than just logistics and organizational matters. No matter how well you prepare, and even if your language skills are excellent, you will find that your expectations run up against reality. Things are never quite what you expect, and even if things are going well, the sense of disorientation can leave you feeling stuck, unsure of where to go next, and with a nagging sense that you are not in control. Therapy can help you turn this experience into a new opportunity to thrive. By learning from differences, being confronted with the unfamiliar, and discovering new potentials and limits, you can find a new direction in life and turn your latent potentials into actuality.
Help for expatriates
For those of us who move from one Western European country to another, the move is our choice and one we make out of hope for a better life. Most expatriates arrive with a good education, money, and often with a happy family, so don’t expect problems. However, problems arise whether we expect them or not, and those that we are unprepared for are more insidious and hard to solve. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut, feeling trapped in a life that is not going where you want without knowing how to change direction.
Are you feeling stuck and wondering when your difficulties will resolve themselves, allowing you to lead life to the fullest? Don’t wait for that; instead, explore how to get the most out of this challenging experience of expatriation.
I have found that the most efficient and effective method for helping expatriate clients from all over the world is to have a structured series of sessions over a predetermined period. You can choose a one-time private booking or a coaching program lasting between 5-9 sessions. The program can focus on your family’s well-being and adaptation, finding the right direction for your professional life or your personal desires to thrive as an individual.
Find out more
Please get in touch by calling me directly or sending a message using the contact form. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.