Becoming an expatriate (expat) is as exciting as it is frightening. A life in a new place can bring all kinds of new things. From new food and drinks to new habits and rituals. Unfortunately, you can also encounter lot of new issues while you are trying to settle down in a new environment, it is not uncommon to feel out of your comfort zone and lonely when you move from country to country every few years. You are in a new environment and quite often, established relationships come under pressure and building new ones can be a daunting task. There may be a language barrier, the lack of familiar faces and a fear to trust. All form of security is left behind at home. All these struggles can lead to the likes of sadness and fear and even depression. They are unavoidable with life troubles, especially when you are cut off from the established support system built up by friends and family back home.  Additionally, cultural differences, sorting out healthcare, cost of living, finding proper schools for children, learning the language is a transition face when many people experience adjustment stress and are vulnerable to depression and other health issues.

Additionally, being a diplomat or a diplomatic spouse or a kid comes with its own challenges that are often ignored. It is not easy to share struggles or experiences with one’s friends and extended family members who do not understand what you are going through.  Navigating professional and emotional shifts in various multicultural settings can make the journey exciting but also painful.

As a multi-language therapist an expat and a spouse of a diplomat, I have worked and lived in India, Japan, Switzerland, Greece, Netherlands and now in Canada. The focus of my practice is to help deal with cultural identity crisis, marital counselling, isolation and loneliness, workplace stress in new culture or getting your “third culture” teenagers, who are growing up with different cultural adjustments have go through the teenage adjustment, or depression/anxiety due to lack of social support. Please contact me for further information.