I've been an expat for a while now.
Expat life can certainly be a wonderful challenge - however it also comes with its own special flavour of stress and challenge.
Here's what many of my expat clients tell me. Which of the following are familiar for you?
I feel so isolated.....
I pictured myself in a new life, with great new friends, socialising and relaxing, but actually everyone has their own busy lives and I often feel lost and lonely
I thought when I changed location everything would be better - but it's not.....
I thought my new life was going to be relaxed, easy and far less stressful. The reality is that I've brought my old problems with me. I'm still anxious, lacking in confidence, or having relationship problems. The challenges of expat life just seem to make those problems feel worse.
I feel overwhelmed by living in a different culture.....
It's been much harder settling into expat life than I realised - small problems sometimes seem like huge mountains. Sometimes I'm just not sure where I belong anymore.
I've had a sudden turn of events in my life that I never thought would happen - this wasn't part of the plan.....
My idea of a new life certainly didnt include: a health problem, anxiety attacks or a relationship break up. It feels like I havent got any support
One of us is at home, the other works away a lot. We find it hard to balance our lives.....
One minute I, or my partner, is dealing with home-life and kids alone. The next minute we're back to being a family unit again. The kids are confused. No one knows the rules.... and frequent arguments are happening
I keep thinking I should be happy in my new life - but I'm not. I feel like I'm being so ungrateful.....
I look around me and realise that I'm so lucky to be living here, but still, I'm plagued with worries, anxiety, lack of confidence and relationship struggles. Then I feel guilty.
I'm so busy running the business - I just feel burnt out.....
I live in an amazing place, but I'm so busy earning a living that I never get to enjoy it - I'm getting stressed, tired out, anxious and depressed. Life wasn't meant to be this way.
Our dream business feels more like a nightmare.....
Myself and my partner were so full of exciting plans for our business abroad. But now life's so stressful - we're always arguing and caught up in hurt, resentment and power struggles
If the above seems familiar to you, you're certainly not alone
Many expats struggle with:
The stresses of being in a new culture
The pressures of running a business or finding work
The usual dynamics of their relationships becoming unsettled
The pressures of expat life can actually exacerbate old issues such as relationship struggles, low self confidence, stress, and anxiety.
As an expat myself, and having helped many others, I fully understand that while relocating can be a wonderful adventure - it also brings a new context of living which can create added pressures
It's important that you get help from someone who fully understands expat life, and, is also professionally qualified to help you overcome your problems so that you can continue on with a much happier life.
About You
Maybe you have made just one move to a new country
Maybe you have lived in several countries
Maybe you are a 'digital nomad', travelling from country to country, running a business from your laptop
One thing I know about you is that you are an inspired and motivated person; a person who knows that there's more to life - that's why you're an expat!
You deserve to make your expat experience the best it can be; a wonderful challenge and an exciting adventure.
Don't be held back, with stress, relationship struggles, confidence issues and anxiety.
These are all issues that can be overcome - whether they are new problems, or things that have been troubling you for a long time.
I offer face-to-face counselling and therapy sessions in Riviera del Sol, near Fuengirola, Malaga, Spain
I also offer online sessions across the globe via Skype or Zoom
To enquire about sessions:
Please click one the relevant links. You will find contact details below the information.