Moving abroad is a dream come true for many. Have you moved to the sunny south or the other side of the world? Then you’ve got it good! At least, that is often the thought of both expats themselves and friends and family back home. The reality is often more complex. Emigration brings with it drastic changes. And once you arrive at your destination, not every expat immediately feels comfortable in their new surroundings. And if you want to talk to someone about your problems, you may not know where to turn. An online expat therapist offers a solution in such cases.
Expat issues
In your new living environment, you often have to start all over again and this comes with a lot of stress. Perhaps you still have to find a new job, or as an entrepreneur, you are uncertain about your finances. It could be that adapting to a different culture requires a lot of effort and you become insecure if you don’t fully understand how practical things work abroad. If your partner and children have moved with you, you worry about them too. They might deal with the move in a very different way.
All these factors create stress, uncertainty, and an increased workload. And on top of that, you miss your family and friends, especially if you live far away or in a different time zone. If you don’t feel at home yet and don’t have a large social safety net, it is difficult to put this stress and uncertainty into perspective. This can result in anxiety, sleep deprivation, and depression. Talking about this with an outsider can be very helpful.
Online expat therapist
If you live abroad, you may speak a lot in another language. But when it comes to discussing personal complaints, you probably prefer to do so in your own language. You can often express yourself best in your native language anyway. With an online therapist for expats it is possible to speak to a therapist in English. Moreover, you can continue the treatment with the same therapist if you return home.
The online therapists for expats who are affiliated with The Online Therapists often live abroad themselves. This makes them experts in the field of expatriate problems and they can empathize with your situation. It is also possible to engage a therapist who lives in your time zone, making scheduling a meeting easy.
Choose your online therapist
Therapy with a therapist for expats
Based on the intake interview, your expat therapist will draw up a treatment plan. This plan states which goals you would like to achieve, which treatment methods the therapist will use, and how long the treatment will take. Often expats benefit most from concrete tips and ‘homework’. Practical coaching can sometimes be enough to give you a push in the right direction.
An expat therapist can help you deal with negative thoughts, fears, or stress in a productive way. Attention can also be paid to how you can tackle practical problems. Together with your online therapist you can think about how you can make new contacts, find work or pick up old hobbies again. The goal is that you will feel comfortable again and feel at home in your new environment.