Therapy and Coaching for Expats and Digital Nomads: Finding Balance When You Feel Uprooted
As an expat (I'm half Iranian, half German, and born and raised in the UK), and having lived in Barcelona for eight years now — I know firsthand that living abroad can be both exhilarating and deeply challenging.
I´'m also a mother of four, so I know firsthand the difficulties of raising a family away from familiar roots and having to navigate alternate cultures, systems, and expectations. And I've seen, both in my own life and in my work with clients, how much support expats and digital nomads need — but can't always find.
In this post, I'd love to share with you a bit about why coaching and therapy can be so transformative for expats and nomads, what kinds of things I help people with, and why it's particularly important to work with someone who truly "gets it."
The Reality of Expat Life:
Moving abroad is such a thrilling time, with a new culture, new opportunities, and new experiences. Yet what people don't always talk about is how hard it can be to settle and to adapt. Many expats and digital nomads feel a sense of being "in-between" — between nations, between cultures, between identities - with foot in every new location. And though family and friends back home might think you're "living the dream," inside you might be struggling with anxiety, loneliness, or a feeling of having lost your way.
The Common Problems that Expats and Digital Nomads Face:
Over the years, I’ve supported many people who’ve moved abroad — whether for love, work, adventure, or necessity — and while each person’s story is unique, there are some common challenges that tend to come up:
Diminished self-confidence and self-esteem — Feeling unsure of yourself when everything feels foreign, from the language to social norms.
A sense of not belonging or being a stranger — No longer fitting fully into your home culture, but not yet feeling at home in the host one.
Homesickness and isolation — Missing friends, family, familiar food, weather, and even small comforts that provide a sense of grounding.
Bureaucracy battles — Being overwhelmed by paperwork, visas, healthcare systems, taxes, and other practical issues.
Difficulty in adjusting to new lifestyles and cultures — Having to navigate unspoken rules, social expectations, and sometimes discrimination or misunderstanding.
Family misunderstandings and relationship strain — Different adaptation rates, cultural conflict, or emotional distance from loved ones.
Relationship strain — Especially if one partner is local and the other is not, or both are away from home and only have each other.
Parenting concerns — Raising children in a different culture with a new language, expectations, and values.
These can all create stress, anxiety, depression, or a general feeling of being "off balance" — and that's where therapy or coaching can help.
Therapy and Coaching Specifically for Expats Can:
Help you feel grounded and get back in balance when you are feeling uprooted, lost, or disconnected.
Facilitate an identity change — Who am I now? What is "home" to me? What do I want this chapter of my life to look like?
Build confidence and self-esteem — especially when having to adjust to a new culture has made you doubt yourself.
Manage stress and anxiety — about daily life, bureaucracy, work, or relationships.
Improve relationships and communication — with your partners, children, family back home, or new people in your life.
Create practical solutions to living abroad — from culture shock management to building satisfying social networks.
Integrate expat life with personal growth — so you're not just surviving abroad but actually growing and thriving.
Who I Work With
I work with individuals, couples, and parents who are living abroad, whether you're:
A digital nomad adapting to a life of travel and unpredictability.
An expat professional who is employed in a host country.
A spouse or partner of someone who relocated for work or family.
A parent bringing up children in a new culture and dealing with the issues of "third culture kids."
A student or early-career professional establishing a life overseas for the first time.
Next Steps for Personalised Expat Coaching
Expat life brings with it amazing possibilities — but you don't have to sacrifice mental health or well-being in order to seize them. If you've been struggling to find your way, feeling anxious, disconnected, or uncertain about how to make this global life your own, I'm here to support you. We can chart a path forward into greater groundedness, confidence, and connection — wherever you are in the world.
If you are prepared to take the next step, contact me for a complimentary free 20-minute consultation to discuss how I can assist you.