Living abroad can be an enriching and transformative experience. It can open up new possibilities, relationships and ways of seeing the world. At the same time, being an expat can also involve challenges that are not always easy to explain to people who have never lived away from their country of origin.

 

Moving to a new country means adapting to a different environment, language, culture and way of life. Sometimes, difficulties emerge only after the initial excitement of relocation has passed. Other times, the first months abroad are the most challenging ones. You may find yourself feeling lonely, disoriented, homesick, or less connected to yourself than you used to be.

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Individual psychological support can provide a space to explore these experiences, understand what is happening and find ways of feeling more grounded in your life.

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When living abroad becomes difficult

You may be looking for psychological support because:

• you are struggling to adjust after moving to Milan or another country;

• you are experiencing anxiety, stress, low mood or emotional exhaustion;

• you feel lonely, isolated, or socially disconnected;

• you miss your family, friends, language, culture or familiar ways of living;

• you are finding it difficult to build a sense of belonging in your new environment;

• you feel caught between different cultures or ways of understanding yourself;

• you are struggling with changes in your identity following migration or relocation;

• relationships with partners, friends, colleagues or family members have become more difficult;

• you are navigating important life changes while also living far from your usual support network.

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Sometimes the difficulty is not one specific problem. It can instead be a more diffuse feeling that life no longer feels quite like your own, or that you are constantly having to adapt.

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The psychological experience of being an expat

Living abroad can bring important psychological resources. Many people develop greater independence, flexibility, curiosity, openness and the ability to navigate different perspectives. Living between cultures can also broaden your sense of identity and give you access to different ways of relating to yourself and others.

But these same experiences can also have a cost.

You may have to repeatedly adapt your communication style, understand unfamiliar social rules, navigate a different professional culture, or adjust to ways of relating that feel very different from what you grew up with.

Even apparently small differences can become tiring when they are encountered every day.

You may also find yourself living with a particular kind of distance: your closest friends may be in one country, your family in another, and your professional or romantic life somewhere else. Important people may be spread across several countries and time zones, making it harder to feel that you have one stable support network.

These experiences can affect your sense of belonging, relationships, identity and emotional well-being.

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Identity, belonging and finding your place

Relocation can change the way you see yourself.

You may discover aspects of yourself that were less visible before moving abroad, while other parts of your identity may suddenly feel more important. You may feel different from people in your new country, but also somewhat changed in relation to people from your country of origin.

For some people, this creates a feeling of being "in between": not entirely at home in one place, but no longer feeling exactly the same connection to their country of origin.

Therapy can offer a space to explore these changes without having to choose one identity over another. The aim is not necessarily to decide where you belong, but to understand how your different experiences and identities can become part of a more coherent sense of self.

 

A space where you do not have to explain everything

I have personal experience of living abroad and of being part of a multicultural family, and I have worked with clients from different countries and cultural backgrounds, including expats and immigrants.

These experiences have taught me that cultural differences are not simply something to "overcome". They can shape the way we understand relationships, family, independence, work, communication, gender roles, intimacy and ourselves.

For this reason, I try to approach expat clients with curiosity rather than assumptions. Your cultural background is part of your experience, but it does not define you. We can explore together which aspects of your background feel important to you, which have changed, and which may be creating difficulties in your current life.

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How we can work together

Individual sessions provide a confidential space where we can explore what you are experiencing, understand recurring patterns and identify what might help you feel more stable and connected.

You do not need to arrive with a clearly defined problem. Sometimes the first step is simply having a place where you can talk openly and begin making sense of what has been happening.

 

Sessions are available in person in Milan (Isola or Centrale) or online.

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Fee: €75 per 50-minute session.

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If you feel that this could be a useful space for you, you are welcome to get in touch for an initial, no-obligation conversation or book your first session directly.

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