Online Therapy and Counselling for expats
Updated: Jul 25, 2021
As a Dutch/English speaking, Dutch qualified psychologist, psychotherapist and counsellor, we are happy to help you. Since we moved abroad from the Netherlands a few years ago, we understand how living far from home can be difficult, especially when it comes to adapting to a new culture.
Are you alone abroad and have recently become an expat? You may struggle to adapt to a new culture and find new friends. Forcing yourself out and accepting that invitation to a party or lunch date if you don't know any soul, it's not easy, especially for those of us who might be a little socially anxious!
Maybe your family came with you, and you need to find a decent local school for your kids, set up a house, bank accounts and navigate the local bureaucracy. Finding and getting used to a new job can take a lot of time. Maybe you're worried and feel guilty that you're not spending more time with your partner who has supported your foreign mission. Feeling torn to take care of them and worry about proving your worth in a new team can be exhausting!
Or maybe you're guiding your partner on their foreign placement. Are you just the tag along? What about your own career? Maybe you had to put it on hold to escort them abroad. What's it like to find a place/role for yourself when they're at work all day?
Maybe you have been living abroad for several years and 'home' is no longer your homeland. You may be fluent in the local language and fully integrated into your adopted home, but even this has its special challenges: what about having children, retiring or when your older parents need care at home? Feeling torn between your adopted country and your old home is a common experience for many expats. It can create some heartbreaking dilemmas without easy answers.
Finding a good work-life balance is difficult for any busy professional, but if you are far from your social network and hobbies, we may find that we are working more and more and feel less and less satisfied with our lives. Difficult life events such as losing a loved one, bullying at work or relationship problems can be the last straw and depression or anxiety can creep in.
If you live abroad, you may speak in a different language. But when it comes to discussing personal complaints that can bring the before mentioned challenges, you probably prefer to do so in your own native language in which you can often express yourself best. With an online psychologist it is possible to follow therapy in your native language. In addition, you can continue treatment with the same psychologist in case you return to your home country or move to another country.
Online therapy is not only for expats who experience problems related to the existence of an expat. For example, you may have had complaints when you were still living in the Netherlands or elsewhere. You may have already gone to a psychologist with these complaints, but you had to stop treatment because of the move. You may never have had treatment before, but now that you are abroad you need this.
By using modern means such as video calling, mail and chatting, you can still get the treatment you need. In addition to reimbursement from the basic insurance, online therapy at Nostra Forza is also increasingly reimbursed from international healthcare, travel and expat insurance and/or from employers.
Interested? Make an appointment via our contact form for a FREE CONSULTATION SESSION. During this session you can see and experience who we are and whether you feel comfortable with online therapy.