Online CBT Therapy for People Living Abroad: What Working Together Looks Like
Online CBT therapy for expatriates and people living abroad, available in English and Spanish, can help you make sense of what you’re carrying, and how to hold it differently.
Who this support is for
Many of the people who reach out are living abroad and noticing that something inside feels a little different than it used to.
Sometimes life on the outside looks quite stable. Work is moving forward, routines are in place, things are “working”.
And yet internally there can be a sense of feeling more in your head, more tired, or slightly out of sync with yourself.
You might recognise moments like:
• feeling emotionally overwhelmed or close to burnout
• anxiety showing up more strongly in social situations or during transitions
• loneliness, homesickness, or a quiet sense of disconnection
• culture shock or identity shifts
• self-doubt, impostor thoughts, or perfectionism abroad
• feeling “not quite yourself” and wanting to reconnect
• navigating life between languages or cultures
Experiences like these are more common than people often realise. Many expatriates and people living abroad carry these feelings for a long time before reaching out.
Often the starting point can simply be a feeling of something being off, or noticing that the way you’ve been carrying things is starting to feel heavier.
And that can be a meaningful place to begin.
Step-by-step: how therapy works
Free discovery call
If you'd like, we can start with a free 20-minute discovery call to see whether online therapy while living abroad feels like the right support for you.
This is simply a chance to meet, ask any questions, and get a feel for whether working together feels right.
There’s no pressure, just an option if you’d like to connect before booking a session.
Initial session
We’ll begin with a 50-minute session to explore where you’re at right now.
This first session offers space to reflect on what’s been feeling heavy, confusing, or unclear, especially if life abroad has left you feeling more anxious, disconnected, or overwhelmed.
We’ll also talk about what you’re hoping to get out of therapy, even if you’re not fully sure yet.
Ongoing session
After the first session, we’ll continue with 50-minute online sessions, from wherever you are.
Most clients choose to meet weekly, but we can find a pace that suits your needs.
Together, we make space for the deeper emotional patterns, while also exploring practical tools and kind changes that can help life feel more manageable day to day.
What is CBT?
CBT stands for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, a practical, evidence-based approach that looks at how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are connected.
For many people living abroad, this connection becomes especially noticeable during moments of transition. Adjusting to a new country can bring excitement and opportunity, but it can also bring anxiety, self-doubt, or a quiet sense of disconnection.
When something feels overwhelming, the situation itself is only part of the experience. The way we interpret what’s happening, the thoughts that appear, and the habits we’ve developed in responding all shape how the moment unfolds.
CBT helps slow these patterns down so they can be understood more clearly. From there, we can begin to change them in ways that help you feel more grounded, more connected to yourself, and more able to respond to life in ways that truly support you.
This kind of support can be especially valuable during cultural adjustment, when the gap between where you are and where you feel at home is still finding its shape.
For example:
Many people notice these kinds of thoughts after moving to a new country. Imagine you’ve recently moved abroad and find yourself thinking:
“I’ll never make friends here. This culture is just too different for me.”
That thought might lead to feelings of anxiety, self-doubt, or loneliness. When those feelings grow louder, it can become easier to start avoiding social situations altogether.
Over time, that pattern can leave you feeling even more disconnected, like you don’t quite belong, even though part of you really wants to.
In therapy, we look at what’s happening: the situation, the thoughts that arise, how they influence your emotions, and the ways you tend to respond.
From there, we explore tools that can help you respond in ways that feel more supportive and true to you as you continue building your life abroad.
What people often begin to notice changing
Change in therapy rarely happens all at once.
More often, it appears in small shifts that gradually begin to feel meaningful.
Many people start to notice things like:
• recognising anxious thought patterns earlier
• feeling less caught in overthinking loops
• responding to difficult moments with a little more steadiness
• feeling more at ease in social situations
• reconnecting with parts of themselves that had gone quiet
• making decisions with more clarity and self-trust
• feeling more grounded while continuing to build a life abroad
Sometimes the changes are subtle at first. A situation that once felt overwhelming becomes easier to navigate. A thought that once felt convincing begins to soften. Conversations start to feel a little less effortful.
Gradually, many people describe feeling more connected to themselves again, even while life abroad continues to happen.
FAQs
-
Yes. Sessions are available in English or Spanish.
Many people living abroad naturally move between languages when talking about their experiences. Some clients prefer to stay in one language, while others switch depending on what they’re trying to express. Both are welcome in our work together.
-
Yes. I offer online therapy for people living abroad, including expats and internationals adjusting to life in a new country.
Sessions take place online, which means you can access support wherever you are. Many of my clients live across different countries and time zones, and therapy becomes a steady space to reflect and reconnect with themselves while navigating life abroad.
-
Yes. Sessions can be cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours’ notice.
Cancellations made with less than 24 hours’ notice, or missed sessions, are not refundable. I understand that life can be unpredictable (especially when living across time zones) and I’ll always do my best to be flexible when possible.
-
I work primarily with people (expats and internationals) living abroad.
Many clients come to therapy feeling anxious, disconnected from themselves, or unsure where they belong after moving countries. Living abroad can bring meaningful opportunities, but it can also create emotional pressure, identity shifts, and moments of loneliness that are difficult to talk about.
Therapy with me offers a space to make sense of those experiences and build a steadier sense of self while living abroad.
-
My fee is €90 per session.
Each session lasts 50 minutes and takes place online, allowing you to attend from wherever you are.
-
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) helps you understand how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours influence one another.
For people living abroad, this can be especially helpful when anxiety, self-doubt, or identity shifts start affecting everyday life. Together, we explore the patterns that may be keeping you stuck and develop practical ways to respond differently, while still honouring the emotional complexity of your experience abroad.
-
Yes. Many people experience anxiety while living abroad, especially during periods of transition, cultural adjustment, or social uncertainty.
Online therapy with me offers a supportive space to understand what’s happening beneath the surface and develop practical ways to manage anxiety while navigating life in another country.
-
Absolutely!!
Many people begin therapy with a sense that something feels off, rather than a clear diagnosis or crisis.
Living abroad can bring subtle emotional changes, feeling more in your head, more disconnected, or unsure of where you belong. Therapy with me creates space to explore those experiences and understand what might be happening underneath them.
-
NO!!! You don’t need a diagnosis, label, or crisis to begin therapy.
If you’re feeling anxious, emotionally overwhelmed, disconnected from yourself, or simply noticing that something feels different since living abroad, that is reason enough to seek support.