Moving to a new country is a major life event that involves adapting to a new culture, environment and way of life. Whether you are temporarily living abroad or have relocated to Lisbon long-term, expat adjustment can affect your self-esteem, happiness, resilience and overall wellbeing.
As an English-speaking therapist in Lisbon, I offer a supportive space to explore the challenges of expat adjustment. Having lived in several countries myself, I also understand the personal experience of adapting to a new culture and building a life abroad.
Hi, I’m Alicja. I’m an English-speaking psychotherapist based in central Lisbon, helping expats, digital nomads and international residents through anxiety, life transitions, relationship difficulties, trauma and the challenges of building a life abroad. For me, therapy shouldn’t mean simply talking about your problems over and over again. By combining person-centred counselling with body-brain approaches like Brainspotting, together we can explore what you’re experiencing while also working with your nervous system to support deeper and meaningful change.
Read more about my background →
01
Explore your feelings about relocation in a safe, confidential space. Therapy provides a safe, confidential and non-judgemental environment where you can talk openly about your emotions around relocating and finding your place in the community as an expat or immigrant.
02
Feel understood and supported as you adjust to life abroad. Your therapist works with a “dual attunement” approach, providing both relational and neurobiological attunement. This can help regulate your nervous system and support neuroplasticity as you navigate the challenges of living abroad.
03
Make space for conflicting emotions without feeling alone. Moving to another country can bring up ambivalent, contradictory or difficult feelings that may be hard to share with others, adding to a sense of loneliness. With Brainspotting (BSP), a brain-body therapy used along talk therapy, you decide how much or how little you want to say..
04
Feel accepted and validated in whatever you are experiencing. You can give yourself permission to experience all your emotions without judgement. Experiencing unconditional acceptance and validation can help free up inner resources that may be tied up in pain and struggle.
05
Become more attuned to your feelings, needs and reactions. Together with your therapist, you can develop greater self-attunement. Becoming more genuine in your emotions, reactions and behaviours can support your overall wellbeing as you build a life in a new country.
06
Develop a kinder, more compassionate attitude towards yourself. When you experience difficulties adjusting to life abroad, you may find yourself engaging in harsh self-talk. Working with a counsellor can help you develop a gentler and more compassionate attitude towards yourself.
07
Develop practical tools to manage stress and regulate your nervous system. Together with your counsellor, you can identify and build on the resources available to you, while expanding the range of tools and techniques you can use to regulate your nervous system.
08
Experience acceptance, compassion and nurturing support. Your therapist can model acceptance, compassion and nurturing behaviours, giving you an opportunity to experience a supportive and caring therapeutic relationship..
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Prioritise your wellbeing and self-care while living abroad. Regular weekly therapy sessions can support your healing process by helping you prioritise your wellbeing and self-care alongside the other demands and distractions of life abroad..
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Understand your experience and feel reassured about your emotions. Your therapist can offer psychoeducation to help you better understand your experience of relocation and adjust to the emotional challenges of living in another country, while normalising what you are going through.
I aim to respond within 24h, Mon to Fri. For urgent support, find public health helpline numbers here.
Rua Alexandre Herculano 19, 1250-008 Lisboa
Nearest Metro stations: Avenida and Marquês de Pombal.
