Background photo of psychotherapist Henriette Johnsen by the water

A blog about the good expat life

by Henriette Johnsen

Welcome to my blog! Here you’ll find everything from guides on various aspects of Danish culture to personal accounts from other expats - and most importantly, an in-depth look at some of the psychological challenges of expat life. I hope you will use these blog posts to enhance your expat experience.

Contact me today for a free 25 minute session

All posts
Phases of expat life
Mental health
Couples
Children
Trailing spouse
Identity
Isolation & loneliness
Self-compassion
Expat stories
Danish culture
Language
Holidays
COVID-19
Empty nest syndrome
Strength & resilience
Therapy
War
Danish Work Culture
Children in Denmark
Friendships

Grieving as an expat: coping with loss while living abroad

Living abroad can be deeply enriching. Many expats describe the experience as life-changing: new cultures, new perspectives, new relationships, and new opportunities. But living abroad can also make some of life’s most difficult moments feel even harder. At some point, many expats face loss while living far away from home. It may be the death of a parent, grandparent, sibling, or friend. Sometimes the loss is different but equally painful: a divorce, a serious illness in the

Mental health

Henriette Johnsen

6 days ago5 min read

The Unspoken, Invisible Expat Challenges We Rarely Say Out Loud

Living abroad can look exciting from the outside: new places, new languages, new people, new possibilities. And it truly can be all of that. But having lived abroad myself for many years, I also know how quietly heavy expat life can feel. One of the things that surprised me most was loneliness that didn’t always look like loneliness. I could be busy, productive, surrounded by people – and still feel deeply unseen. Not because anyone was unkind, but because connection often ta

Phases of expat life

Henriette Johnsen

Feb 83 min read