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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.
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Work-life balance for expatriates in Denmark!
Exploring the concept of work-life balance in Denmark and its implications for expatriates, this final blogpost in the series on Danish...
Henriette Johnsen
Jun 22, 20243 min read
Mastering flat company structures and implied hierarchies in Danish work culture!
While initially challenging to navigate, numerous expats affirm that the quality of Danish work culture significantly enhances their...
Henriette Johnsen
Jun 22, 20242 min read
Expat Stories: the missing piece - struggles of trailing spouses
Story Time: hearing personal stories from other expats is a window to new worlds. Worlds of new meaning, understanding, and depth about...
Henriette Johnsen
Apr 21, 20247 min read
How to effectively navigate disagreements, conflicts, and crises in your romantic relationship?
Many, if not most, couples experience disagreements, conflicts, and crises at some stage of their relationship. These can break trust,...
Henriette Johnsen
Feb 5, 20245 min read
Shame … on language
When living in London, I studied and trained to become a psychotherapist. Doing so in my second language, I experienced frustration,...
Henriette Johnsen
Jan 25, 20244 min read
Tips on befriending Danes!
It’s no secret, that Denmark has a lot to offer, but being an expat in one of the seemingly happiest countries in the world is no walk in...
Henriette Johnsen
Jan 16, 20244 min read
Self-compassion as part of mental health and emotional self-care
Compassion means to suffer with; and as such, self-compassion means to suffer with yourself! To feel compassionate with yourself, you...
Henriette Johnsen
Dec 20, 20233 min read
Tips for having guests visiting from home whilst living abroad
In my expats days, we were often blessed with family and friends coming over for visits. Blessed in the sense that not only did they come...
Henriette Johnsen
Nov 21, 20234 min read
Christmas on your own?
As humans we are programmed to evolve and seek new experiences, but when it comes to Christmas, our mindset prefers for it to be same...
Henriette Johnsen
Nov 21, 20235 min read
Tips for Christmasing in your home country
For many expats, Christmas of 2020 and 2021 were particular difficult times as they were forced to cancel their plans to travel over the...
Henriette Johnsen
Nov 21, 20234 min read
For love-pats and partners hereof: bringing your loved one home...
... unfortunately, isn't always the adventure that you had hoped it to be. This blogpost will explore why and what to do to prevent...
Henriette Johnsen
Nov 15, 20237 min read
In relationships, conflicts are personal development waiting to happen - for both partners!
In my practice, I see lots of couples. Couples who love each other, hurt each other, keep fighting for the relationship, keep having the...
Henriette Johnsen
Oct 10, 20236 min read
Anxiety in expats
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions. From time to time, we all feel anxious and fearful; but for some, anxiety...
Henriette Johnsen
Sep 27, 20234 min read
Expat life: maintaining friendships at home!
Whilst you may be excited about your move abroad, of starting afresh, meeting new people, engaging in a foreign culture, learning a new...
Henriette Johnsen
Aug 28, 20234 min read
How to deal with the curse of expat friendships
Whilst nurturing your friendships at home, possibly attempting to befriend the locals, you might also want to create a circle of friends...
Henriette Johnsen
Aug 28, 20232 min read
Parenthood - balance imbalances!
In Denmark, today is Father’s Day. It’s also Constitutional Day. And speaking of the law, new legislation on maternity/paternity leave...
Henriette Johnsen
Jun 5, 20233 min read
Rights and responsibilities of children in Denmark
In Denmark, adulthood starts at the age of 18, but long before then, the process of becoming independent from one's parents and of taking...
Henriette Johnsen
Jun 1, 20237 min read
TCK and ECS - what are they?
Third culture kids and expat child syndrome! Raising children abroad means for them to be different, being the odd ones out. And not just...
Henriette Johnsen
May 10, 20234 min read
Do Danish Babies Sleep Outside?
Many moons ago, a young Danish mother was arrested and incarcerated for 36 hours for leaving her child to nap in a pushchair outside a...
Henriette Johnsen
May 10, 20231 min read
Expat mum! Super hero!
Being a mum is one of the most challenging and rewarding roles in life – I imagine being a dad is the other one! Before motherhood, if...
Henriette Johnsen
May 10, 20234 min read
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