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En blog om det gode expatliv
af Henriette Johnsen
Velkommen til min blog. Her finder du alt fra guider om forskellige aspekter af expatlivet til personlige historier fra andre expats – og vigtigst af alt, dybdegående artikler om nogle af de psykologiske aspekter ved livet i udlandet. Bloggen er skrevet på engelsk, og nogle poster henvender sig specifikt til udlændinge i Danmark, mens andre er generelle for expats.
Jeg håber, du vil bruge disse blogposter til at berige din oplevelse som udlandsdansker.
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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

Henriette Johnsen
16. mar.5 min læsning


Grief: When a Cancelled Trip Feels Like Losing Psychological Oxygen
Sometimes, the losses that affect us most are not the ones the world immediately recognises as grief. A cancelled journey, a postponed plan, or an experience we had quietly been looking forward to for months can touch something deeper in our nervous system. This reflection explores why certain places, experiences, and trips can feel like psychological oxygen , and why losing access to them can unexpectedly feel like loss and grief. Recently, I had to cancel a long-planned t

Henriette Johnsen
11. mar.5 min læsning


Repatriation: Why returning home after living abroad can cause reverse culture shock
Repatriation is the phase no one prepares you for! To begin with, the emotional and psychological aspects of expatriate life are finally receiving the attention they deserve. Today, many organisations recognise that international assignments succeed not only because of the employee’s performance, but because partners and children are able to build meaningful lives abroad. Yet one phase is still consistently underestimated: namely, coming home! Returning is expected to b

Henriette Johnsen
27. feb.4 min læsning


Living Between Worlds: Choosing the Right Therapist as an Expat, Individual, or International Couple
When I first moved abroad, I thought I was prepared. I had the language. I had the professional identity. I knew how to build a life. What I had not anticipated was the quiet, relational impact of living between cultures. The way that your sense of self shifts depending on where you are. The way belonging becomes layered and, at times, fragile. The way your nervous system has to work harder when everything familiar is no longer around you. Having lived as an expat in three di

Henriette Johnsen
20. feb.3 min læsning


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

Henriette Johnsen
8. feb.3 min læsning


Understand the Hidden Emotional Load and Tiredness of Expats: Why You’re More Tired Than You Realise
Living abroad is frequently described as an adventure: an opportunity to broaden your horizons, explore new cultures, and create a life beyond your previous imagination. While this is often the case, there is an aspect of expatriate life that is seldom discussed openly: the hidden emotional burden that subtly depletes your energy over time. This hidden load can quietly affect how you feel about yourself, your relationships, and even your sense of purpose abroad. Having lived

Henriette Johnsen
26. jan.4 min læsning


Identity Shifts Abroad and Identity Grief in Expat Life - Invisible, Emotional Labour
Identity shifts, identity grief, and integration abroad Living abroad is often described as exciting, enriching, and full of opportunity. And it can be all of that. At the same time, it can quietly challenge your sense of who you are and where you feel at home. For many expats, the experience also brings profound identity shifts abroad and moments of identity grief — subtle losses of versions of ourselves that no longer fit. This quiet, ongoing work reshapes how we feel abo

Henriette Johnsen
26. jan.4 min læsning


How psychotherapy works
Before booking a session for psychotherapy, you may be curious to know more about what psychotherapy is and how it works. Many are unsure about this, and it is only natural to want to know a bit more about what you are getting into before booking a session. These are questions I frequently receive about my work: What is psychotherapy? Psychotherapy, often referred to as talk therapy, is a recognised method for addressing mental health issues. Sessions are held regularly, eit

Henriette Johnsen
13. okt. 20255 min læsning


The Power of Therapy in English: how language flows as the key to healing
As a bilingual therapist primarily working in my second language, English, to support expats in improving their mental health, emotional...

Henriette Johnsen
4. feb. 20253 min læsning


Dealing with Loss of Identity as an Expat - featured on The Expat Woman Audio Summit, Oct 2024
Introduction Before moving abroad, did you ever think about the concept of identity? Did you ever consider what it may feel like to have...

Henriette Johnsen
10. okt. 20248 min læsning


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
27. sep. 20234 min læsning


Winter Depression - Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
With the lack of light and the ongoing short days, many people find themselves looking inwards and spend the darker time of the year being introspective. With that, or perhaps without the intended introspection, many lack energy, develop a persistent low mood, and become irritable. Some have feelings of despair and guilt, some feel worthless, and it's not uncommon to feel a change towards craving carbs, gaining weight, and sleeping more during the day. When suffering from SAD

Henriette Johnsen
6. jan. 20233 min læsning


Protecting your mental health when feeling fearful
How can we regulate our nervous system at such testing times? Read this blogpost to understand your emotional response to the war and for...

Henriette Johnsen
14. mar. 20224 min læsning


How to care when mental illness hits
Caring for and supporting someone with a mental illness can be challenging. Many people feel they haven’t got the knowledge and as such,...

Henriette Johnsen
25. okt. 20205 min læsning


Depression in expats
According to the Danish Mental Health Fond every five or six of us will suffer from depression of varying degree at some stage throughout...

Henriette Johnsen
12. okt. 20203 min læsning
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