The Good Expat Life

28/01/2026

Living abroad stretches us in so many ways: new culture, new systems, new identity… And often, new emotional reactions we didn’t expect.

In my recent conversation with Nyna, founder of The Expat Woman, we talked about something that comes up again and again in my work with expats:

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐒𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲: 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞𝐬 & 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞

When everything feels unfamiliar, our nervous system looks for safety – and that’s often when old relational patterns show up more strongly. We might feel more anxious, more withdrawn, more sensitive, or more alone than we’re used to. There’s nothing “wrong” with us: It’s our attachment system doing its job in a new and uncertain environment.

In the interview, I also share a bit about my own attachment journey and how my personal experiences shaped the work I now do with individuals and couples navigating life across cultures.

If you’ve ever wondered why moving abroad can feel emotionally intense in ways you didn’t expect, this conversation might really resonate with you.

🎥 Watch the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riBD8LMZXn4

I’d love to hear what parts spoke to you.

Whenever we step out of our comfort zones and undergo transitions like moving abroad, our old wounds and traumas have a field day. They often resurface as we...

22/01/2026

🌏 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬

Expat life can quietly affect how you feel about yourself and how you relate to the people closest to you.

You might feel anxious, disconnected, or notice tension in your relationship that wasn’t there before.

The stress of moving, cultural shifts, the lack of support and structure, as well as changes in your relationships can bring old wounds, unmet needs, and unhealed patterns to the surface – adding to the often invisible emotional load of expat life.

I help expat individuals and couples explore these challenges and find steadier ground again.

UK-trained psychotherapist | Emotionally Focused | Online and in-person sessions available

👉 Learn more: www.thegoodexpatlife.com

12/01/2026

🌍 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 🌍

Navigating the challenges of expat life can take a toll on your mental health and your relationship. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or disconnected, I’m thrilled to announce that I have a few openings for individual therapy and couples counselling.

If you’re ready to invest in your well-being and your relationship, reach out today for a free 25-minute session where we'll figure out how to tackle your concerns!

💌 henriette@thegoodexpatlife.com
☎️ 0045 51 88 61 87

09/01/2026

𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐦 𝐈 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞?𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 — 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝.

When I first became an expat, I truly believed that moving countries would change everything.
New people. New opportunities. A fresh start.

But instead, I found myself carrying the same feelings with me: loneliness, disconnection, and self-doubt.

That’s when something clicked:
It wasn’t about the country.
It was about attachment.

Our attachment patterns don’t disappear when we move abroad. They shape how we connect – with ourselves, our partners, and the communities around us. And when we don’t understand them, life abroad can feel far more isolating than we expected.

As a psychotherapist, I believe deeply that real change happens when we dare to look inward with compassion. This work isn’t always easy — but it is safe, and it is transformative. With the right support, we can build relationships that feel more secure, meaningful, and nourishing — no matter where in the world we live.

Today, I help expats develop more secure attachment styles so they can feel grounded, connected, and at home, within themselves and with others.

💛 If this resonates, I’ve created an online course especially for you:

👉 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 & 𝐀𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝
https://www.thegoodexpatlife.com/attachment-style-course

✨ I’m Henriette Johnsen, a UK-trained, bilingual psychotherapist and couples counsellor — and a former three-times expat myself. I know both the excitement and the emotional challenges of living abroad. Through therapy and my online course, I support expats in strengthening their mental health and relationships so they can truly thrive anywhere in the world.

If you’re not looking for therapy, 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 & 𝐀𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝 offers a gentle, structured way to deepen self-awareness, strengthen your sense of belonging, and create safer, more fulfilling relationships.
relationships.

06/01/2026

🌟 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞 - 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥) 🌟

Join this FREE WEBINAR on 21st January 2026, where you’ll learn how your attachment style shapes your relationships, your sense of self, and your emotional well-being.

In this webinar, you will:

🧠 Learn about the 4 attachment styles and how they’re formed

🔍 Begin to identify your own attachment style

🌍 Understand why expat life can amplify anxiety, loneliness, or relationship struggles

✈️ Hear about my own expat journey and the transformation that followed

🌱 Learn how to start working with your attachment style to build healthier relationships — anywhere in the world

This session is ideal for expats who feel stuck, disconnected, or curious about personal growth and emotional resilience.

📅 21 January | 3pm CET

🎟️ Free webinar

🔗 Register here: https://www.thegoodexpatlife.com/webinar

05/01/2026

𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 — but many expats carry an invisible load that others never see.

It’s the emotional weight of constantly adapting, making sense of unfamiliar systems, managing distance from loved ones, and trying to “look like we’re coping.”

From my own years abroad, I remember how much quiet work went into simply “functioning” in a new country. It’s not a sign of weakness — it’s a sign of how much strength adaptation really takes.

✨ This month, in 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 – 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭, we’re exploring the invisible emotional load of expat life — and how to care for yourself when everything feels heavier than it looks. The first post is ready out, so join us here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thegoodexpatlife/.

03/01/2026

As promised, here's an outline of this year's self-care theme. We are going to focus on 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐬 – and how to self-care and lighten the load.

Starting Monday, for four weeks, I will be sharing some advice on this subject, as it is one that often arises in my client sessions. This will primarily take place in my Facebook group, The Good Expat Life – Worldwide Expat Support. If you haven’t already joined this community, now is the time to do so at https://www.facebook.com/groups/thegoodexpatlife/.

The topics will be:

🕯️𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟏 — 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐚𝐝?

🕯️𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟐 — 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫 & 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧

🕯️𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟑 — 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐞 & 𝐂𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝

🕯️𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟒 — 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 & 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐚𝐝

Enjoy the weekend - and stay tuned!

02/01/2026

🎆 Happy New Year, dear friends! 🎆

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful holiday and made it safely and soundly into 2026.

This image reflects so much of what I see in my work: the outer life we show, and the inner world we quietly carry.

And as I reflect on the invisible load so many expats carry, I’m also aware that 2026 holds a quiet milestone for me. It marks ten years since I first opened the doors to The Good Expat Life.

Over the past decade, so many expats have trusted me with what matters most to them: their mental and emotional well-being, their griefs and frustrations, their joys, challenges, hopes, and dreams – for themselves and for the relationships that matter to them. That trust has never felt small to me. It has been a privilege, and something I continue to hold with deep respect.

Along the way, I’ve learnt far more than I could ever have imagined – about life, about courage, about what it really means to belong, and about the quiet strength it takes to keep going while carrying so much beneath the surface. Much of this reflects my own expat experiences and life more broadly. It continually reminds me that while life isn’t easy, and challenges and grievances are inevitable, it can also be deeply meaningful and beautifully enjoyable – and that we are all doing our very best.

In my work, I’ve had the honour of walking alongside people as they find ways to meet life’s curveballs from a more balanced, nuanced, and often more self-caring place.

This work continues to humble me. I’m grateful for every story shared, every moment of honesty, and every reminder that none of us need to carry the invisible load alone.

It has become a tradition for me to focus on self-care during January. This year, however, it’s going to look a little different. Keep an eye out for my post tomorrow, where I’ll share more.

If you’re living life across cultures, what part of the invisible load feels most present for you as this new year begins?

20/11/2025

🌟 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 🌟

Today is World Children's Day - a day to reflect on the well-being of children all over the world, including those growing up across cultures and borders.

For many expat families, the holidays bring a mix of joy and complex challenges. Should you travel back to your home country - or stay and make new traditions where you are now? What will the holidays feel like for your children? And how do you balance your own emotions while supporting theirs?

To help you prepare, I've gathered some blog posts about navigating the holiday season as an expat, whether you're:

🛫 travelling home to see family and friends
🏠 staying and celebrating in your host country on your own
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 or receiving guests from back home

👉 https://www.thegoodexpatlife.com/blog/categories/holidays

If you’re already feeling a little holiday-stressed, you’re definitely not alone. Let’s talk about it here: How are you spending the holidays, and what’s your biggest concern this year? 🎁

05/11/2025

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 🤫

Expat life can be exciting and enriching. And unexpectedly lonely! Despite all the positives and good experiences, you may sometimes ask yourself

✨Why is it so hard to make deep, lasting connections?
✨Why do I feel triggered in my relationship more than I used to?
✨Why do I feel like I’m losing my sense of self?

Well, the truth is: It may be because of your attachment style.

Luckily, attachment styles can change - if you do the work!

My online course, Attached & Abroad - Attachment Style Course for Expats, is specifically designed for expats who want to:

✨ Heal old wounds and learn to regulate your nervous system
✨ Reconnect with your true self and show up more authentically
✨ Create emotional safety in your relationships and build deeper, more sustainable friendships abroad.

The course is self-paced, packed with actionable insight, and based on both theory and my real-world experience as a psychotherapist and former expat.

📌 Learn more here: https://www.thegoodexpatlife.com/attachment-style-course

29/10/2025

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤? 🤔

While some may already be familiar with psychotherapy, for many it remains something of a mystery. In some parts of the world, it is widely accepted, yet in others it is not, often shrouding it in uncertainty and leaving people with lingering questions or misconceptions.

So, I’ve written a blog post where I explain:
🔹 What psychotherapy is.
🔹 How it works in practice.
🔹 What kinds of issues it can help with.
🔹 When to seek therapy.
🔹And how to choose the right therapist.

🔗 Whether you're considering therapy yourself, or you are just curious, this post is a great place to start!

And as always, feel free to ask any questions or share your thoughts in the comments. I'm happy to answer questions 👇

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 a...

19/10/2025

✨ 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 ✨but also a bit apprehensive!

Though I didn’t quite gather enough votes to make the front cover (far from it, actually!), I’m truly honoured to have been featured as one of the powerhouse women in Female Entrepreneur Magazine.

It’s been such a fun experience to be part of this process; and even more rewarding to read the stories of so many amazing entrepreneurs doing remarkable things.

A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and show their support: Your encouragement means the world! 💛

And a special thanks to Angel Frances for the lovely conversation and for allowing me to share my journey and thoughts in Female Entrepreneur Magazine.

The apprehension, you may ask? Well, I don't know about you, but for me, it always seems a little risky to brag about myself. Over the years, I have become better at shining my light on myself, but it doesn't come easily to me. I would love to hear your experiences with this - and all tips are welcome!

Here’s to celebrating women who dream big, take action, and lift each other💫
If you are interested in reading the interviews, you will find the link in the comments!