“To travel is to take a journey into yourself." Danny Kaye
Relocating to a new country is a transforming experience, whether it is a permanent or a temporary migration. It can be a time full of hope and excitement at fresh perspectives. Migration can also be a lonely experience, fraught with a sense of loss, uncertainty, the disruption of familiar life patterns, and continuous exposure to new experiences and challenges.
Having recently arrived in NZ, you may be facing issues with loneliness, isolation, employment, housing, access to services, transportation, cultural differences, discrimination, loss of socio-economic status or the responsibility of helping other family members to settle in.
As you find your way around life in this new country, you may experience heightened levels of stress, anxiety, depression and grief. Some people experience an upsurge of coping mechanisms such as anger and addiction. Feelings of frustration, disappointment, hopelessness may arise. Being challenged and pushed to grow in unforeseen ways can trigger a lowering of self-confidence, lead people to question their identity, their place and purpose in life. Families can be torn by differing experiences and expectations around the change of country and family members taking in on new roles. Even after a “successful” migration, life throws curve balls such as children growing and leaving NZ, separation from the partner you came with, family, relatives and friends overseas growing up, aging and ailing. This can bring you to a place when you are torn between possibilities and choices.
Counselling offers a safe and confidential space where you can freely articulate the issues that you are facing without fear of judgement or guilt. Being able to express your thoughts and emotions can help speed up the process of finding your balance in the midst of the changes you are managing. As your inner experience becomes clearer, it is easier to identify purpose, meaning and a path for you in this experience. Through my own life journey, I know that migration can be wonderful and transforming as well as stressful and unsettling. I understand first-hand the challenges you are facing and I can offer emotional support as you adapt to your new surroundings, as well as practical advice when required and some understanding of NZ culture.
