“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 feel homesick and longing for family, friends and the places you knew. You may feel isolated, lacking a steady structure or grappling to come to terms with the way things are done here. The reality of life in NZ may not match what you expected and you are disappointed and unsure how to move forward. A lengthy immigration process may leave you dealing with ongoing uncertainty about your future. You may bear the stressful responsibility for bringing your loved ones in this new environment or providing for them back at home.
Even after years living in NZ, immigration can present new challenges. As time goes on, family, relatives and friends overseas move on with their own life. Families grow through marriage and birth, parents age, loved ones pass away. Being away can feel isolating and disconnecting, and bring to a place where you are torn between possibilities and choices.
As well as hope, joy and fulfillment, immigration and living in a different culture can promote stress, anxiety, feelings of loss and loneliness. Feelings of frustration, disappointment and hopelessness may arise. Being challenged and pushed to grow in unforeseen ways can trigger a lowering of self-confidence, leading people to question their capability and their identity. As they change and adapt to their new circumstances, migrants can find it hard to reconcile new and original cultures and expectations.
I know that migration can be wonderful and transforming as well as stressful and unsettling and I understand first-hand the challenges it presents.
I provide a confidential and supportive space where you can freely talk about 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. Together we can develop strategies to resolve the issues that you are facing, clarify your purpose and options, and clear a path forward. I can also provide guidance to help you adapt to your new surroundings and some understanding of NZ culture.
Contact me if you would like a safe and non-judgmental space where to discuss your experience and get help finding your balance.