We are here, too - on mental health abroad

Feb 28 2025 29 ep. 15 mins 3
We are here, too - on mental health abroad Podcast artwork

Welcome to "We are here, too," an insightful podcast exploring the ebbs and flows of life abroad and its profound impact on mental health. Join me, a counsellor with two decades of experience outside my homeland, Italy, and a background in counselling and psychotherapy, as I share  stories of life abroad. Whether you consider yourself a migrant, an expatriate, a foreigner, a digital nomad or a wandering soul, embark on a journey of self-discovery while gaining valuable insights into the everyday struggles faced by those who have chosen to build their lives in foreign lands. Don't forget to subscribe and share if you find it engaging. Thank you for tuning!

  Health & Fitness  Education  Society & Culture
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S4E1: Where relationships begin: an invitation to season 4

Feb 28 2025 16 mins  
Send us a text This episode is a kickoff to a broader exploration of relationships, not just confined to the intimate ones but expanding to how we connect with our new surroundings and cultures. The focus is on why, in the hustle and bustle of settling into a new country, the connection with ourselves is our most important "tool" to navigate the ebbs and flows of life abroad. Theme

S3E6: Loneliness abroad

Apr 22 2024 28 mins  
Send us a text Ever found yourself in a foreign land, feeling the weight of solitude pressing down on you? My journey through the highs and lows of living abroad brought me face to face with the challenges of cultural adjustments and finding a place of belonging. In our latest discussion, I share the realities of navigating loneliness and stress in a new country. With the aid of th

S3E5: Some hard truths about life abroad that no one told you about

Apr 15 2024 23 mins  
Send us a text This episode was a long one coming, and I hope it invites you to extend curiosity to those experiences that are often at the edge of our life abroad. If you want to deepen some of the topics discussed in this episode, I would recommend: Hard truth 1: S3E2: People-pleasing abroad: maintaining identity amidst cultural adaptation Hard truth 2: S1E2: Unpacking culture sh

S3E4: In search of home through folklore

Apr 08 2024 15 mins  
Send us a text Have you ever pondered where you truly belong? This week, I invite you on a heartfelt exploration of 'home' and belonging as we unravel how our sense of place shapes our mental landscape. We will venture through Scottish (and Northern European) folklore, where personal tales of finding comfort in the unfamiliar intertwine with the collective experiences of those who'

S3E3: The somatics of guilt abroad: a body-based perspective on guilt

Mar 11 2024 20 mins  
Send us a text Edit: I've just realised I opened this episode saying, "In Season 4 Episode 1", when I actually meant "Season 1 Episode 4". -- Have you ever felt the weight of guilt gnawing at you physically while living miles away from home? This episode peels back the layers to reveal how guilt triggers neural networks, stirs muscle tension, disrupts our digestive and respiratory

S3E2: People-pleasing abroad: maintaining identity admidst cultural adaptation

Mar 04 2024 21 mins  
Send us a text In today's episode, I talk about people pleasing when living abroad and how it may take on the role of integrating us into the new country. Transitioning to life in a new country comes with its own emotional rollercoaster, a journey that many of us know all too well. This episode addresses the fine line between adapting and losing oneself. With heartfelt stories and

S3E1: Finding the self between borders

Feb 26 2024 24 mins  
Send us a text Emerging from a long hiatus, I, Francesca, return to the microphone with a tale that resonates deep within the heart of anyone who's ever found themselves rooted in foreign soil. This episode peels back the layers of identity shaped by the lands we call home and the internal tug-of-war between assimilation and authenticity. This conversation is a gentle nudge to embr

S2E9: After the holidays

Sep 28 2023 15 mins  
Send us a text Let me take you on a journey, a journey that many of us have experienced, but few have recounted - the emotional rollercoaster of going back home to our host country after the holidays. The thrill of the unfamiliar, the pang of homesickness, and the inevitable culture shock - they're all part and parcel of living abroad. We're going to dig deep into these feelings, g

S2E8: Visitors: balancing home ties and new connections

Sep 27 2023 20 mins  
Send us a text Ever find yourself longing for the comfort of familiar faces while stationed in a new country? Have you ever realized that the people in your host country now know more about your current life than those back home? Join me as I share my personal experiences of living abroad, discussing the nuanced dynamics of maintaining ties with home while fostering new relationshi

S2E7: Seven signs you are experiencing reverse culture shock

Sep 18 2023 21 mins  
Send us a text Going on holidays to your home country or returning home after living abroad can feel like stepping into a parallel universe. As your host, Francesca, I reveal how I navigated my own journey through this disorienting maze in an episode dedicated to the fascinating subject of reverse culture shock. With the backdrop of an Italian native living in Scotland, I take you