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Therapy provides a safe space to heal intergenerational trauma, manage stress and burnout, navigate identity, and improve relationships. Modalities include Brainspotting, EMDR, and somatic/attachment-informed care offered in Los Angeles, Pasadena, the Bay Area, and statewide in California and Washington.

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Recent articles explore couples therapy tools, trauma beyond explicit violations, and practical emotional skills-building, alongside creative recovery, parenting, and cross-cultural relationships.

The Hidden Loneliness of Expat Life: The Therapy Journey

Therapy

Nov 22

Written By Samuel Kim, LMFT #141541

Being an expat is exciting! You’re venturing the world, diving into cultures in ways that most others can only dream of. It is so rewarding to have such rich experiences. But every good thing comes with a cost. And while others might romanticize this life, being an expat also means facing unique challenges.

Being an expat isn’t just exciting; it’s lonely too.

Yes, you meet fascinating new people, but you rarely feel seen: truly seen. When you reconnect (virtually) with friends and family from back home, you feel a familiar warmth, but you also can’t help but feel like something’s missing. They just don’t—and can’t—understand aspects about your new life. And even with your new friends in your host country, they don’t quite get you either.

Everyone sees only one side of you.

You feel a growing sense of distance, not only from others but also from yourself. You’ve experienced culture shock (and perhaps also reverse culture shock), and you’re constantly navigating the oftentimes subtle cultural nuances of different worlds. There are new existential anxieties around your identity that demand more space for all parts of you and your cultural hybridity. That’s a lot to work through! The good news is that you don’t have to do it alone.

In therapy, I will help you…

Feel seen, heard, and known
 Clarify and organize your hybrid cultural identity
 Build confidence in creating and deepening meaningful relationships
 Take up space appropriately in different cultural contexts
 Recognize and grieve the nuances of being an expat
 Celebrate the wonders of being an expat while continuing to process its challenges
 Accept and embrace your full self

Therapy is great. It can be even better when you have a culturally competent therapist who understands the in-between-ness of expat life and who can help you make sense of your experiences.

Read my other blog post on Therapy for Interracial Couples: Experience Harmony that Doesn’t Overlook Your Differences

Image of Asian male therapist Samuel Kim, LMFT who is the author of this blog post

About the Author

Samuel Kim, LMFT #141541 is an Asian licensed marriage and family therapist at Oak and Stone Therapy and identifies as a third culture kid (TCK) who is also in an interracial marriage. He offers online therapy services tailored for individuals and couples across Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area, and expats living abroad in Asia, Latin America, & Europe. Samuel focuses on supporting adult children of immigrants, third culture kids, interracial couples, and expats navigating cross-cultural contexts, anxiety, imposter syndrome, family of origin traumas, burnout, and relationship challenges for couples.

Asian Therapistexpat therapytherapy for expats

Samuel Kim, LMFT #141541

Samuel Kim, LMFT #141541 is an Asian American licensed marriage and family therapist at Oak and Stone Therapy and identifies as a third culture kid (TCK) who is also in an interracial marriage. He offers online therapy services tailored for individuals and couples across Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area, and expats living abroad in Asia, Latin America, & Europe. Samuel focuses on supporting adult children of immigrants, third culture kids, interracial couples, and expats navigating cross-cultural contexts, anxiety, imposter syndrome, family of origin traumas, burnout, and relationship challenges for couples.

https://www.oakandstonetherapy.com/samuel-kim-lmft