Are you getting ready to have a baby, or have you recently become a parent? Do you feel completely overwhelmed, not only at the reality of impending or new parenthood, but the knowledge that you will be having your baby or raising your little one in a foreign country? And, in a country where you might not speak the language! I know first-hand how stressful and confusing this time can be, and how important it is to get the emotional support you need to help navigate the many emotional and psychological shifts that accompany this major life change.

Becoming a parent in a foreign country means quickly getting up to speed on many facts and logistics that you may have known – or known how to find out about – in your home country. It can also mean dealing with a range of feelings and concerns that are specific to encountering parenthood so far from home. Getting support to learn how to better prepare for and adjust to these challenges can make an important difference in experiencing a smoother and happier transition during pregnancy, birth and new parenthood abroad.

When living away from all that’s familiar, it’s common to feel anxious, with so much new information to process and so many decisions to make. Sometimes, though, excessive anxiety damages your quality of life. It may cause symptoms that you don’t expect. Chronic sleep issues, irritability and having difficulty concentrating might show up in your everyday experiences and interfere with daily functioning. If this sounds familiar, counseling can help you better understand the sources of your anxiety and how to cope, helping you feel less overwhelmed and more in control.