We have mentioned in our guide to living & lifestyles in Mexico that moving to, settling-in, and cultivating a thriving lifestyle in a foreign country requires effort and patience, and if you have a partner or family arriving with you, it’s important to be mindful of their needs and any emotional and practical support they may require as you work together to cultivate your new lifestyle.
If you, or a family member is struggling to cope, therapy is an option that some people consider as part of a range of support mechanisms that may help.
Psychotherapy for foreign residents in Mexico
Adela Iglesias is a qualified psychotherapist with more than 30 years of experience working with adults of all ages, teens, and couples—helping them to navigate life’s challenges.
Based in Mexico, she offers one-on-one online sessions providing a confidential and warm space where you will feel at ease to share whatever is troubling you and have the opportunity to address it and help restore balance to your life. Adela’s therapy is helping expats in Mexico to settle-in and adapt to their new environment.
Her training began in the field of psychoanalytical psychotherapy. She went on to incorporate perspectives that take into account both the body as well as the environment as essential factors to understand human behavior and the patterns that cause us suffering.
She is specialized in the use of Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) for the treatment of trauma, that is, the aftermath of stressful or challenging life experiences, such as loss and change, whether foreseen or unexpected, whether deemed as positive (e.g. moving to a new country), or negative (e.g. dealing with loss).
Therapy and the expat experience
Moving to a new country is an exciting opportunity that entails a unique set of challenges, ranging from culture shock and language barriers to complex logistics, financial management, and homesickness. There is an emotional and psychological toll when you settle abroad, which can include:
- Culture shock: Adjusting to new social norms, dining habits and communication styles can bring about disorientation, confusion and frustration, while you adapt.
- Loneliness and homesickness: As much as you might love the new place, being far from family and friends, especially during personal milestones or holidays, can lead to isolation, sadness and feelings of guilt.
- Identity struggles: Becoming an expat might involve a temporary sense of loss of belonging and the realization that it might be harder than you thought to adapt and fit in.
- Unfulfilled expectations: Relocating to a new country will not magically solve internal problems, which are part of your own baggage, or guarantee happiness, but it may open the opportunity to work through them.
Seeking professional help through therapy can help ease feelings of anxiety, burnout or isolation, and prevent them becoming unmanageable. Psychotherapeutic accompaniment can be a supportive strategy that makes the process of adapting to a new life abroad easier, gentler, and even enjoyable.
How Adela works with her clients
Adela believes that psychotherapy is a process through which we can reconnect to our innate capacity to heal, finding a way to lead a satisfying life while accepting and dealing with the challenges, pains, and losses that living entails.
Nobody knows more about us than ourselves, but in times of turmoil we may need someone to accompany us to help find the way through the maze of habitual patterns that can make us suffer needlessly.
Adela therefore works as a facilitator for exploration to help you identify and clear obstacles, and to offer gentle guidance as you regain your own balance.
- Over 30 years of experience.
- Fluent in English and Spanish.
- Works online in an individual setting with teens and adults of all ages, and with couples.
- Ideally qualified to help expats and their families with matters related to relocation, settling-in, and adaption to a new environment.
- Free 30-minute consultation to meet and answer questions.
Make a service request
Adela will be pleased to schedule a free 30-minute consultation so that you can meet her, talk about your situation and ask questions before you commit to any therapy sessions.
What happens next?
- After you complete the request form below, you’ll receive an email introducing you to Adela.
- Adela will respond to you directly to schedule a free 30-minute consultation video call to introduce herself, talk about your situation, and answer your questions without pressure or obligation.
- If you decide to engage in therapy with with Adela, she will work personally with you.
