Therapy for Foreign-Born Professionals

1502722061Ayana* felt unsupported and alone.

Ayana was starting to feel distance and strain in her relationship with her husband. Some days they would not talk at all, making her think that doing things all on her was easier.

He didn’t understand how to comfort Ayana when she needed his support. She wondered, “Why doesn’t he know what to say or do? Doesn’t he see how hard I’m working?”

There were times when Ayana felt so drained and exhausted from her demanding job as a scientist that all she wanted to do at the end of the day was collapse. She struggled to know what could make her feel better in these moments.

Ayana’s parents and sister back home in Africa would know how to cheer her up, but they were so far away. No one seemed to understand what she was going through; she felt alone.

Ayana’s life lacked balance.

One weekend, when Ayana had an important work project to finish, she had to miss a family birthday party with her in-laws.

The guilt and loneliness that she felt were becoming unbearable. Would she ever find balance and feel effective at work and at home?

Ayana felt herself withdrawing. No one understood the pressure she was under or how to support her. Most of all, she did not know what support she needed to be happy again.

The division between Ayana and her loved ones worsened by the day. How could she get unstuck and reconnect with her family and friends again?

111463376Therapy helped Ayana find balance.

Ayana came to therapy with all her unanswered questions. In a nonjudgmental, supportive environment, we explored Ayana’s values and what was truly important to her.

Approaching her problems with curiosity and compassion was a game-changer for Ayana. Once she understood the things in her life that brought her the most fulfillment, she started to put new boundaries in place to protect her time spent in these areas.

For Ayana, family and friends were essential to creating a healthy lifestyle. She needed to spend time with her husband and friends to help them learn how to support her better – making this transition started with Ayana working to understand herself and her own needs.

We explored self-care, boundaries, and healthy communication concepts so she could learn how to support herself better.

Now Ayana has a more balanced life.

Ayana is now finding more balance and is learning to express her needs more effectively.

She sees that her husband wanted to support her this whole time and is relieved that she has started to open herself up to being supported by him.

Are you ready to take the next step to deepen your understanding of your needs? The more connected we are to ourselves, the stronger our relationships are with others.

Reach out today for a free 15-minute consultation.

*Ayana is not an actual client but represents a combination of client stories. This characterization is a way of maintaining privacy.