Problems with my health started when I was already living abroad. It wasn’t something you could just fix with exercises or supplements. Over the course of a few years, I visited countless doctors, naturopaths, and practitioners of various methods. Some I found myself; others were highly recommended to me. Most of them used expressions like you must, you should, it is the only way for you to get healthy.
I was in such a chaotic mental state that I felt compelled to visit as many as I could. And when I didn’t have the time or money to see others that were described as “fantastic practitioners,” I felt guilty. Guilty that I wasn’t doing enough for my health. Guilty that I wasn’t being a “good patient.”
The hours I spent listening to advice were countless. Then came the challenge of trying to “digest” all that information. I would attempt bits and pieces of different protocols, but I lacked the capacity—and sometimes the belief—to follow through with everything. Again, I felt powerless and guilty. It was as if I was only trying to please the practitioners, not even stopping to think about what I truly needed or felt was good for me.
I underwent quite a few unnecessary procedures because I didn’t have the courage to say, “No, this isn’t for me.” I thought I had to be a polite, obedient patient. After all, the doctors knew better, right? And wasn’t that what I’d been taught growing up?
Language was another hurdle. I was grateful I spoke English, but many recommended practitioners didn’t. That brought even more guilt: I wasn’t fluent enough in the local language. My self-esteem plummeted alongside my health.
I was given protocols, strategies, mindfulness exercises, breathing practices… Most were generic. Some worked, some didn’t. And to this day, I can’t pinpoint which methods actually made a difference because it was all so chaotic.
After a few years of this, I knew something had to change. At my lowest point—drowning in guilt, hopelessness, and self-doubt—I decided to work with an EFT and diet coach. She wasn’t the perfect choice, but she sparked something within me. That spark led me to start a journey of trusting myself and making empowered decisions about my health. It did not happen in an instant—for some it does—and both are okay.
It wasn’t easy. No one teaches you how to listen to your intuition and your body (such a slogan nowadays) or how to advocate for yourself. Most of us learn the hard way. But over time, I began to embrace the feeling of making decisions for myself.
Every time I said, “I found this,” or “I chose this because it feels right for me,” my self-esteem grew. I felt empowered to express myself in German, to have confident conversations with medical professionals (they’re human too, after all! 
), and to tell people what I truly think. For years, I had nodded along and agreed just to be polite. Now, I was learning to stand in my power.
), and to tell people what I truly think. For years, I had nodded along and agreed just to be polite. Now, I was learning to stand in my power.Step by step, I began uncovering the strength hidden beneath layers of conditioning, family beliefs, and cultural expectations. And this is exactly what I help my clients do. I guide them at their own pace, helping them reconnect with their inner power and finding themselves at home abroad—allowing them to re-discover or find their identity.
With my experience as an expat—having emigrated/moved multiple times (countries, towns, apartments, communities), having lived in another (foreign) language environment—and with the methods I’ve learned (psychosomatic methods and techniques, emotional work, trauma release, coaching, and mentoring), I understand how deeply negative emotions can impact us physically. Feelings of not being enough, not belonging, or not having a voice can manifest as burnout, back pain, anemia, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, headaches, emotional exhaustion, and so much more.
Are you ready to reclaim your power? To start listening to your body and intuition? Let’s talk. Send me a PM to book a discovery call and learn how we can work together. 
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The presented material does not constitute medical advice. It is for informational purposes only and should not be treated as professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. It does not replace specialized medical examinations or professional medical consultations.
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