Counselling for Internationals Living in Norway
Building a life somewhere new can be more complicated than expected
Maybe you came to Norway for work, study, a relationship, family, safety, adventure, or simply because something about life here called to you.
And perhaps some parts of the move have been wonderful.
You can love the mountains, the quiet, the public transport, the safety, the pace of life, or the future you are building here, and still feel lonely, disoriented, homesick, exhausted, or strangely unlike yourself.
I offer English-language counselling and coaching for expats, immigrants, and internationally mobile adults navigating life in Norway.
Together, we can make room for the complicated reality of building a life somewhere new: what you have gained, what you have lost, what is changing, and what might help this place begin to feel more inhabitable.
Online throughout Norway and in person in Oslo.
50-minute sessions · 900 NOK · Sessions in English
Even a beautiful place can take some getting used to
Moving countries can rearrange an entire ecosystem at once. The people who knew you best may now be thousands of kilometres away. Familiar social cues disappear. Things that once required no thought suddenly involve translation, paperwork, unfamiliar systems, or asking for help.
You may be functioning perfectly well on the outside while quietly missing the ease of being somewhere you know how to belong. You might be navigating:
loneliness or difficulty building close friendships
homesickness or grief for people and places you left behind
feeling socially outside and understanding “janteloven” even after living here for a while
the challenge of building community in Norway
differences in communication, social expectations, or ways of connecting
feeling less confident or competent when navigating unfamiliar systems
Norwegian language learning and the experience of living partly in English
immigration, residency, work, or practical uncertainty
relocation for a Norwegian or Norway-based partner
one partner feeling at home here while the other does not
losing familiar work, status, identity, routines, or support after moving
long periods of darkness, winter, isolation, or being indoors more than you expected
missing spontaneity, cultural familiarity, food, family, humour, or everyday ways of connecting
uncertainty about whether Norway is really where you want to stay
guilt because you worked hard to get here and feel like you should be happier
wondering where “home” is now
Sometimes the hardest part is that nothing is dramatically wrong. Life simply does not feel as rooted as it once did.
What helps a new place become home?
I tend to understand people as living within ecosystems. Belonging is shaped by much more than whether we like the country we live in. It grows through relationships, language, familiar places, community, work, climate, landscape, routines, cultural understanding, purpose, financial stability, and the experience of being known by other people. When you move countries, many of those roots are disturbed at the same time.
Together, we might become curious about:
Where in Norway do you feel most alive or settled?
Where do you find yourself constantly adapting?
What parts of your old life are you grieving?
What has become possible here that was not possible before?
What kind of community are you missing?
What helps you feel recognizable to yourself?
What relationships nourish you?
What does your body seem to soften around?
What expectations did you carry about moving here?
What would make life in Norway feel more genuinely yours?
Sometimes belonging grows by putting down new roots or maintaining roots somewhere else. Often, it is both and more.
A place where you don’t have to explain international life from the beginning
I understand that living abroad can bring experiences that are difficult to capture in ordinary categories like anxiety, stress, or relationship problems.
A conflict with your partner may also be tangled with migration.
Burnout may be connected to years of adapting.
Loneliness may exist alongside a busy social life.
A career problem may also involve losing the competence or identity you had in another country.
And a desire to leave Norway does not necessarily mean moving here was a mistake.
Our work can make room for the whole landscape.
My approach is relational, embodied, collaborative, and experiential. My work draws from more than ten years of counselling experience, including Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, somatic and experiential approaches, Internal Family Systems, ACT, mindfulness, Gestalt, and relational practice.
You might have arrived here by many different paths
I welcome:
people newly arrived in Norway
long-term expats and immigrants
international students and professionals
people who relocated for a partner
people building relationships with Norwegians
third-culture and internationally mobile adults
people deciding whether to stay in Norway
people preparing to leave or move somewhere else
queer and trans internationals
neurodivergent and disabled internationals
people living between several countries, languages, or cultures
You do not need to prove that your experience is difficult enough to deserve support. And you do not need to decide whether Norway is wonderful or terrible. All of the complicated bits are welcome here.
Living outside Norway? Online sessions are available internationally.
[Learn more about international online counselling →]
FAQ
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Absolutely. Some parts of international life become easier with time, while other questions around identity, belonging, relationships, community, and home can emerge much later.
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That is completely welcome. Our work does not begin with the assumption that staying is the goal. We can explore what is drawing you toward leaving, what keeps you here, and what kind of life you are trying to create.
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My work draws on many years of experience as a licensed mental health counselor, but it is not therapy.
Rather than diagnosing or treating mental health conditions, I offer counseling and coaching for people navigating relationship challenges, life transitions, burnout, questions of identity and belonging, and the ordinary complexities of being human. Our work is less about identifying what is wrong and more about creating space to understand what is happening, reconnect with your own wisdom, and move forward with greater clarity and intention.
I bring a mindfulness-based, somatic, and relational approach that helps people slow down, listen more deeply, and respond to life's challenges with greater awareness and self-compassion.
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Those experiences can exist together. Appreciating the life you have built does not erase grief, disconnection, homesickness, or the difficulty of starting again somewhere new.
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Yes. I also work with intercultural and international couples navigating cultural differences, migration, family expectations, belonging, language, and decisions about where to build a life together. You can learn more about it here.
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Yes—everything you share with me is confidential. I treat your story with care, meaning I won’t share what you say with others, and I offer a safe, respectful space where all parts of you are welcome.
Many people come to me because they’ve felt judged, unseen, or misunderstood elsewhere. You don’t have to censor yourself here. I don’t offer advice from a distance—I meet you where you are, with presence, honesty, and kindness.
That said, I don’t work with people who are in active crisis or experiencing ongoing suicidal thoughts. If you’re ever at risk of harming yourself or someone else, we’ll pause and work together to find the right support. I’ll never abandon you, but I will make sure you get the care you need to stay safe.
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I have a wide range of personal and professional experience working with a vast array of different intersecting cultural identities and expressions. I have worked with people of all different racial and ethnic backgrounds, religions, ages/generations, socioeconomic statuses, disabilities, neurotypes, sexualities, gender identities, relationship orientations, national origins, and political views. I’m someone who is comfortable holding lots of space for nuance, complexity, and polarity. Everything and everyone is welcome. Nothing is too taboo or off limits and you will not be pathologized.
I have extensive experience working with the following communities/cultural contexts:
-LGBTQIA+
-Polyamorous, non-monogamous, open relationships
-Kink and BDSM, highly taboo and stigmatized sexual identities/desires
-Sex workers
-Neurodivergence
-Chronic illness and disability
-1st and 2nd gen immigrants, third culture kids, expats, internationals
-Multiple intersecting marginalized identities
Finding your way into belonging
Maybe Norway eventually becomes home or it becomes one of several homes.
Perhaps your relationship with this place is still unfolding.
You do not need to know yet.
Free 30-minute consultation
A relaxed chance to meet, tell me a little about what life in Norway has been like for you, ask questions, and get a sense of whether working together feels like a good fit.
