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A blog about the good expat life
by Henriette Johnsen
Welcome to my blog! Here you’ll find everything from guides on various aspects of Danish culture to personal accounts from other expats - and most importantly, an in-depth look at some of the psychological challenges of expat life. I hope you will use these blog posts to enhance your expat experience.
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Tips for Christmasing in your home country
For many expats, Christmas of 2020 and 2021 were particular difficult times as they were forced to cancel their plans to travel over the...
Henriette Johnsen
Nov 21, 20234 min read
For love-pats and partners hereof: bringing your loved one home...
... unfortunately, isn't always the adventure that you had hoped it to be. This blogpost will explore why and what to do to prevent...
Henriette Johnsen
Nov 15, 20237 min read
In relationships, conflicts are personal development waiting to happen - for both partners!
In my practice, I see lots of couples. Couples who love each other, hurt each other, keep fighting for the relationship, keep having the...
Henriette Johnsen
Oct 10, 20236 min read
Anxiety in expats
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions. From time to time, we all feel anxious and fearful; but for some, anxiety...
Henriette Johnsen
Sep 27, 20234 min read
Expat life: maintaining friendships at home!
Whilst you may be excited about your move abroad, of starting afresh, meeting new people, engaging in a foreign culture, learning a new...
Henriette Johnsen
Aug 28, 20234 min read
How to deal with the curse of expat friendships
Whilst nurturing your friendships at home, possibly attempting to befriend the locals, you might also want to create a circle of friends...
Henriette Johnsen
Aug 28, 20232 min read
Parenthood - balance imbalances!
In Denmark, today is Father’s Day. It’s also Constitutional Day. And speaking of the law, new legislation on maternity/paternity leave...
Henriette Johnsen
Jun 5, 20233 min read
Rights and responsibilities of children in Denmark
In Denmark, adulthood starts at the age of 18, but long before then, the process of becoming independent from one's parents and of taking...
Henriette Johnsen
Jun 1, 20237 min read
TCK and ECS - what are they?
Third culture kids and expat child syndrome! Raising children abroad means for them to be different, being the odd ones out. And not just...
Henriette Johnsen
May 10, 20234 min read
Do Danish Babies Sleep Outside?
Many moons ago, a young Danish mother was arrested and incarcerated for 36 hours for leaving her child to nap in a pushchair outside a...
Henriette Johnsen
May 10, 20231 min read
Expat mum! Super hero!
Being a mum is one of the most challenging and rewarding roles in life – I imagine being a dad is the other one! Before motherhood, if...
Henriette Johnsen
May 10, 20234 min read
How do you raise children multiculturally?
You are keen for your child to learn another language and experience another culture from the inside, perhaps to make a better life for...
Henriette Johnsen
May 10, 20236 min read
How to support your expat child(ren)!
“Where do you come from?” A perfectly normal question to ask first time you meet someone. As you get to know them and realise their...
Henriette Johnsen
Mar 8, 20235 min read
Friendship isn’t a big thing
— it’s a million little things! - Paulo Coelho. Part of most expats' experience it that it's important to make friends! And preferrably...
Henriette Johnsen
Feb 25, 20233 min read
Do you speak any love languages?
As a couple's therapist working with couples of all ages and genders, across many cultures, religions, and nationalities, I recognise...
Henriette Johnsen
Feb 12, 20234 min read
The significance of mother tongue language in additional language acquisition
Since 1999 where UNESCO founded International Mother Language Day to promote awareness of language and cultural diversity around the...
Henriette Johnsen
Feb 5, 20235 min read
Enhance the emotional connection with your partner
Couples meeting each other with criticism, defensiveness, contempt, stone walling as well as lack of positive emotional connection face...
Henriette Johnsen
Jan 9, 20232 min read
Winter Depression - Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
With the lack of light and the ongoing short days, many people find themselves lacking energy, develop a persistent low mood and become...
Henriette Johnsen
Jan 6, 20232 min read
Repatriation; the hardest journey?
I's taken some time, but thankfully, there's now a lot of support to be had from companies, bloggers, and books as well as from...
Henriette Johnsen
Oct 4, 20224 min read
Protecting your mental health when feeling fearful
How can we regulate our nervous system at such testing times? Read this blogpost to understand your emotional response to the war and for...
Henriette Johnsen
Mar 14, 20224 min read
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