Moving to a new country can cause your self-esteem to take a nose-dive. You're in an unfamiliar culture, unaware of how simple tasks are performed. Maybe you're speaking a new language and feel embarrassed or ashamed of not being able to communicate properly or you're in a country that speaks your native language but you're struggling to understand accents or cultural phrases. Perhaps you need to re-train in your profession, work a non-skilled job with terrible hours, or retire earlier than expected due to lack of job possibilities.Â
Counselling with a fellow immigrant can help you feel less alone in these struggles. Together, we can look at what is causing your self-esteem to be less than ideal and explore the feelings that are coming up. Giving space to these feelings may help them feel less overwhelming and allow you space to begin growing your self-esteem once again.