When we think about migration, we often talk about professional opportunities, international experiences, or new cultures. However, living in another country is also a deeply personal and psychological process.
Beyond the geographical change, migration involves an emotional adaptation process that often becomes a unique opportunity for self-discovery and personal growth.
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Migration is not only about changing countries
When living in another country, many of the references that once shaped our identity change or temporarily disappear:
- the language in which we think
- the closeness of family
- everyday customs
- the social environment that once felt familiar
This process can generate complex emotions such as nostalgia, uncertainty, or a sense of uprootedness.
At the same time, it opens a space to reflect on who we are and what is truly important to us.
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What is migratory grief?
In psychology, we refer to migratory grief as a natural process experienced by people who live outside their country of origin.
This type of grief does not necessarily involve a definitive loss, but rather a series of changes and symbolic separations that require a process of emotional adaptation.
Far from being only a difficult experience, migratory grief can also become an opportunity to develop new capacities such as:
- resilience
- psychological flexibility
- cultural openness
- greater awareness of one’s own identity
- a redefinition of relational needs
The most common emotions when living abroad
Many people who migrate experience similar emotions during their adaptation process:
- nostalgia for their country of origin
- the feeling of being between two cultures and the idealization of what is no longer accessible
- doubts about identity or sense of belonging
- uncertainty about the future
These experiences are part of what intercultural psychology describes as the cultural adaptation process.
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Migration as an opportunity for personal growth
Migration often invites us—sometimes for the first time—to question aspects of life that we once took for granted:
- our beliefs
- the ways we relate to others
- our expectations
- our life priorities
In this sense, the migratory experience can become a true inner journey parallel to the geographical one. A transformation full of surprises—some challenging, others a treasure. Each individual goes through it in a unique way, but what is shared are the valuable lessons that emerge in every phase of this process.
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Psychology of expatriation: supporting cultural adaptation processes
As an expatriate psychologist living in Denmark, I have been working for more than a decade with people who go through emotional and cultural adaptation processes while living in another country.
In this context, I have had the opportunity to deliver workshops on migratory grief and emotional wellbeing in expatriation at the Spanish Embassy in Copenhagen, in collaboration with organizations such as:
- the Association of Spanish Scientists in Denmark (CED)
- Casa de España
Spaces for reflection for expatriates
These encounters aim to offer a space for reflection on the experience of living between cultures and on how the challenges of migration can also become opportunities for personal growth.
Soon, I will also offer a workshop dedicated to the sense of belonging, a topic that is especially relevant for those who build their lives between different countries and cultures.
Because migration is not only about adapting to a new place.
Often, it is also about learning to know oneself in a new way.
