Since long before the conception of the term Third Culture Kid there have been many metaphors for the cross-cultural lifestyle,

To be whisked away by a childhood memory can be a wonderful thing, especially if it means an escape from the mundanity of adulthood.

As part of a long adventure into the world of self-help books, I have come across a lot of different theories and mindsets which I intend to gradually share with you throughout the years on this very blog.

I was reviewing Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs the other day for a separate project and came to think about how it could be applied to Adult Third Culture Kids.

Here at Wherapy, not only do we strive to help people who feel out of place in society, but we also work hard to provide content that may challenge people’s perceptions of themselves.

The topic of Third Culture Kids came up in a discussion I had with a mentor of mine the other day.

Welcome to the second instalment in the series, Applying Principles of Psychodynamic Therapy To Explain Depression In Third Culture Kids and Expats.

The diagnosis Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) pertains to when an individual feels excessive anxiety at the prospect of being separated from people or places that they feel a strong emotional attachment towards.

Ruth Van Reken and David Pollock provide numerous theories regarding the cross-culture lifestyle in their book Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds.

Inner-conflict is something we all deal with at some point in our lives. In fact, it is the root cause of depression. However, inner-conflict can look different depending on one’s past and what one is dealing with in the present.

I was reading a book the other day by renowned psychiatry professor Johan Cullberg entitled Crisis and Development and came across a chapter about the symptoms of a personal crisis and how they unravel over time.

Those of you who are familiar with my work will know that I am a psychodynamic psychotherapist,

Who am I? – is a question that most, if not all, Third Culture Kids find hard to answer.

Feeling unsure about one’s identity is perhaps the defining issue of the Third Culture Kid experience.

Remember senior year?  – Those last 9 months of school when everything seemed completely meaningless? 

The time when the mere act of walking through the corridors of your school would leave you with a sombre feeling?

I thought I would use today’s blog post as an opportunity to explore the many ways in which Adult Third Culture Kids react when they return to their passport culture.

Before I begin discussing the mental health aspects of a global upbringing, let me tell you that I am in the unique position of being able to see this issue from two perspectives,

Don’t know where to being when treating your depression? Going it alone ain’t easy! This course will give you everything you need to overcome depression on your own and for good!

Feeling unsure of yourself? Are you suffering from an identity crisis? Or a mid-life crisis? If so, then this course is for you. 

In this four week course,

Are you burned-out or simply feeling low on energy? Then this course is the perfect fit!

Here you’ll gain a better understanding of how your energy levels can change depending on the state of your mental health.

Are you the type of person that finds it easier to work on their issues with a group of people supporting you?

Don’t worry!

Have you ever wondered why you act the way you do in relationships? Wonder no more!

In this four week course you will learn about the various psychological processes that affect the way you are in your relationships. 

Discover the healing power of your own words! Here, you have a space to reflect on what happens in your life, from the small-and-insignificant to the great-and-remarkable. 

In this 2-week course, you will learn to see your anxiety in different ways. You will gain a better understanding of how anxiety works and how it affects your body and your brain.

Whether you are having a bad time of late or feeling happy for a change, sending an email to your future self can be very therapeutic.

Press play and let these kinetic digital art pieces soothe your soul and anchor you in the present moment. Each video is approximately five minutes long,

Are you a Third Culture Kid or Global Nomad who’s having a hard time adjusting to adult life? Then give this course a go!

Having a tough time reaching dreamland? Then this selection of sleep stories is just for you!

Begin by turning off the lights.

Say hello to your best friend in the fight against anxiety! Every time you’ve had an anxiety attack, simply fill out the form provided.

Learn to fall in love with your life again through the art of storytelling! This time you are telling the story of your own life. 

Here you’ll find a growing list of meditation tracks to enjoy.

The tracks are hosted by a former Buddhist monk and last for between 10-15 minutes each.

Enjoy a 15% discount on all therapy sessions with your Wherapy+ subscription!

Simply use the coupon code provided with your Wherapy+ subscription when booking your appointment.

Losing track of all that sleep you might not be having? Don’t worry!

Answer some simple questions every day to keep on top of your sleeping habits.

Having a hard time breathing at the right rate when meditating? No problem! With breathing visuals, all you have to do is press play and follow the objects with your breath.

In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist, I discuss common life problems experienced in our 50’s and explain how they can lead to depression.

Unsure of whether or not your habit of washing your hands for several minutes straight can be diagnosed as obsessive compulsive disorder? In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist,

In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist, Wherapy’s therapist, Philip Andersson explain how depression develops during retirement and how to make adjustments to improve mental health during this time period.

In the last podcast episode of 2022, I look back at a year of Therapy World Tour and offer up a few examples of how culture can impact our mental health.

In the first podcast episode of 2023, I discuss common life problems experienced in our 30’s and explain how they can lead to depression.

It’s the question that we all ask ourselves but never seem to have a satisfying answer to. In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist,

Nature versus nurture, that is the age-old question. Can someone be born with an addictive personality or is this something that develops over age.

In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist, Wherapy’s therapist, Philip Andersson talks about different ways that depression can develop in early adulthood

Press play to listen to the podcast whilst on the website.

When we feel bad or feel like we don’t belong, we tend to want to put a label to it. But this may not necessarily be the best thing to do.

In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist, Wherapy’s therapist, Philip Andersson talks about work-stress, how it can make you depressed and what you can do about it!

In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist, Wherapy’s therapist, Philip Andersson talks about the psychological process behind health anxiety and discusses different ways to solve it.

In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist, Wherapy’s therapist, Philip Andersson talks about causes of depression unique to members of the LGBTQ+ community

Press play to listen to the podcast whilst on the website.

In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist, Wherapy’s therapist, Philip Andersson discusses whether or not pursuing our dreams can make us more likely to become depressed. 

In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist, I discuss common life problems experienced in our 40’s and explain how they can lead to depression.

At first glance, growing up abroad can seem like the coolest thing ever. But once we delve deeper into the psyche of those who have lived abroad during their childhood (Third Culture Kids) we can see the damage that has been done.

Have you ever wondered what therapy with a child looks like and how it differs to therapy with adults? In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist,

I think we all can agree that social media has a negative effect on our mental health, but how does it work exactly?

We all know that parenting has its ups-and-downs but seldom do we talk honestly about the negative side of being a parent and how it can affect our mental health.

Depression does not discriminate between the sexes but some causes of depression can be unique to a certain sex. In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist,

Being the parent of a depressed child can be stressful. Naturally, our main instinct is to solve whatever it is that is causing their depression.

Needless to say, depression can hit anyone at any time. But there are some causes of depression that are unique to certain demographics. In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist,

In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist, Wherapy’s therapist, Philip Andersson talks about how falling in love the wrong way can leave you depressed. 

With news headlines on climate change getting all the more grim, it’s perfectly understandable that people have developed anxiety about the fate of the world.

Having mixed feelings for someone you’re in a relationship with is to some extent more normal than you can imagine.

In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist,

In this episode of Coffee With A Therapist, Philip Andersson, psychotherapist and founder of online mental health website Wherapy, gives his insights on how the expat lifestyle can affect mental health and ultimately lead to depression.

In the debut episode of A Therapist’s Mailbox — titled Between Savannahs and Cornfields — therapist Philip Andersson receives a letter from an American woman who grew up in Kenya.