Living abroad: building a life here · worksheet 56
When you change country, you sometimes lose a job, a role, habits. But what matters to you, your values, travels with you. It is about finding new ways of living them here.
Before you start
- What it is for: To keep a direction when everything changes: finding your values again and new ways of living them here.
- About 15 minutes.
- When you change country, you often lose the ways you lived what matters (your job, family nearby, your team), but not the values themselves.
- A value can be lived in many ways: it is about finding a new one here.
Prefer paper? Download the PDF to print (with a page for psychologists).
What to do with your results
The “here I can live it by…” column is the most useful: each small action reconnects you with what matters, even if your role or your job has changed.
If you find it hard
If you have lost a job or a status, first give yourself time to be sad about it. Practical procedures (qualifications, employment) also deserve specialist support.
For psychologists
The PDF also includes a page for the psychologist: how to run the exercise in session, points to watch and scientific references. You are free to use it with your clients.
For psychologists: aim, audience and duration
Help the person identify the values that stay the same from one country to another and find new ways of living them in the current context, when the old ways are no longer possible.
Loss of bearings after migration, loss of professional standing, loss of meaning, accompanying partners without an occupation. Duration: 20 min in session.
References
Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D. & Wilson, K. G. (2012). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The Process and Practice of Mindful Change (2nd ed.). Guilford.
Wilson, K. G. & Murrell, A. R. (2004). Values work in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Setting a course for behavioral treatment. In S. C. Hayes, V. M. Follette & M. M. Linehan (Eds.), Mindfulness and Acceptance: Expanding the Cognitive-Behavioral Tradition (pp. 120-151). Guilford.
These worksheets do not replace therapy. If you are in distress or having suicidal thoughts, call your local emergency number (112 in Europe; 3114 in France, free, 24/7).
Free worksheet for non-commercial use: you may share it with credit to the author, without modifying it (Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence).
