Culture Transition Coaching is about giving you the tools and confidence to make your transition to life in a new place happy and satisfying.

Whether you have a new job to start, or gave yours up to accompany your spouse or partner, natural feelings of frustration, loneliness, lack of confidence, boredom, and loss can arise when first settling into a new life.

When this happens, Culture Transition Coaching can be an invaluable tool to help you gain direction and a sense of belonging.

Culture transition coaching is probably one of the most valuable tools expats should (and rarely ever do) make use of. Expatriates experience an entire array of feelings associated with relocating and fitting in to new cultures including a mixture of confusion, excitement, sorrow, anxiety, pain, enjoyment, fear, anger, stress, emptiness, frustration, lack of identity, lack of direction and even feelings of guilt many of us feel.

We prepare every possible detail of our move in every possible way and invest massive amounts of time, and sometimes money, to plan our physical transition, but only a tiny percentage of us ever reflect upon the anxiety and other feelings these changes may be causing in ourselves.

It isn't until we've had some time to settle in to our new surroundings that we may suddenly begin to feel the effects of having forgotten to take ourselves into account. And that's when these emotions can manifest themselves either suddenly or in unperceived ways, filtering into our every day life, and chipping away at our ability to enjoy a sense of belonging in each new culture we enter.

What does a culture transition specialist do?

Heather Markel is a Culture Transition Coach. She received her Bachelor's degree from The George Washington University, with a focus on International Relations at the Elliot School of International Affairs and her Coaching Certification from Coaching that Works.

She offers culture transition coaching for trailing spouses, works with expats moving overseas for professional reasons, helps with building, maintaining and strengthening relationships, and works with those who are facing the challenges of repatriation. She also offers resources, tips, advice, articles (Heather's Culture Transition Reading Room) and other tools for expatriates to ensure relocation and transition go smoothly.

Heather describes her work in this manner:

“I developed an understanding of the issues that develop with settling into a new life from traveling and living abroad for much of my life. I also have had the pleasure of working with people from many different countries and cultures, each of whom gave me insight into their worlds, our differences, and our similarities. I love working with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, helping them to feel at home away from home. I have always loved challenging people's perceptions and inspiring them to follow their dreams to create the life they want for themselves.

I've been blessed in my life to work, live, and travel overseas which exposed me to multiple cultures, languages, and work styles. It also helped me gather friends all over the world! I have studied in England (the London School of Economics), France (Reid Hall and La Sorbonne) and Italy (Centro di Cultura Italiana). I have worked in Switzerland and France.

As a Culture Transition Specialist I help Expatriates and their families feel at home anywhere in the world through a core set of strategies designed to help you overcome the social, personal, and professional related issues that arise when transitioning to another culture.”

How can culture transition coaching help? Watch this great video as Heather explains how it all works!

Trailing Spouse - Building and Accepting a New Life.

As the spouse that follows your husband or wife, you have a unique set of challenges and concerns. Perhaps you have moved away from friends and family, and now find yourself feeling alone, and unemployed...

Relationships - Creating and Keeping Them Strong.

If you are single, you may find yourself wanting to date, but feel overwhelmed by a different dating culture! If you are married, or with your partner, the change in your roles may lead to disappointments and pain in your relationship...

On the Job - Adjusting to the Workplace or Finding Work.

As an Expat in a new country, you may find it difficult to understand "corporate politics", or be a manager of an Expat frustrated by different communication styles...

If this had been available 20 years ago...

Today there are TENS OF THOUSANDS of cross culture and expat adults, teens and kids across the globe most of whom are never offered any type of culture transition coaching. It's important to let you know how much confusion and unhappiness could be avoided with some simple, targeted effective culture transition tools.

Because so many of us are unaware of this invaluable support, we don't take advantage of it. Often the consequences result in drastic changes in our lives. Make use of this and ALL the resources we put before you on this website. Heather has made a huge number of tools available to you in an easy downloadable packet: the RELOCATION SUCCESS SYSTEM. Read about her own experiences and testimonials from other expats, learn techniques to overcome culture shock or relocation depression, find out how to make new friends, find a fulfilling job or activities, and tons more.

Culture transition coaching exists precisely because the number of expatriates and their third culture kids is growing phenomenally and our needs can no longer be ignored. Contact Heather for information on how culture transition coaching can help you and your family overcome or avoid obstacles to having a satisfying overseas experience. Life is about choice. So choose to live your life FULLY.