Feeling lonely, homesick and lost? Working with an English-speaking therapist who understands expat life means you can talk freely, without feeling lost in translation.
Hi, I’m Eléonore. With me, you can be yourself. No need to sugar-coat it. Being an expat in Geneva can be hard, especially if you don’t speak French. You’ll feel better just sharing how you feel. I understand the expat experience, having been one myself.
I am a fully fluent English-speaking therapist who grew up in Canada and England. But I was also raised here in Switzerland, and am Swiss, which means that I can help you navigate the system and way of being and thinking here as an insider who gets what it feels like to be an outsider. I know and understand how hard or complicated it can feel. And because I master English like a native speaker, you can talk to me without ever feeling lost in translation.
English-speaking expats often face loneliness, homesickness, adjusting to Swiss culture which can feel quite closed, isolation, lack of support network, not speaking the language, missing community and family, fitting in as a trailing spouse, and raising children without their usual support and surroundings. Many of my expat clients also say that they find Swiss healthcare providers a little harsh, blunt or lacking in empathy. While this is probably mostly down to cultural difference, I understand that my clients expect kindness, patience and a good enough level of English to feel 100% understood.
I am bilingual and work in both French and English.
Missing family, friends, familiar places and the comforts of home while navigating life far away.
Swiss culture and values can feel quite closed and rigid, making it hard to integrate.
Not having your usual people around when facing difficulties, major decisions or emotional challenges.
Not speaking French fluently, feeling excluded and struggling with daily administrative tasks.
Struggling to find purpose and fitting into your partner’s expatriate assignment as a ‘trailing spouse’.
Managing parenting without your usual support system and helping children adapt to a new everything.
Identifying healthcare providers who communicate with kindness, patience and cultural sensitivity in perfect English.
In the therapy world, we talk about the need to establish an alliance based on trust and collaboration between the counsellor and the client. And like any relationship, it evolves and requires constant nurturing.
I honour these five core values when working with you:
Care and kindness as you share your precious thoughts, feelings and experiences with me.
I am not here to form an opinion of your actions or what goes on in your head.
I welcome all of you, including the aspects you may struggle with or feel ashamed of.
I make a point of honouring your pace and needs in session.
I have a genuine desire to get to know you and to discover your inner world.
Read about how my clients have found relief and greater self-understanding through counselling with me in Geneva and London.
You’ve been looking for an English-speaking therapist, but you’re not sure what to expect once we start seeing each other? There are generally 4 main stages we will go through together:
We start with an assessment session, after which we decide whether we wish to continue working together.
We continue with 4-5 sessions, building trust and safety between us. If needed, we adjust depth, pace and focus.
As weekly sessions evolve, we are generally becoming more skilled at noticing and understanding your belief and behaviour patterns.Potential for change emerges.
We complete with 2-3 closing sessions, grounding learnings and ensuring emotional stability.
Before beginning your journey with an English-speaking therapist in Geneva, it’s natural to have questions. Read my FAQs or hop on a free 15-minute call.
I am not reimbursed by LaMal, but if you have a prescription and complementary insurance, they may cover sessions with me. Most international and UN insurances do also cover sessions with me. Please contact your insurance provider to find out exactly what is included in your policy and mention that I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, Registered Member 395057.
Each session is 50 minutes long. We meet once a week, always at the same time on the same day. This regularity and consistency creates safety, trust and allows for deepening of our work together.
Working on a specific, limited issue – otherwise known as brief therapy – typically takes around 12 weeks. Longer-term therapy can last anywhere between several months to several years. Each journey is different, and we will take stock and adapt together depending on your specific needs.
I do not work with individuals under 18 years of age.
No, I am not a doctor/psychiatrist and therefore cannot assess personality disorders, pathologies, ADHD, autism or any other medical condition, nor can I prescribe medication. I am a counsellor and I can support you through short-term or longer term talk therapy, which can run in parallel to seeing a psychiatrist. I have a large network of English-speaking mental health professionals in Geneva, so if we agree that you would benefit from additional support, I will gladly refer you to other specialists.
J’ai bien reçu votre demande et vous remercie pour l’intérêt que vous portez à mes services. Je vais en prendre connaissance et reviendrai vers vous dans les plus brefs délais avec une réponse. Je me réjouis d’échanger prochainement avec vous.
