Since many Anglophone mental health professionals practicing in this area were once new to Switzerland themselves, they are familiar with the myriad of problems associated with an international move, as well as with the feelings of frustration and isolation such a major change often unleashes.

“Moving increases stress levels for most people and it gets worse if one adds to that moving to a new country,” said Leila C-M Lonnroth, a certified consultant at Anger and Stress Management International and associated member of the British Association of Anger Management, who practices in Geneva.

“The traditional safety net of family and friends are no longer there,” she added. “So tensions tend to increase for the individual as well as within families."

David Lawson also sees many international clients in his Geneva practice. “They are typically fairly new to this area, but I also see many who have already been well established in the region for many years,” says Lawson, who holds a master of arts degree in psychological counseling and is member of both Swiss National Association for Counseling and the American Counseling Association.

“Some families seek counseling because of problems adjusting to the move,” he noted. “Often, they feel overwhelmed by the change in culture and language and miss their friends and families back home.”

Lawson, who works with individuals, couples and families, said many factors are to blame for the emotional distress, which, if not treated and resolved, may impact relationships and careers. Some of the contributing factors Lawson lists are insufficient preparation before the move, lack of family support, career anxieties during the assignment and little contact with secure bases in the home country.

When adults suffer, so can their children. “I see stressed mothers, fathers, and very young children who find themselves in Geneva for a variety of reasons,” said Dr. Daniel Schechter, an American psychiatrist, currently the chief of the consult-liaison unit in pediatric psychiatry at university of Geneva hospitals, where he treats school-age children and adolescents of international families. “The stress of moving to a new place, especially one as administratively complex as Switzerland cannot be underestimated,” he added.

The good news is that the Geneva-Vaud area offers many high-quality professional services for the English-speaking community. “There are a variety of therapists who speak English well enough to conduct an evaluation and psychotherapy in Geneva,” Dr. Schechter said, suggesting that referrals from a trustworthy source such as a family doctor, pediatrician, friend or colleague are the best. 

“If that is not a viable option, then one can explore resources at the university affiliated clinics and clinical faculty, or the local psychotherapeutic and psychoanalytic societies,” he said. “There are also associations from one's own country of origin to find out if a specialist back home knows of or can, via his or her network, help to find the right therapist for the person seeking help.”