You moved here. You didn't expect to feel this far from yourself.
Online therapy for Americans living in the UK and Europe — from a fellow American in London who understands this from the inside.
YOU HAD A PLAN. A REASON FOR COMING. And in many ways it's working — the job, the relationship, the adventure you said yes to.
But no one warned you about this part. The particular loneliness of being surrounded by people and still feeling unknown. The way you perform a slightly edited version of yourself in every social situation. The relationship that has quietly shifted since the move. The anxiety that seems louder here than it ever was at home.
And underneath all of it, a question you're not quite ready to say out loud: Did I make a mistake?
You didn't. But you do need support that understands what you're carrying — and that doesn't require you to spend the first ten sessions explaining what Thanksgiving is.
IS THIS YOU?
You feel between two worlds — you don't fully belong here yet, but you don't quite fit back there anymore either.
You moved for love, for work, for a version of yourself you wanted to become. The move brought all of that — and things you didn't anticipate.
The relationship dynamic has shifted. You're more dependent than you were. Something in the balance has changed and you're not sure how to name it.
You miss the ease of being fully understood — the cultural shorthand, the shared references, the way things just worked socially.
You feel guilty for struggling when you "chose this" — when people back home think you're living the dream.
You've tried to push through, give it time, stay positive. And you're still not okay.
I'm Marcelle — an American therapist living and working in London.
I understand expat life not as a clinical category but as a lived experience. I've navigated the identity shifts, the relationship strain, the grief of missing milestones from thousands of miles away. I know what it is to feel between two cultures and to do deep inner work from the middle of it.
I'm also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (California and Florida) and registered with the BACP in the UK — meaning I'm qualified to work with you wherever you are in the UK or Europe, with the clinical rigour of US training and the ethical standards of UK registration.
My background spans international development, cross-cultural work across multiple continents, and nearly a decade of clinical practice with adults navigating anxiety, trauma, identity, and life in transition. What I bring to expat clients specifically is this: you won't spend your sessions translating your life for me. I'm already inside your cultural world.
WHAT WE WORK ON
Expat Adjustment & Culture Shock
Including the kind that arrives six months in, not six days in.
Loneliness & disconnection
The specific ache of being surrounded by people and still feeling unknown.
Relationship Strain After Relocation
The dependency shift, the resentment that's hard to name, the dynamic that's quietly changed.
Grief at a Distance
Missing births, deaths, celebrations, the texture of home.
Anxiety & Identity
Who are you in this new context, professionally and personally? Navigating burnout, imposter syndrome, and the pressure of performing across cultural lines.
New Mothers Abroad
Adjusting to parenthood far from family, trying to rediscover identity while considering returning to work.
MY APPROACH
I use EMDR, somatic therapy, and IFS (parts work) alongside psychodynamic and relational approaches — which means we work with the body and the nervous system, not just the thinking mind.
Expat life has a way of activating old wounds alongside new ones. The adjustment isn't just logistical — it surfaces questions about identity, belonging, and worth that often trace back much further than the move. My work addresses both: what's happening now, and what the transition has brought to the surface.
Sessions are online via Zoom, available to clients across the UK, Europe, and select time zones. I also offer in-person sessions in North West London.
“Working with Marcelle helped me feel more grounded during a very overwhelming transition. I felt genuinely heard and understood throughout the process.”
— Sarah M.
How Therapy Works Three Simple Steps:
Book a free 15-minute consultation — a relaxed Zoom call to talk about what you're carrying and whether working together feels right. No pressure, no commitment.
If we decide to move forward, we meet weekly via Zoom — 50 minutes, at a time that works across your time zone. We go beneath the surface: into the body, the patterns, what the move has activated.
Over time, you stop performing and start feeling at home — in yourself, regardless of where you are geographically.
-
A 15-minute Zoom call — relaxed, no pressure. We talk about what you’re carrying and whether working together feels right.
-
Weekly sessions, online. We go beneath the surface — into the body, the patterns, the root.
-
Not just understanding it differently. Feeling it differently. That’s what lasting change actually means.
You don't have to explain yourself here.
You don't have to translate your cultural references or justify why this has been harder than expected. You just have to show up.
If something on this page has felt like recognition — that matters. Book a free consultation and let's talk.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
No — I work with all adults navigating anxiety, trauma, life transitions, and relationship patterns. But expat therapy is a distinct specialism within my practice, and American expats in the UK are a community I understand personally and professionally.
-
Yes. I'm registered with the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) and licensed in California and Florida. I can work with clients across the UK and Europe online, and in person in North West London.
-
Yes. I offer weekday mornings, afternoons, and evenings, as well as Sundays — making it easier to find a time that works whether you're in London, Paris, Madrid, or beyond.
-
Sessions are £155 for individuals. I offer a free 15-minute initial consultation. Concession rates are available — please ask.
-
That is exactly the right time to begin. You don't have to be at a breaking point to deserve support. Many expat clients come because they want to process the transition thoughtfully, not because everything has collapsed.