FIND YOUR WAY
Personal Development Coach
Expert in Expats and People in Relocation
Tropism describes the growth or change in direction of a biological organism, usually a plant, in response to an environmental stimulus. Migration or relocation brings us all to the point where we undergo a similar process.
The Tropism
HOW CAN I HELP?
You might be thinking about relocation, have recently moved or already live in a new environment.
The sheer amount of information and change is overwhelming. You don’t know where to start and how to process it all. There are so many questions – but who do you ask?
You dream big. You see endless possibilities, you want to travel, you're excited to meet different people and make new friends. There's also the thrill of a break from your normal routine. There's the freedom to start something new.
Then you arrive and the big dream explodes… What happens when you arrive and realise that things are not quite what you expected? Everything is so different; it can be cold and unwelcoming. You miss your family, your friends and your country of origin. You yearn for the simple, familiar markers in life, like choosing the right ingredients for your favourite home meals. There are so many things to learn and you don’t know where to start…
What is required to integrate into foreign surroundings? How do you negotiate the unfamiliar but essential social codes?
Relocation can be a very exciting period of your life. There is so much you can accomplish in this novel situation. Getting to know where you are heading reduces the amount of stress and helps you cope with the inevitable challenges.
I offer a set of innovative and dynamic sessions, specifically developed for you, which will help you find a 'home away from home'. You'll be secure in the knowledge that you have the resources to thrive, keeping you in better physical and mental health.
Your scenario is unique. That's why I consult and direct privately, adapting to each journey, maximising your potential and helping you achieve a meaningful life.
Coaching expertise:
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Reducing stress: by using different methods such as time management, mindfulness, diverse and creative training tools
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Economic integration: finding the exact niche and accompanying you to achieve your goals, whether finding a new job or creating a satisfactory activity
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Social integration: How? Overcome fears related to social communication
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Cultural integration: "I do not understand them!" Learning about a new culture and new ways to overcome differences
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Dealing with change in life.
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Overcoming fears and anxieties
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Accompanying the process of growth, development and perseverance
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Adolescents: reducing stress, time management, social integration, overcoming fears (exam anxiety)
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Burnout and career reorientation
In addition to lectures, I consult privately or in small groups via workshops.
In my workshops and lectures we learn about the process of integration and acculturation, the importance of networks in the process of integration and how to create a meaningful network that will lift you and support you, and more importantly how to make sense of our life so to be able to flourish in all its aspects, to reduce stress and to manage to live your life to the fullest.
Time management
Relocation makes us think that we will have the time to achieve all our dreams... so how come it is not the case? Learn how to manage your time smartly to enable to do all that you wish.
Cultures in between
Entering a new surrounding brings new possibilities. We explore new cultures and really want to take in all these propose. In this workshop we learn how to touch the essence of our culture. What do we take from other cultures and how, and especially, how do we create a place of belonging for us and our children.
Body language and gestures
Approaching new people can be very difficult for some of us. Adding to it, cultural barriers can make it even worse. So how do you make new friends within a new cultural framework? What should I know about body language and gestures to make conversations smoother?
Stress reduction among teenagers and students
We live in a period of uncertainty, which can lead to stress, isolation, discouragement and possibly the feeling that it is too much on you…
Sometimes you study for your exams and you feel that you know the material, but when you face the paper you see it all black… you are blocked.
To avoid these situations, I propose 4 workshops of 1.5 hours via Zoom for a maximum of 4 people at a time. We will talk about your feelings and learn to, among others, manage your stress, organise your time and be as efficient as possible, via different simple learning methods.
If you participate in one of the workshops I will accompany you during the exams period, to help you plan your learning period, to talk and to reduce stress if needed. I also give private sessions.
testimonials
I achieved My mission
There are a lot of things that can make you want to quit everything, but thanks to the work I do with Efrat, I take more time to ask myself, to question myself, to look inside myself, to understand who I am and what I want. I also understand that there is a veil in front of one's eyes, and that we are often mistaken about oneself.
My mission: take my place. Respect my limits, while respecting my values, while becoming aware of the beautiful person, full of qualities, that I am.
Thanks to this work, I realize that, even far from my family, I am loved, protected, and surrounded.
Valérie, 28
ABOUT ME
My name is Efrat. I have lived in Belgium for over 20 years and via learning languages, studying, social life and work, I have transformed Belgium into my home.
As an academic, I have spent over 20 years conducting research and interacting with different migrant groups, especially voluntary migrants.
I obtained a PhD in the field of migration, identity, identification and integration. My research examines the life of migrants in Brussels and how they make their new place home. My fields of expertise are social networks, identity formation, transnational living, empowerment among migrants, employment and migration, and existence at the cultural crossroads.
My interest in this topic is informed by my personal journey. I moved to Belgium with my partner and living as a migrant designated the subject of my PhD. I met other people in similar circumstances and listened to their stories. Together, we found ways to bring them to real happiness and stability during their time away from home.
I studied at Bar Ilan University, Israel, KU Leuven, Belgium and taught at Ghent University, Belgium. After a solid grounding in research, I decided to go into practice, bringing my knowledge and expertise to assist people on their journey.
In order to help migrants fulfil themselves, I give lectures, workshops and conferences on these topics for large and small groups, in addition to coaching.
Resources concerning my academic work can be found here.
