I’m sitting on the subway, heading home after our monthly intervision group with some fellow international therapists. The city lights blur past the window, and I can't help but reflect on how much these gatherings mean to me—not just for my work, but for how I show up for my clients.
Being a therapist is incredibly rewarding, but let’s be real—it can also be pretty isolating. We listen, we guide, we hold space for others—but who’s holding space for us? It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and feel like we’re all alone in our own little bubbles. That’s why I’m so thankful for the therapist community here in Hamburg. It’s not just about the work, it’s about being part of something bigger. The same way I encourage my expat clients to build a community abroad, I’ve realized it’s just as important for us therapists.
Learning and Growing Together
One of the best parts of our monthly intervision meetings is how we all learn from each other. Just recently, one of our colleagues gave a talk on Borderline Personality Disorder, and it was a total eye-opener. You don’t always get the chance to hear about complex cases from different therapists with different backgrounds and approaches. These sessions are like a professional boost—a way to keep growing and challenging ourselves.
But it’s not just about the technical stuff. Hearing how other therapists handle similar cases, from such different perspectives, is a reminder that therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s dynamic, it’s ever-evolving, and I think we all benefit from the diversity of ideas that comes from having so many different voices in the room.
Community Makes Us Better Therapists (and Better People)
Let’s face it—being a therapist means you carry a lot of emotional weight. We take in a lot from our clients, and without a community to lean on, it can get overwhelming. That’s why I’m so grateful for the group of colleagues I work with. After a tough session, I know I can walk into our space and say, “I need to decompress.” There’s no judgment—just understanding. My colleagues get it. Sometimes, it’s about just listening to each other, sharing grounding techniques, or having a quiet moment before diving back into another session.
This kind of connection is everything. It’s easy to forget that we need support too. Having a space where we can recharge and be ourselves makes all the difference.
Creativity and Inspiration in the Community
Inspiration can be hard to come by when you’re stuck in back-to-back sessions all day. But one of my favorite things about being part of this community is how it fuels creativity. While our intervision meetings are focused on clinical discussions, the most creative ideas often come from those informal chats in between—whether it’s over lunch or a coffee break in our coworking space. We end up bouncing ideas off each other, brainstorming new workshops, group therapy formats, and who knows what else.
And at Expat Couch, it’s not just about having a place to work—it’s about being part of a community that sparks new ideas, supports each other, and helps us stay inspired..
The Importance of Our Professional Community
Therapists are often solo workers, but we don’t have to be alone. That’s why we created Expat Couch—to offer a coworking space for therapists that not only provides a private place to work but also a sense of community. The intervision groups and the coworking space are both opportunities to connect, share, and grow. It’s where we get to learn, support each other, and recharge—because when we take care of ourselves, we’re better equipped to take care of our clients.
So, as I sit here on my way home, I’m feeling pretty thankful. Grateful for the wisdom shared in our intervision group, for the connections made, and for the space that keeps me grounded, inspired, and ready to do this work all over again tomorrow.
Go to our events page to be updated about our future community events. We are looking forward to meeting new therapists in Hamburg!
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