Frequently Asked Questions about Expat Coaching
Clarity, balance and direction — for expats living and working in the Netherlands.
Last updated: December 2025
Living and working as an expat often brings questions that are not always easy to place — especially when everything seems fine on paper, but feels unsettled underneath. Many people wonder whether their doubts are serious enough for coaching, or whether coaching fits their situation at all. These uncertainties are common.
Expat coaching helps bring clarity when living and working abroad raises questions about work, direction, balance or identity.
This FAQ answers common questions about expat coaching at InnerMove: what it involves, when it can be helpful, and when it may not be the right approach.
The answers are based on my experience as a work and organizational psychologist (University of Amsterdam, 1988) and coach for expats and international professionals (since 2004).
1. What is expat coaching exactly?
In short: It helps you deal consciously with questions that arise in an international work and life context.
Expat coaching is one-to-one guidance that explores how your situation influences choices, behaviour and wellbeing. It is not limited to career questions alone, but also includes balance, identity and direction.
2. Who is expat coaching for?
In short: It is for expats who notice that their questions do not resolve on their own.
Coaching is suitable when you experience uncertainty about direction, work satisfaction, balance or confidence.
3. Can coaching also be helpful for partners of expats?
In short: Yes. Coaching can be helpful when a partner’s role or position changes as part of an international move.
Partners often experience shifts in work, identity, routine or sense of purpose. Coaching offers space to reflect on these changes and regain direction.
4. When is expat coaching useful, and do I need a clear question to start?
In short: Coaching is especially helpful during transitions, and you do not need a fully defined question to begin.
A sense that something is unclear or no longer fits is often enough to start exploring your situation.
5. What kind of questions do expats bring to coaching in an international context?
In short: Questions about work, balance, identity and direction.
Common topics include career decisions, pressure, confidence, belonging and aligning work with personal values.
6. How is expat coaching different from career coaching?
In short: It looks beyond work alone and includes the wider context.
Career coaching focuses mainly on professional direction. Expat coaching also explores how context affects you as a person and professional.
7. Can coaching help with stress or inner unrest related to living abroad?
In short: Yes. Coaching can help you understand and manage these experiences.
By recognising patterns and triggers, you create more space for calm and conscious decision-making.
8. Is coaching confidential, also when an employer is involved?
In short: Yes. Coaching is always confidential.
Everything discussed remains between you and me, even when coaching is funded by an employer. If coaching is not the right form of support, I will say so.
9. Is coaching available online?
In short: Yes. Online coaching is effective and practical.
Sessions can take place online or in person, depending on what fits your situation.
10. When is coaching not the right choice?
In short: When you are looking for quick fixes or ready-made advice.
Coaching requires reflection and involvement. It is not therapy and not an advisory service. Coaching focuses on awareness and choice, not on diagnosis or treatment.
Do you have a question that is not listed here?
Let me know — I’m happy to think along with you.
About the author
I’m Annejos Wafelbakker, a work and organizational psychologist and coach. Since 2004, I have supported expats and international professionals who are navigating questions about work, direction and balance.
My style is calm, warm and clear. I help you understand what is going on beneath the surface, so you can make choices that feel grounded and aligned — from your own inner move.
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