Interview with Katie Walker: Empowering Expats and Supporting Mental Health Across Cultures

Katie Walker is a compassionate counselor with over two decades of experience supporting teenage girls and women in leadership roles around the world. With her extensive travels in over 35 countries and personal experience as an expat, Katie brings a unique perspective to counseling. Based in Austria, she uses her journey to connect deeply with her clients from diverse cultural backgrounds. We sat down with Katie to get her perspective on expat life, the challenges women and teens face in a globalized world, and how her journey has shaped her approach to supporting others.
Can you tell us a bit about your journey? What brought you abroad?
We moved all over the U.S. for my husband’s career, and about ten years ago, we decided to try living in Spain as expats. It was a life-changing experience, full of challenges. When the pandemic hit, we returned to the U.S., but as soon as we could, we moved back to Europe, this time to Austria, and we have no plans to leave.
What inspired you to pursue a career in counseling?
I spent 15 years as a mentor for teenage girls and women in my community. Through these relationships, I realized I wanted to pursue formal training in clinical mental health counseling at Johns Hopkins University to better help individuals facing significant challenges. It was absolutely the right decision, and I love working with people to support them in living meaningful, empowered lives.
How have your travels influenced your worldview and the way you connect with clients?
Leaving my hometown and living in so many different places has deeply changed me—and I’ve seen similar growth in my daughters and husband. It’s humbling to leave your own culture and step into another as an outsider. Every place has its own systems, traditions, and way of life, and I’ve learned there isn’t just one way of being. These experiences have taught me to stay open-minded, seek understanding, and zoom out for broader context. This approach influences how I connect with clients: I’m genuinely curious about their story and how their experiences shape who they are. That’s why Bergeseen meets people where they are—because my life has been changed by those who granted me the same respect.
As someone who’s lived abroad and raised children while navigating expat life, what advice would you give to families adjusting to new cultures?
The key is to approach the transition with realistic expectations, curiosity, and a commitment to fostering a supportive family environment. Open conversations, celebrating differences, and staying connected to a supportive community can ease the process. My daughters now appreciate how these experiences have shaped who they are and the resilience they’ve built.
What are some of your most memorable moments from your travels that have influenced your perspective on life?
At one point in time, we were moving so often that my daughters attended an international school in Idaho, an Islamic international school, a neighborhood Catholic school, and a Spanish international school all within an 18-month period. Although this amount of change was intense and a bit disorienting, the simple acts of kindness from new friends and the depths of conversations we had with our family changed the course of our lives. To this day, there is a soft spot for each of us when we discuss that time—and I’ve found that it’s one of the foundational experiences for my daughters to understand that they can hold both beauty and discomfort at the same time.
As an expat yourself, what challenges did you face when adapting to life in a new country?
Since we are self-initiated expats, navigating immigration is always the main anticipated challenge. Then there are the logistical tasks that shock us with their unanticipated difficulty: obtaining a bank account, driver’s license, cell phone, and internet. The types of tasks that are just a bother back home can feel impossibly daunting in a new country.
One of the more comical challenges I personally faced while in Spain was their schedule of eating and sleeping. I have an autoimmune disease and chronic fatigue, so I prefer to nap, eat, and sleep on a toddler’s schedule. But Spaniards have more of a late-night lifestyle. If we wanted to eat out, our options were limited to a late lunch because restaurants didn’t open til my bedtime. Our babysitter would watch our girls on Friday nights and then go home to have family dinner and start her night.
What do you love most about living in Europe, and what do you miss most from home?
I love the sense of safety and the more balanced pace of life in Spain and Austria. I really miss getting to see my parents and siblings more often. And I’d love to convince the world to provide free tap water at restaurants and ice in their beverages.
Supporting Expats: The Bergeseen Counseling Approach
What are some common issues clients face that you’ve noticed in your practice, and how do you support them?
Expats experience all the same psychological and emotional challenges as everyone else—anxiety, depression, relationship issues, grief, substance use, and the list goes on—but the unique aspects of expat life are exacerbating. In fact, contemporary research shows that expats face these mental health issues at a rate 2.5 times higher than their peers back home. This makes a lot of sense when you consider the combination of factors in expat life that disrupt one’s sense of stability, identity, and support systems.
Bergeseen counseling sessions provide validation and relief, a safe place to explore the depth of their struggle without judgment or shame with the tools to empower resilience, confidence, and hope.
You’ve spent over 20 years supporting teenage girls and women in leadership roles. What drew you to this work, and what lessons have you learned from the people you’ve supported?
My entire life has been shaped and enriched by the girls and women around me. I’m inspired by their creativity, wisdom, altruism, and courage. My grandmother raised 11 children on a dairy farm in Idaho. My mother is the hardest working person I know, with a quiet grace and inner strength that nurtured and stabilized me. The world has not always been kind to women and girls, and I felt drawn to working with them, to helping deconstruct the lies that hold them back, and to act as a mirror reflecting their worth and capacity.
Practical Tips for Expats: Managing Stress and Transitions
What are some practical tips you’d offer to someone going through a big life change?
Prioritize small, consistent self-care practices. Physical exercise, such as yoga or walking, can significantly reduce stress. Rest is crucial—aim for good sleep hygiene. A morning or evening routine, like deep breathing exercises or journaling, can help you stay grounded. And don’t forget to reconnect with your purpose and passions to maintain clarity.
What’s one small change expats in a new country could make today to improve their emotional well-being?
Stop “should-ing” on yourself. Instead of thinking, “I should know this by now” or “I should be happier,” focus on what’s real. Celebrate the small victories and acknowledge the challenges. Self-compassion is key to emotional well-being as an expat.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone reading this who’s feeling overwhelmed or unsure about seeking help, what would it be?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, remember that it’s okay to ask for support. Be kind to yourself, and recognize that struggling is a natural part of the expat experience. Therapy can offer a space to gain clarity, find strength, and thrive despite the challenges you face.
About Bergeseen Counseling Services
Bergeseen Counseling Services offers a range of support for expats, teenagers, and women, with tailored counseling sessions to address issues like anxiety, depression, ADHD, and grief. For those navigating life transitions, Bergeseen’s approach combines cognitive behavioral therapy and other evidence-based methods to help clients lead fulfilling lives.
For more information see Katie’s page here or to book a session, visit Bergeseen’s website.
Article by Easy Milano Editorial Staff
Featured photo by Tim Swaan