MOBILE FAMILY SUPPORT

Empowering You to Thrive

My World(s)

About Me

I am a psychologist and researcher specializing in the well-being of internationally mobile families, expatriates, and Third Culture Kids (TCKs). My work combines academic expertise, professional teaching experience, and nearly two decades of personal experience living a globally mobile life.

 

I completed my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at the University of Basel, Switzerland, where my research focused on transition-related stress and the well-being of expatriate families and children. Over the past several years, I have designed and facilitated psychoeducational courses, workshops, and parent trainings for internationally mobile and diplomatic families in collaboration with several European foreign ministries and international organizations.

 

In addition to my teaching and training mandates, I now offer individual psychological consultations and support for expatriates, accompanying partners, parents, and adult TCKs navigating the emotional and relational challenges that can arise in internationally mobile lives. My approach integrates evidence-based psychological knowledge with a deep understanding of the realities of global mobility.

 

I am also the author of Goodbye Again, a children’s book addressing farewells, grief, and transition experiences commonly faced by Third Culture Kids.

 

Having lived abroad for almost 20 years myself — including in the United States, Switzerland, Kyrgyzstan, and North Macedonia — I understand both professionally and personally the opportunities and complexities that come with building a life across cultures.

 

My goal is to help internationally mobile individuals and families strengthen resilience, navigate transitions more smoothly, and feel more supported and connected wherever life takes them.

Dr. Katja Aegerter

 

EDUCATION

  • Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Basel University, Switzerland
  • Master of Science in Psychology, Roehampton University, UK
  • PG Certificate in Child, Adolescent, and Family Mental Health, Sheffield Hallam University, UK
  • CAI Online Coach, Karlsruher Institut, Germany

 

TRAININGS

  • 2023: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Worrying, Ruminating & Obsessing, Dr. Russ Harris
  • 2022: (1) Developing Psychologically Flexible Children and Adolescents, Darin Cairns; (2) ACT mit Eltern und anderen Bezugspersonen, ACT Lab Hamburg
  • 2021: (1) ACT with Parents, Lisa Coyne, Ph.D. & Evelyn Gould, Ph.D.; (2) ACT for Adolescents, Russ Harris; ACT for Grief and Loss, Russ Harris; (3) ACT for Beginners, Russ Harris

  • 2020: (1) Childhood Adversity - The Impact of Childhood Maltreatment on Mental Health, University College London, Certificate of Achievement; (2) Experiencing the Body Keeps the Score, Certificate in Trauma and Body-Based Approach, Bessel van der Kolk

My work is values-based and preventive. As a trained ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) practitioner, I use approaches that help you resist life less—and move more toward what truly matters to you.

 

I offer counseling in German, Swiss German, and English—at my practice in Bern or, if necessary, online.

Podcast Interviews

Swissinfo "Ade merci, Schweiz": Auswandern mit der Liebe - wenn eine Karriere den Weg vorgibt (Article, Podcast and Videocast in Swiss German)

 

House of Peregrine Podcast 2: You are the Table: The Overlooked Power of the Accompanying Spouse / Ep. 98

 

TCK Research Podcast (Youtube)

 

House of Peregrine Podcast 1: Moving Internationally with kids. Insider Tips and Wisdom from a serial expat and psychologist Katja Aegerter MSc / Ep. 06

Before you book a session, feel free to get to know me during a short, free phone call. Just send me a WhatsApp message or give me a call—I’ll get back to you.

When do people seek my support?

I’ve noticed that I don’t want to continue living like this.

 

Not every difficult phase begins with an obvious crisis.

Often it starts with a quieter feeling:

  • that something no longer feels right

  • that everyday life is becoming increasingly exhausting

  • that there is a growing emotional distance from oneself

  • or that one has somehow become disconnected within their own life

 

Many people continue functioning very well from the outside during these periods. They keep working, caring for others, and meeting responsibilities — sometimes even more intensely than before. And precisely because of that, their own needs often remain unnoticed for a long time.

 

Instead of slowing down, more pressure usually follows:

  • “I should just manage myself better.”
  • “Other people seem to cope.”
  • “I shouldn’t be struggling with this.”

 

Many people then try to:

  • push uncomfortable emotions away
  • distract themselves
  • become even more productive
  • or fight against their exhaustion internally

 

In the short term, this may appear to work. But over time, it often creates even more distance from one’s own needs, boundaries, and values.

 

How we might work together

The ACT approach i am using in my work is not about feeling good all the time. Instead, it helps people develop a different relationship with inner pressure, self-criticism, and difficult emotions.

 

Together, we might explore:

  • Which inner rules or expectations are shaping daily life?

  • Which thoughts create the most pressure?

  • Which emotions are rarely allowed space?

  • And what would a life that feels more aligned actually look like?

 

An important part we may work on together involves stepping out of automatic patterns.

This may include:

  • noticing difficult thoughts without automatically believing or obeying them
  • allowing uncomfortable emotions to exist without constantly fighting them
  • reconnecting with what truly matters
  • and gradually making decisions that are more strongly guided by personal values

 

The goal is not perfection or constant self-optimization. Rather, it is about rebuilding a stronger connection with oneself — even in the presence of stress, uncertainty, or difficult emotions. Many people experience not only relief through this process, but also a renewed sense of agency and direction in their lives.

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