Hi, I’m Gabriela Encina.
Licensed psychologist, keynote speaker, and an expat myself.
On stage and in sessions, I help expats, international couples, and global audiences with the human side of life across borders.
My story
A short video where I tell my own expat story.
I grew up in Chile, the first in my family to graduate from university and work in what I studied. I built a career in HR at a company with more than five thousand employees, led a team of psychologists, gave talks, and was interviewed in the media. Then I fell in love with an Austrian and moved 14,000 km to be with him.
After the honeymoon months of discovering Europe, reality arrived. A new language, a network to rebuild from scratch, an income to find again, and a CV that suddenly counted for little. I needed him to come with me to the gynaecologist. My confidence went into hiding, and I kept it all to myself to protect my relationship and my family back home from worry.
Two international relocations later came a full anxiety crisis and burnout. I was close to depression, and the confident woman I had been felt lost somewhere in the luggage of that plane. One grey morning I woke up crying, alone in the flat, and let myself grieve. That morning I decided to put my mental health first.
Working on myself changed what came next. My language improved, I found work that fitted me, and I built new connections. I felt closer to my people back home, and my relationship grew stronger. I learned to manage my anxiety and to trust myself with each new challenge. That experience shapes how I work today.
I know expat life from the inside, and I know from my own life what helps.
The key was right there, waving, jumping, and screaming, until I was ready to listen.
Rebuild your confidence abroad.
Maybe you’ve tried waiting until you feel ready.
Longing for the person you used to be.
Asking the universe for a sign.
Pushing the hard thoughts away.
Those are human ways to cope, and they can keep you stuck in the same place.
What does work?
Identifying the needs behind the emotions to manage the intrusive negative thoughts paralysing you.
Connecting with your values and your strengths, the ones you brought with you and the ones you built in your expat years.
Moving forward towards the person you want to become, defining what is important to you and how you want to behave.
Pursuing your goals. Even if it’s hard and anxiety shows up. Confidence grows through committed action.
Working with an expat psychologist who can guide you through all this with assertiveness, empathy, and more than 20 years of experience. Yes, that’s me 😉
Once you take committed action, things start to shift.
Your anxiety becomes something you can work with
Your relationship with yourself and the people you love can grow stronger
You can feel more at ease in your own skin and freer to choose your next step
Your path to fulfilment and happiness is ready to walk.
Who is Gabriela Encina?
I’m a licensed psychologist (Chile) and EMCC-certified coach (Austria) with more than 20 years of experience. I understand the challenges of living across cultures because I’ve made three big moves myself.
I speak English, hablo español, und ich spreche Deutsch.
My approach is practical, focused on the present, and grounded in CBT, ACT and coaching tools.
I’ve helped more than 500 expats reclaim their confidence, discover themselves, and find happiness in a new country.
Think about what you’ve tried so far.
Think about the reasons behind those strategies: hiding, avoiding, and hoping it would disappear.
Then think about what becomes possible with a clear framework and someone beside you.