Sheryl Thomas

Anxiousness is a feeling many people experience when life feels uncertain, overwhelming, or out of control. In everyday life, this might show up as constant worrying, racing thoughts, difficulty relaxing, or physical sensations like a tight chest, fast heartbeat, or feeling on edge.

It is normal to feel anxious from time to time, but when anxiousness hangs around, it can start to affect your sleep, relationships, concentration, and sense of peace. In counselling, we can work together to understand what sits underneath these feelings, learn practical calming strategies, and build tools to feel more grounded and in control.

Myth: “Anxiety is just the same as everyday stress or worry.”
Fact: Everyday stress tends to come and go, but anxiety often feels more constant and harder to switch off. Many people notice that anxiety starts to interfere with daily life, such as sleep, study, work, or friendships.

Myth: “Anxiety means you’re weak or lacking willpower.”
Fact: Anxiety is a real mental‑health condition, not a sign of weakness. Studies suggest that factors like genetics, brain chemistry, life experiences, and ongoing stress all contribute; it is not about being strong or weak.

Myth: “If you ignore anxiety, it will just go away.”
Fact: For many people, trying to push anxiety down makes it pop up in other ways, such as irritability, avoidance, or physical symptoms. Reaching out early usually makes support more effective and easier to work with.

Myth: “Anxiety only affects adults.”
Fact: Anxiety can affect children, teenagers, and adults of all genders. It might look like clinginess, school refusal, perfectionism, or withdrawal in younger people, but the underlying feelings are very real.

Myth: “Medication is the only effective treatment for anxiety.”
Fact: Many studies have found that a mix of approaches works best. Therapy, coping skills, lifestyle changes, family support, and sometimes medication can all play a role, and the plan is tailored to each person.

Stress is a natural response to life’s pressures. It can sometimes motivate action, but when it becomes constant or overwhelming, it can affect your sleep, mood, health, and relationships.

Stress management is about learning ways to respond to these pressures so they do not take over your life. This can include practical tools, healthy routines, relaxation techniques, and coping strategies. In counselling, we work together to identify your stressors, understand your responses, and find realistic ways to reduce tension and bring more balance to your everyday life.

Myth: “Stress is always bad for you.”
Fact: Not all stress is harmful. In everyday life, short‑term stress can sometimes help you focus, take action, and grow through challenges. Problems usually arise when stress is intense, ongoing, and there is little time or support to recover.

Myth: “Stress is the same for everyone.”
Fact: People respond to stress in very different ways. What feels manageable for one person may feel overwhelming for another, depending on personality, past experiences, and how much support they have around them.

Myth: “If I don’t feel any symptoms, then I must not be stressed.”
Fact: Stress does not always show up as obvious panic or tears. For many people it appears as tiredness, irritability, trouble sleeping, headaches, or feeling flat without knowing why. Regular check‑ins with yourself can help you notice early signs.

Myth: “I should aim to eliminate all stress from my life.”
Fact: It is not realistic or helpful to aim for a life with zero stress. The focus is on managing stress—learning how to respond to it, use helpful tools, set boundaries, and recover well, so it does not run your life.

Myth: “There’s one best technique that works for everyone to manage stress.”
Fact: There is no single strategy that works for everyone. Effective stress management is personal. In practice, most people find a mix of tools that suit their life, values, and situation.

Mood‑related concerns involve changes in your emotions and energy that start to affect everyday life. In real life, this might look like persistent low mood, irritability, loss of interest in things you usually enjoy, or periods of unusually high energy and restlessness.

These changes can impact sleep, appetite, motivation, relationships, and overall wellbeing. In counselling, we work together to understand what is influencing your mood, how it shows up in your day‑to‑day life, and practical ways to regain balance, meaning, and connection.

Myth: “Mood disorders are just being moody or a normal reaction to life.”
Fact: Everyone has ups and downs, but mood disorders involve ongoing and significant changes in mood or energy that interfere with daily life, such as school, work, or relationships.

Myth: “Mood disorders are caused by weakness or a flawed personality.”
Fact: Mood disorders are real mental‑health conditions. Many studies have found that biological, psychological, and social factors all play a part; they are not a sign of weakness or bad character.

Myth: “Only adults or certain types of people get mood disorders.”
Fact: Mood‑related concerns can affect people of any age, gender, or background. Children, teenagers, and adults can all experience significant changes in mood and energy.

Myth: “If someone has a mood disorder, they can’t lead a normal life or work successfully.”
Fact:With the right support, many people with mood‑related conditions study, work, and maintain close relationships. Treatment aims to reduce symptoms and support a meaningful, satisfying life.

Myth: “Mood issues always require only medication or one quick fix.”
Fact: There is rarely a single quick solution. In practice, treatment is usually a mix of approaches such as therapy, lifestyle changes, social support, and sometimes medication, tailored to the individual.

What is emotional regulation?

Emotional regulation is the ability to notice, manage, and respond to your emotions in ways that fit your values and needs, rather than letting feelings automatically take over. It is not about never feeling strong emotions; it is about learning how to ride them out, shape them, or channel them so you stay connected, clear, and able to act rather than react.

What is anger (and when is it a concern)?

Anger is a natural human emotion, often triggered when something feels unfair, a boundary is crossed, or your wellbeing feels threatened. In itself, anger can be healthy because it signals that something important needs attention. When anger becomes very frequent, feels intense, is hard to calm down from, or starts to harm relationships, work, health, or how you see yourself, it can be helpful to seek support.

Emotional regulation

Myth: “Regulation means suppressing or not feeling emotions.”
Fact: Emotional regulation is not about turning feelings off. It is about noticing what you feel, understanding it, and then choosing how you want to respond instead of reacting on autopilot.

Myth: “Some people simply can’t regulate their emotions; it’s fixed.”
Fact: Emotional regulation is a skill, not a fixed trait. Many studies show that people can improve these skills over time with practice, support, and tools that help calm the nervous system.

Myth: “If I feel a strong emotion, I must act on it immediately or I’ll explode.”
Fact: Learning to pause gives you space to decide what to do. In everyday life this might mean taking a breath, stepping away briefly, or checking in with your values before responding.

Anger

Myth: “Anger is always destructive or bad.”
Fact:Anger itself is not bad. It can highlight crossed boundaries, unfairness, or needs that have been ignored, and it can motivate healthy change when expressed safely and respectfully.

Myth: “Venting anger and letting it all out always makes it better.”
Fact: Research suggests that uncontrolled venting can actually increase anger and aggression, rather than reduce it. Calming strategies such as breathing, grounding, or mindful movement are often more helpful.

Myth: “If someone is angry a lot, it means they’re weak or flawed.”
Fact: Frequent or intense anger usually points to underlying patterns, triggers, or unmet needs, not personal failure. Counselling offers a space to explore what anger is trying to say and how to respond differently.

Relationship and family difficulties involve ongoing challenges in how we connect, communicate, and feel emotionally safe with others. In everyday life, this can show up in romantic relationships, families of origin, friendships, or blended families as conflict, distance, misunderstandings, boundary issues, or repeated unhealthy patterns.

Because relationships are central to emotional wellbeing, long‑term strain can affect self‑esteem, mental health, and overall quality of life. Counselling offers a space to slow down, notice patterns, and build healthier ways of relating.

Myth: “If we love each other, relationships shouldn’t be this hard.”
Fact: Even caring, healthy relationships need ongoing communication, emotional skills, and repair after conflict. Struggles are a normal part of human connection; what matters is how people work through them together.

Myth: “Relationship problems are caused by one difficult person.”
Fact: Most relationship challenges are relational, not about one bad person. Patterns of interaction, communication styles, attachment histories, and unspoken needs all shape how difficulties show up between people.

Myth: “Families should always be supportive.”
Fact: Family relationships are often complex. Generational patterns, trauma, cultural expectations, health issues, or unclear roles can all create tension, even when love and care are present.

Myth: “Avoiding conflict keeps relationships healthy.”
Fact:Avoiding conflict might feel easier in the moment, but over time it is linked to emotional distance and resentment. Many studies suggest that respectful, emotionally safe conflict and repair often strengthen relationships more than avoidance.

Myth: “If a relationship is struggling, it means it’s broken.”
Fact: Many relationship difficulties reflect unmet emotional needs or learned patterns from earlier experiences. With insight, support, and new skills, relationships can shift, heal, or be navigated with more clarity and care.

Myth: “Counselling is only for couples or families in crisis.”
Fact: Counselling can support individuals, couples, and families at any stage—whether navigating conflict, coping with change, setting boundaries, or strengthening connection before problems escalate.

School‑related or academic stress refers to the emotional, mental, and physical pressure linked to studying, performance expectations, deadlines, exams, and educational transitions. It can affect children, adolescents, and adults, and may lead over time to anxiety, low motivation, burnout, or reduced confidence.

When academic stress is ongoing, it can start to impact emotional wellbeing, relationships, sleep, and self‑esteem—not just marks or academic performance. Counselling can help students and families understand what is driving the stress and find more sustainable ways to cope.

Myth: “Stress means you’re not coping well enough.”
Fact: Academic stress is a common response to high demands, pressure, and expectations, not a sign of personal weakness. Many high‑achieving students report significant stress, even when they appear to be doing well on paper.

Myth: “Good students don’t struggle emotionally.”
Fact:High‑performing students are often at increased risk of anxiety, perfectionism, and burnout. Emotional distress can sit alongside strong academic ability and may be hidden behind good grades.

Myth: “Stress is just part of school; students will grow out of it.”
Fact: Chronic academic stress is linked to higher levels of anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, and academic burnout. Early support can reduce distress and help prevent longer‑term emotional and academic difficulties.

Myth: “Motivation problems mean laziness.”
Fact:Low motivation is often a sign of feeling overwhelmed, anxious, discouraged, or emotionally exhausted, rather than laziness. In everyday life this might look like procrastination, shutdown, or avoiding work that feels too big.

Myth: “Time management alone will fix academic stress.”
Fact: Practical skills like planning and time management do help, but they are only part of the picture. Academic stress is also shaped by emotional regulation, self‑expectations, fear of failure, family or social pressure, and past experiences, so addressing both practical and emotional factors tends to create more lasting change.

Life transitions and adjustment challenges refer to the emotional and psychological impact of significant life changes. These may include starting or finishing study, career changes, relocation, relationship changes, parenthood, loss, cultural adjustment, or shifts in identity and roles.

Even positive changes can feel stressful. When transitions happen without enough support or time to adjust, they can lead to anxiety, low mood, uncertainty, or a sense of feeling stuck or overwhelmed.

Myth: “If the change is positive, it shouldn’t feel so hard.”
Fact: Any major change, positive or negative, asks for emotional adjustment. Feeling stressed or unsettled during transitions is a common response to uncertainty, loss of familiarity, and changing roles, not a sign that you are ungrateful.

Myth: “I should be coping better by now.”
Fact:Adjustment happens at different speeds for different people. There is no fixed timetable for adapting to change, and pressure to move on quickly often adds to emotional distress instead of reducing it.

Myth: “Feeling unsettled means I made the wrong decision.”
Fact: Feeling uncomfortable during transitions does not automatically mean the decision was wrong. Often it reflects the inner work of letting go of old identities, routines, or roles and slowly building new ones.

Myth: “Once the transition is over, everything will settle automatically.”
Fact:Emotional adjustment often continues long after the external change has happened. Without space to process meaning, identity shifts, and emotional responses, distress can linger even when life looks settled from the outside.

Trauma refers to experiences that overwhelm a person’s ability to cope and leave a lasting emotional, psychological, or relational impact. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are early experiences such as abuse, neglect, family violence, loss, chronic instability, or growing up in environments where emotional needs were not consistently met.

Trauma is not only about what happened, but also about how the nervous system and sense of safety are affected over time. Early experiences can shape emotional regulation, self‑worth, relationships, and stress responses well into adulthood.

Myth: “Trauma only refers to extreme or catastrophic events.”
Fact: While events like accidents or disasters can be traumatic, many studies show that ongoing emotional neglect, chronic stress, or feeling unsafe over time can be just as impactful as a single event.

Myth: “If it happened a long time ago, it shouldn’t affect me now.”
Fact:Early trauma can influence how the nervous system reacts, how safe relationships feel, and what you believe about yourself and others. These patterns often continue unless they are noticed, understood, and supported.

Myth: “If others had it worse, my experience doesn’t count.”
Fact: Trauma is about how an experience affected you, not how it ranks against someone else’s story. Your feelings and reactions are valid, even if you believe others have been through more.

Myth: “People should just move on from childhood trauma.”
Fact:Healing from trauma usually involves safety, connection, and making sense of what happened, rather than pushing it away. Supportive relationships and trauma‑informed care are key parts of recovery.

Myth: “Talking about trauma will make things worse.”
Fact:When approached safely, at your pace, and with the right support, talking about trauma can help reduce distress, improve emotional regulation, and rebuild a sense of control and safety in your life.

Myth: “Trauma means permanent damage.”
Fact:The brain and nervous system can change throughout life. Neuroplasticity and evidence‑based, trauma‑informed therapies support recovery, resilience, and post‑traumatic growth, even after very difficult experiences.

Identity and self‑exploration involve understanding who you are, what matters to you, and how your experiences, values, culture, and relationships shape your sense of self. This process can unfold at any life stage and is often prompted by transitions, uncertainty, or feeling disconnected from yourself.

Exploring identity in a supportive space can increase self‑understanding, confidence, and emotional wellbeing, and can help you live in a way that feels more aligned with your values.

Myth: “Identity issues only happen in adolescence.”
Fact: Adolescence is an important time for identity development, but studies show that identity continues to evolve across adulthood as people move through life transitions, changing roles, cultural contexts, and personal growth.

Myth: “Not knowing who I am means something is wrong with me.”
Fact:Periods of not being sure who you are or what you want are a normal part of self‑exploration. Questioning identity often signals reflection, growth, and a wish to live more in line with what feels authentic.

Myth: “Once you find yourself, identity stays fixed.”
Fact: Identity is dynamic and changes over time. Values, beliefs, and self‑concepts naturally shift as people gain new experiences, relationships, and perspectives.

Myth: “Exploring identity means rejecting your past or your family.”
Fact:Identity work does not require cutting off your history. It is about understanding how past experiences and relationships have shaped you, and then choosing which parts you want to keep, rework, or let go of.

Myth: “Identity confusion means I’m indecisive or weak.”
Fact:Identity uncertainty is often linked to complex experiences such as cultural expectations, trauma, role strain, or competing values. Research suggests that thoughtful exploration is associated with a stronger sense of self and better wellbeing over time.

Myth: “I should have my identity figured out by now.”
Fact:There is no universal deadline for identity development. Social, cultural, and personal pressures can create the sense that you are behind; counselling offers space to explore identity at your own pace, without judgment or pressure.

Social skills and peer relationships involve how we communicate, connect, set boundaries, and navigate friendships and social situations. Difficulties may include social anxiety, conflict, feeling left out, or finding it hard to start or maintain relationships. Supportive counselling can help people build emotional awareness, communication skills, and confidence in social settings.

Myth: “Social skills should come naturally.”
Fact: Social skills are largely learned and shaped over time. Upbringing, attachment experiences, temperament, cultural norms, and life experiences all influence how comfortable and confident someone feels socially.

Myth: “Struggling socially means you’re not likable.”
Fact: Social difficulties are rarely about whether a person is likable. They are more often linked to anxiety, self‑doubt, past rejection, or gaps in social learning—not to someone’s worth or character.

Myth: “Confidence alone fixes social problems.”
Fact: Confidence helps, but healthy social connection also depends on feeling emotionally safe, being able to listen and empathise, communicating clearly, and setting and respecting boundaries on both sides.

Myth: “If relationships are difficult, something must be wrong with you.”
Fact: Relationships are always two‑sided. Difficulties often come from mismatched communication styles, unspoken expectations, past experiences, or repeated interaction patterns—not from one person being “the problem.

Myth: “Avoiding social situations is the best way to cope with anxiety.”
Fact: Avoidance can bring short‑term relief but usually increases anxiety over time. Many studies support gradual, supported exposure and skills practice as more effective ways to reduce social anxiety in the long term.

Myth: “Once you’re an adult, it’s too late to improve social skills.”
Fact: Social skills can be strengthened at any age. The brain remains able to form new patterns throughout life, which means it is always possible to learn different ways of relating to others.

Behavioural challenges in children may include emotional outbursts, difficulty following rules, impulsivity, withdrawal, or ongoing challenges at school or home. These behaviours are often expressions of unmet emotional needs, developmental differences, or difficulties with regulation. Understanding the meaning behind behaviour allows for more supportive and effective responses.

Myth: “Challenging behaviour means bad behaviour.”
Fact: Behaviour is one of the main ways children communicate. When children do not yet have the words or emotional skills to express distress, frustration, or unmet needs, their behaviour often becomes the loudest signal that something is not okay.

Myth: “Children act out on purpose to be difficult.”
Fact: Most challenging behaviours are not about trying to be difficult. They usually reflect underdeveloped self‑regulation skills, emotional overwhelm, sensory overload, or unmet needs, rather than deliberate misbehaviour.

Myth: “Children will grow out of behavioural problems.”
Fact: Confidence helps, but healthy social connection also depends on feeling emotionally safe, being able to listen and empathise, communicating clearly, and setting and respecting boundaries on both sides.

Myth: “Strict discipline is the most effective solution.”
Fact: Research consistently supports emotionally responsive, consistent, and relational approaches over harsh or punitive discipline. Children learn to regulate by being co‑regulated, watching how adults manage emotions, and feeling safe in their relationships.

Myth: “If consequences don’t work, the child isn’t trying hard enough.”
Fact: When consequences do not change behaviour, it often means the child does not yet have the emotional or neurological capacity to respond differently in that moment. Support, practice, and the right adjustments help build these capacities over time.

Myth: “Behavioural challenges mean poor parenting.”
Fact: Behavioural difficulties arise from many factors, including temperament, neurodevelopment, stress, trauma, environment, and support systems. They are not simply a reflection of how “good” or “bad” a parent is.

Cultural adjustment and acculturation stress refer to the emotional, psychological, and relational strain that can arise when adapting to a new culture, country, community, or set of social expectations. This process may follow migration, international study, relocation, or growing up between multiple cultures.

Acculturation stress can involve identity confusion, language barriers, social isolation, discrimination or microaggressions, loss of familiar support systems, and pressure to adapt while still honouring cultural values. People may feel caught between cultures, unsure where they belong, or experience guilt, grief, or frustration linked to cultural expectations.

Supportive counselling recognises the cultural, social, and systemic factors that influence wellbeing. It offers a safe space to explore identity, strengthen a sense of belonging, and develop self‑acceptance while navigating cultural transitions.

Myth: “Culture shock should pass quickly.”
Fact: Cultural adjustment is usually a gradual and non‑linear process. Emotional reactions can resurface at different stages of settlement, identity development, or life transitions, even years after a move.

Myth: “Struggling to adapt means you’re not resilient.”
Fact: Acculturation stress is a well‑documented psychological experience, including among highly capable and resilient people. Struggle reflects the complexity of adapting to new systems, norms, and expectations, not personal weakness.

Myth: “If you chose to move, you shouldn’t find it so hard.”
Fact: Even when a move is voluntary, it often involves loss, uncertainty, and emotional adjustment. Missing familiar people, routines, language, and cultural norms is a normal part of adapting to a new environment.

Myth: “Assimilating completely is the healthiest option.”
Fact: Research suggests that cultural integration—maintaining important parts of one’s original culture while engaging with the new culture—is often linked with better psychological wellbeing than complete assimilation or rejecting one culture entirely.

Myth: “Language difficulties mean lower intelligence or ability.”
Fact: Language barriers affect how easily someone can communicate, not their intelligence or potential. Expressing emotions and complex thoughts can feel especially difficult in a second language, which can increase vulnerability during adjustment.

Myth: “Feeling caught between cultures means you don’t belong anywhere.”
Fact: Many people go on to develop a bicultural or multicultural identity. Being able to hold and move between multiple cultural identities can become a source of strength, flexibility, and resilience.

Myth: “Discrimination is something you just have to get used to.”
Fact: Experiences of discrimination and microaggressions have measurable impacts on mental health, including higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Counselling can validate these experiences and support coping, boundary‑setting, and empowerment.

Mindfulness and emotional awareness involve intentionally noticing thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and emotional reactions with openness, curiosity, and without judgment. Rather than trying to change or suppress experiences, mindfulness supports learning how to observe them safely and compassionately.

These skills help people better understand emotional patterns, regulate stress responses, and respond to situations with more choice instead of reacting on autopilot. Mindfulness and emotional awareness are used across age groups to support emotional regulation, resilience, concentration, and overall wellbeing. In counselling, mindfulness is adapted to each person’s needs and comfort level and is introduced in a gentle, trauma‑informed way.

Myth: “Mindfulness means clearing your mind.”
Fact: Mindfulness is not about stopping thoughts. It is about noticing thoughts as they come and go, without getting pulled into them or judging yourself for having them.

Myth: “You have to be calm to be mindful.”
Fact: Mindfulness can be practised even when you feel anxious, sad, angry, or stressed. In fact, bringing gentle awareness to difficult emotions is often where some of the most meaningful shifts occur.

Myth: “Mindfulness is just a relaxation technique.”
Fact: Relaxation can be a side effect, but mindfulness mainly strengthens emotional regulation, self‑awareness, and psychological flexibility—skills linked with long‑term mental health.

Myth: “Mindfulness is about ignoring problems or being passive.”
Fact: Mindfulness helps you see situations more clearly so you can respond more intentionally. Many studies suggest it supports more thoughtful decision‑making, rather than avoidance or passivity.

Myth: “You need lots of time or special skills to practise mindfulness.”
Fact: Mindfulness can be practised in small moments throughout the day—such as paying attention to the breath for a minute or noticing sensations while walking. Research shows that even brief, regular practices can have measurable benefits.

Myth: “Mindfulness isn’t suitable if you have strong emotions or trauma.”
Fact: On its own, mindfulness can sometimes feel overwhelming for people with trauma, but when practised in a trauma‑informed and supported way, it can help people reconnect with their bodies and emotions more safely. Counselling helps pace and adapt practices so they feel manageable.

Myth: “If mindfulness feels uncomfortable, I’m doing it wrong.”
Fact: Discomfort can be part of paying closer attention to your inner world. Counselling can help you understand these reactions and find ways to stay within a safe window of tolerance rather than forcing or avoiding the practice.

Myth: “Mindfulness is a spiritual or religious practice.”
Fact: While mindfulness has roots in several traditions, modern therapeutic mindfulness is evidence‑based and secular. In this context, the focus is on psychological wellbeing and everyday coping, not on religion.

Homesickness is emotional distress linked to being separated from familiar people, places, routines, and sources of comfort. It commonly occurs during transitions such as relocation, starting school or university, moving for work, or living away from family for the first time, and it can affect children, adolescents, and adults.

People experiencing homesickness may feel sadness, longing, anxiety, irritability, loneliness, or difficulty settling into new surroundings. These reactions are closely connected to attachment, loss of familiarity, and the nervous system’s response to change. Homesickness does not mean someone lacks independence or resilience; it reflects meaningful bonds and the challenge of adjusting to new circumstances.

With understanding and support, people can learn coping strategies that reduce distress, support adjustment, and help maintain important connections while building a sense of safety and belonging in a new environment.

Myth: “Homesickness is childish.”
Fact: Homesickness can affect people of all ages. Adults may experience it just as intensely as children, especially during big life changes or periods of isolation.

Myth: “It means you made the wrong choice.”
Fact: Homesickness reflects attachment and adjustment, not failure or regret. Feeling connected to home usually means that something meaningful was left behind, not that the new choice was a mistake.

Myth: “If you’re strong, you won’t feel homesick.”
Fact: Homesickness is not a sign of weakness. Strong attachment bonds and sensitivity to change are normal human traits and can be linked to emotional depth, not fragility.

Myth: “Homesickness will disappear on its own.”
Fact: Homesickness may lessen with time, but coping strategies such as expressing emotions, creating familiar routines, staying connected in balanced ways, and building new supports can significantly reduce how intense and long‑lasting it feels.

Myth: “Thinking about home makes it worse.”
Fact: Avoiding thoughts of home can sometimes increase distress. A more helpful approach often involves acknowledging feelings about home while slowly engaging with the new environment and creating new sources of comfort and connection.

Myth: “You should push through and ignore how you feel.”
Fact: Pushing emotions away can prolong distress. Noticing, naming, and validating feelings—along with gentle coping strategies—supports nervous system regulation and emotional adjustment

Myth: “Once you settle in practically, the homesickness should stop.
Fact: Practical adjustment (like knowing your way around or managing tasks) and emotional adjustment do not always move at the same pace. Emotional settling often continues even after routines and responsibilities are in place.

Myth: “Homesickness means you’ll never feel at home again.”
Fact: Most people gradually develop a sense of belonging in their new environment. With time and support, it is possible to stay connected to where you come from while also building safety, meaning, and community in a new place.