Beyond the Honeymoon Phase: Culture Shock & High-Functioning Anxiety

​Relocating to a new country often starts with excitement, opportunity, and ambition. But for many immigrant professionals, that initial “honeymoon phase” quietly fades - replaced by pressure, over-functioning, emotional fatigue, and a sense of not quite belonging.

​This interactive, in-person workshop is designed specifically for immigrant professionals living in the Netherlands, who are navigating life, work, and identity between cultures.

​Organised in collaboration with Illyrian Brains, the session will explore how culture shock can manifest after settling in, and why many high-achieving immigrants experience anxiety that often goes unnoticed.

What we’ll explore together:

• ​What culture shock really looks like beyond the first months/years abroad

• ​How high-functioning anxiety shows up in immigrant professionals and students

• ​The emotional cost of constantly “holding it together”

• ​Identity shifts, belonging, and unspoken pressure within diaspora communities

• ​Practical tools to recognise early signs and build healthier coping strategies

​Format

• ​40 minutes interactive presentation (reflection prompts, audience participation)

• ​20 minutes open Q&A

• ​Networking with fellow Albanian professionals

​Speakers

• ​Arilda Dushaj – Senior Psychotherapist at Bliss, with extensive experience working with immigrant clients

• ​Jona Doda – Founder of Bliss, mental health startup supporting diaspora communities

​Co-Hosts: Illyrian Brains & Bliss