Therapy for humanitarian
aid workers

a specialized approach

Therapy designed for the unique experiences of the international humanitarian.

how do I decide when to prioritize my personal life if that conflicts with my professional goals?

→ Do you find yourself juggling relationships while deployed or in the field?

→ Are you navigating choices around different duty station options?

→ Are you a parent who is navigating country moves and job demands with your children?

→ Do you wonder if taking a position at HQ might leave you feeling left behind?

→ Do you miss the pace of the field when you aren’t there?

→ Do you find yourself in a number of shorter-term yet highly intense relationships, and wondering if that is the right fit for you?

→ Do you feel disconnected from your peers not in your sector?

→ Are you curious about ways to support long-term vicarious trauma?

→ Are you invigorated by a country move every few years, and worry about how you would feel if you stayed in one place?

→ Has your relationship with sex changed as you’ve been in the sector?

Therapy can help! I’m here for you, connect with me and send me a message.

specialized therapy designed to support the distinct decisions faced by those in the humanitarian sector can help.

Therapy can help you feel like you have choice in your life, especially when doing something different feels quite risky.

We get to ask direct questions which can help illuminate your priorities. The fast pace and the meaningful work of the humanitarian sector can keep life moving forward so quickly that sometimes it can feel really hard to stop for a moment to inquire about your desires for life.

Working with a therapist can help discard protective avoidance and help you feel empowered to make whatever choices feel best for you, as well as explore feelings of flexibility, giving you permission to be a different person on different days.

Therapy provides an evidence-based framework to explore the type of life you want and pathways to access it.

A supportive and challenging space

designed for you

you are not alone! there are others facing the same feelings.

For so many who have dedicated themselves and their careers to doing meaningful work and the lifestyle that goes with it, questions about integrating all parts of self and life come up.

Our work together

In our time together, we will look to your expertise to help determine the direction of our work. We will ask tough questions about your desires and reflect on your accomplishments. You have endless potential - the question is not about what you can do, but what you want to do.

How do i know that it’s the right time to seek support?

  • If you are noticing that you are feeling a bit disconnected, not like “yourself”, or that you feel always a bit “in the middle” with no highs and no lows, it might be a good time to connect with therapy. For someone who is trained and naturally skilled in overcoming significant stress while doing their work, we can expect that you can continue to work without interruption while coping with emotional difficulty. You don’t have to wait until your work is disrupted to seek collaborative support.

  • Each organization and posting has its regulations around this, but generally, talk therapy does not prevent clearance. I welcome this conversation to be had in further depth in session.

  • We can unlearn the association of therapy with weakness or crisis, although therapy is helpful in acute moments as well. Instead of waiting until a state of burnout, I advocate for therapy to be used as a method of preventative care, especially for those in high-stress environments. You matter.

humanitarian
Therapy

A specialized space for those navigating the field, security concerns, career stressors, beaurocracy, and the ways these dynamics affect relationships and life.

feel confident in your choices and supported in your purpose.

Humanitarian therapy with me at Laura Federico Psychotherapy can help.

To learn more about how I can help or get started with a consultation, please email me or reach out here through my contact form.

I offer virtual therapy for those in the humanitarian, NGO, and aid sector. Individuals and couples in Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Queens, Manhattan, NYC, New York, and New York City.

223 Bedford Ave #744, Brooklyn, NY, 11221