You've Got This! New mental health podcast talks about expat lives in the UAE

For the UAE’s diverse expatriate community, the demands of navigating new cultural landscapes, corporate hierarchies, and personal sacrifices can leave many feeling isolated and overwhelmed.

That’s where Katrina Spartalis (Kat), an Australian-Greek licensed counsellor, and Yvonne Zeljkovic (Von), an Australian-Polish Clinical Hypnotherapist specialising in strategic psychotherapy, come in. Drawing on their combined 28 years of experience living and working as expats in Dubai, the two therapists (and friends) have launched the podcast You’ve Got This! to address the unique mental health challenges faced by Dubai’s expat community.

“It’s such a unique experience. You come here alone, sometimes without a partner or family, and you’re suddenly navigating a whole new world without your usual support system,” said Kat.

Unlike immigrants who are seeking permanent settlement, expatriates in Dubai are typically on work visas, creating a different kind of pressure. Because of visa dependencies and the high-stakes nature of corporate roles, expat life can be amplified by stress and uncertainty. The pair understand the importance of acknowledging these unique stressors and provide tailored support to help expats manage their mental well-being.

Kat recalls a particular client’s story that encapsulated these challenges. “She was a 24-year-old from India, working a high-flying job in communications. She was navigating this ruthless, stratified corporate environment with people from 102 different nationalities. At the same time, she was living far from her family for the first time in her life. She felt completely isolated and alone in her experience, and we worked together on this in therapy. But what she didn’t realise is that there are so many other expats going through the exact same thing.”

Von adds that these struggles often extend beyond the workplace. “For moms especially, there’s the constant stress of whether raising kids in Dubai is the right decision. There’s guilt about not seeing family back home or worrying that their kids won’t have relationships with their grandparents.”

These challenges, coupled with the transient nature of expat life, leave individuals feeling like they’re in survival mode. “We’re using our platform to remind people that they’re not alone in their challenges,” Von shared, “and that it’s important to step back and see the bigger picture.

“Expats in Dubai are able to achieve so many things. Many of the things wouldn’t have been possible back home.”

Kat and Von advocate for cultural humility which focuses on the ongoing process of learning, questioning assumptions, and adapting based on individuals’ needs and experiences. It emphasises ongoing self-reflection and respect for your own and others’ cultural identities and experiences.

Unlike cultural competence, which implies achieving a set level of knowledge or expertise about other cultures, Von explained cultural humility is an ongoing process of curiosity, openness, and embracing the richness of diversity.

The duo incorporates their expertise to provide actionable takeaways in 20-minute podcasts week after week. But more than that, Kat and Von’s chemistry is one of their biggest strengths. Their natural rapport makes them feel approachable yet credible — like your two best friends who also happen to be highly-skilled therapists. Their honesty about their personal experiences balances their professionalism, making their advice resonate on a personal level.

Beyond the podcast, they’ve also developed a website filled with free resources for those struggling to take the first step.

“It’s about normalising therapy and talking about shared struggles, and you know what, let’s have a laugh while doing it, too,” Kat said. “Struggling doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you. It’s about learning skills that maybe your parents didn’t teach you.”

“Whether it’s helping someone navigate the corporate world, find closure with their home country, or simply feel validated in their experiences, we want expats to know they’re not alone,” Von said. “You’ve got this.”

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