Calm in the Chaos: Managing Stress and Anxiety as an International Parent

Parenting abroad comes with an invisible stress load — new systems, cultural differences, mental load, and the constant feeling of needing to keep up. For many international parents, this shows up as chronic overwhelm, anxiety, and a sense of losing themselves along the way.

In this episode of DAM Parenting, therapist Rachel Forster joins us to talk about what stress and anxiety really look like in parents — especially those raising children far from their home country.

This is not about fixing yourself or adding more to your to-do list. It’s about calming the nervous system, reducing overwhelm, and gently reconnecting with who you are beneath the roles of parent, planner, and problem-solver.

You’ll hear about:

• Why parenting abroad increases stress and mental load
  

• How anxiety shows up in high-functioning parents
  

• Simple, body-based nervous system tools you can use in daily life
  

• How to reconnect with your authentic self without pressure or guilt
  

This episode includes a short, guided regulation reset you can try while listening — even if you’re exhausted, overstimulated, or short on time.

Guest: Rachel Forster, Therapist

Learn more: rachaelforstertherapy.com