Newcomer and Immigration Stress
A handout for adults who have recently moved to a new country, explaining why settlement is stressful, what acculturation stress looks like, and practical ways to cope while building a life in a new place.
About this resource
Moving to a new country involves many changes at once: language, work, housing, climate, social rules, and distance from family and familiar support. John Berry's work on acculturation describes the stress that arises when a person negotiates between the culture they came from and the culture they now live in. This stress is a normal response to a large transition, not a sign of weakness or failure, but when it is prolonged and combined with isolation it can contribute to low mood, anxiety and sleep problems.
This handout names the common sources of newcomer stress, describes the typical emotional pattern (early energy, a later dip, gradual adjustment), and offers coping strategies drawn from CBT and ACT: keeping structure, noticing unhelpful comparisons, staying connected to values across both cultures, and building small social footholds. It is written to be respectful of the client's strengths and to avoid assuming any single 'right' way to adjust.
The professional version adds guidance on asking about migration history sensitively, distinguishing settlement stress from a mood or anxiety disorder, and being alert to pre-migration trauma without presuming it.
How to use it
- Ask the client to describe their move in their own words before offering the handout: what they left, what they hoped for, and what has been hardest. Do not assume the reasons for migration.
- Read the 'Common sources of stress' section together and ask which apply. Many clients feel relief simply hearing that the pattern is recognised.
- Use the coping section to choose one or two concrete steps for the coming week, such as a fixed daily routine or one social contact.
- Screen for depression, anxiety and trauma symptoms with your usual measures. Settlement stress and clinical disorders can coexist, and the handout is not a substitute for treatment.
- Where language is a barrier, consider a professional interpreter rather than a family member, and check the client's understanding of each section.
References
- Berry, J. W. (1997). Immigration, acculturation, and adaptation. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 46(1), 5-34.
- Berry, J. W. (2005). Acculturation: Living successfully in two cultures. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 29(6), 697-712.
- Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2012). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The Process and Practice of Mindful Change (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
