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Mission Statement

At MENTAL-HEALTH.NETWORK, we are dedicated to assisting expatriates in finding relief from common mental distress. We achieve this by providing self-help support groups, a free soul hotline and public seminars. Our goal is to create a supportive community and offer accessible resources to help individuals cope with the challenges of living abroad.

Vision

At MENTAL-HEALTH.NETWORK, we recognize the significance of preventative measures and we are dedicated to empowering expatriates to increase their awareness of common mental distress such as stress, burnout, depression, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts.

About Us

International Mental Health Network for Expatriates (MENTAL-HEALTH.NETWORK) is a registered charity based in Germany. It was founded in 2022 by a group of psychologists, psychology enthusiasts, and industry experts who currently live or have lived abroad. We have a deep understanding of the mental health issues that expatriates face, as we have experienced them firsthand. We are familiar with the sense of isolation and longing that comes with leaving one’s home country and adapting to life in a foreign place. We also recognize the challenges of intercultural conflicts and language barriers that can lead to cultural shock.

Our team offers crucial assistance and empowering guidance to individuals who are facing challenges such as language barriers, cultural shock, intercultural conflicts, prejudice, bullying, and abuse. We recognize the significant impact that these issues can have on a person’s mental health, and we strive to provide a safe and supportive environment where individuals can receive the help they need. Our team is dedicated to promoting mental wellness and supporting the expatriate community in overcoming the obstacles they may encounter while living abroad.

What We Do

Soul Hotline

Since 2019, we have been providing a free soul hotline for expats. To date, we have supported over 300 individuals in overcoming the challenges they have faced while living abroad and improving their mental well-being.

Time of Soul Hotline:

  • Wednesdays CET 20:30-22:30
  • Sundays CET 12:00-14:00

Zoom Meeting: 886 1813 8556

Password: 112112

Public Seminars about Mental Health

In 2022, we conducted 14 online public seminars on the common obstacles faced by expats and provided professional advice on how to build mental resilience. Topics covered included… All of the seminars were recorded and are available for viewing on platforms such as YouTube and BiliBili. To date, our seminar videos across different social media platforms have received over 13,000 views.

Network

We provide psychological support groups for individuals who are facing similar challenges. These groups offer a safe and confidential space where participants can share their experiences, receive support and guidance from our team of trained psychologists, and build a network of trust and understanding.

Prevention

At INTERNATIONAL MENTAL-HEALTH.NETWORK, we are dedicated to promoting mental health awareness, providing diagnostic criteria for mental illness, and raising awareness among expatriates to prevent mental health problems before they occur. We believe that prevention is key, and we strive to provide educational resources and support to help individuals maintain good mental health. Our aim is to empower expatriates to take control of their mental wellbeing and promote a healthier and happier community.

Our Team

The Founding President: Dr Fei Hong

A trilingual psychologist with a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from University of Tuebingen in Germany and a Master degree in Social Psychology from London School of Economic (LSE) in UK, she have lived 10 years in UK and since 2010 in Germany. Currently Dr Fei Hong works as Clinical Psychologist at a German public psychiatry in the Black Forest and a private outpatient praxis in Tuebingen, both located in South Germany. She used to work at two international companies in both commercial and HR roles in China and in the UK, hence she has rare combination of deep understanding of both commercial and clinical fields.







Vice President: Ms Yunrong Xu

Ms. Xu is a trilingual psychologist who holds degrees in psychology from both China (B.Sc.Psych) and Germany (B.Sc.Psych and M.Sc.Psych). She is a certified Psychological Counsellor in China and has provided counseling to students and their parents in a primary school. In Germany, she used her professional psychological knowledge to assist children with immigrant backgrounds integrate into life in Germany. Ms. Xu has also worked as a psychologist at the Federal Employment Agency, supporting individuals facing difficulties in finding jobs. With the conviction that “body and mind are closely interconnected and should be considered and developed together,” she has pursued further education in the field of sports and gained extensive knowledge as a certified Pilates and yoga trainer. With great dedication, she is committed to combining her psychological expertise and sports training experience to implement preventive programs in health management, aimed at helping people improve their physical and mental health and lead an active life.





Beisitzer: Stefan Fritsch

(Info will follow)

Treasure: Ms Lixing, Lu

(Info will follow)

Head of Education: Mr Haoran Xu (PhD Candidate)

Doctoral Psychology Student at RWTH Aachen, Germany

Psychotherapist  (in training), Germany  

M. Sc. in Psychopathology at University Maastricht, Netherlands.

B. Sc. in Psychology at RWTH Aachen, Germany

B.Sc.  in Electrical Engineering at RWTH Aachen, Germany

Expert Commission:

The Head of Expert Commission:

Dr. Martin Hautzinger

Seniorprofessor of Clinical Psychology at the Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Germany. There, he was for 23 years head of the department of clinical psychology and psychotherapy and head oft he psychotherapy outpatient clinic at the university of Tuebingen. Before he accepted this chair, he was professor at the universities in Mainz, Konstanz, Eugene (Oregon), Freiburg and Berlin. His main research interest circles around Mood Disorder (Depression, Bipolar Disorder) and Psychotherapy Research. Since 2016 he is responsible for a Master program about „Psychotherapy and Psychotraumatology“ and the „German Clinic for Psychotherapy at the University of Duhok, Kurdistan, Nord-Iraq). Over his more than 40 years of professional career, he has published more than 300 books/book-chapters and more than 400 peer reviewed research publications.


Ms. Dr. Yan Zhou
(Info will follow)


Ms. Dr. Marjorie Kinney

Dr. Kinney has been working in the field of psychology for over a decade. She earned a doctorate in clinical psychology and a masters in counseling psychology. Her areas of expertise include peripartum mental health, attachment theory and disorders, and depression. She likes to combine features from hypnotherapy and elements from humanistic, client-centerned therapy when working with clients.
Dr. Kinney has lived half of her life in the United States and half in Germany. She currently lives with her three children in Tübingen.








Impressum

Angaben gemäß § 5 TMG

International Mental Health Network for Expatriates e. V.
Gutenbergstr. 77a
c/o Coworking 0711
70197 Stuttgart
Vereinsregister: VR 725767
Registergericht: Amtsgericht Stuttgart
Vertreten durch:
Frau Dr. Fei Hong (Vorstandsvorsitzende)
Frau Lixing Lu (stellvertretende Vorsitzende & Kassenwartin)
Frau Yunrong Xu (stellvertretende Vorsitzende)

Kontakt
E-Mail: expats.mental.health@gmail.com

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