Our first GPM Chat features a powerful conversation with transformational coach Thais Silva, who supports expats and global professionals through identity shifts, emotional transitions, and career reinvention abroad. In the interview, Thais shares her personal journey from HR to coaching, the inspiration behind her program Thrive Beyond Borders, and why global mobility can be a profound catalyst for growth. She offers insight into common challenges like identity loss, mindset blocks, and disconnection—and provides actionable strategies to help individuals not just adapt but truly thrive through international transitions.
Could you briefly share your journey from working in HR to becoming a transformational coach supporting expats and globally mobile professionals?
My passion for supporting people really began during my time in Human Resources. I worked in HR for over a decade and saw how everyone, regardless of title, was constantly trying to prove themselves and grow. I witnessed how much people can thrive when they have the right support and opportunities.
When I first moved abroad, I struggled with identity loss, isolation, and the pressure to start over. As an accompanying partner, I left behind not only my career but my sense of self. This experience made me realise just how transformational relocation can be, especially when the emotional journey is acknowledged and supported.
This dual lens, corporate and personal, allows me to partner with organisations and individuals alike, offering coaching that strengthens resilience and engagement on both sides.
What inspired you to create your coaching program Thrive Beyond Borders, and how does your own global experience shape the way you support clients?
Thrive Beyond Borders was born from my lived experience of starting over. Global mobility isn’t just about logistics or adjusting to a new culture, it’s about rebuilding your identity, relationships, and confidence from the inside out.
I experienced firsthand the emotional toll of leaving behind a career, support system, and sense of purpose. That personal transformation inspired me to create a coaching framework that supports individuals through three key stages:
- Rediscover: Identity, purpose, mindset, confidence
- Recreate: Goal-setting, self-expression, personal leadership
- Reconnect: Meaningful relationships, belonging, well-being
Many expats face a sense of identity loss after relocating. How do you guide your clients through the emotional and identity shifts that come with leaving behind familiar roles and environments?
Relocation often means leaving behind a version of yourself that felt confident, known, and valued. I create a safe space to acknowledge that shift and help clients explore who they are now beyond their previous roles. Through reflective coaching, values work, and strength-based tools, I guide them to rediscover their personal and professional identity with intention and clarity.
This work is crucial not just for individual growth, but for ensuring employees are engaged, motivated, and aligned with their roles in the new environment.
What are some common mindset blocks you see in expat clients during transitions, and how can they begin to rebuild confidence in unfamiliar contexts?
One of the biggest mindset blocks is comparison. Many individuals compare themselves to peers who seem to be "moving on" with their careers and lives. It creates a false sense of being "behind" simply because they’re investing time and energy in recreating their life from scratch.
There’s also a deep fear of not being "enough" in the new environment, especially when professional identity is temporarily disrupted.
To rebuild confidence, I help clients reframe their story, acknowledging the resilience, adaptability, and courage it takes to start over. We focus on small, aligned actions and redefine success from within. Addressing these mindset blocks early helps individuals integrate faster and contribute more meaningfully in their new environment.
How do you help clients move from simply coping with change to intentionally recreating their life and career abroad?
Coping is a valid and necessary phase, and I always meet clients where they are. I help them process the emotions and confusion that come with transition, before gently guiding them to shift toward what’s possible.
We explore what they truly want to create, not based on who they were, but on who they are becoming. This brings back a sense of agency, focus, and hope. Through values-based vision work and intentional goal-setting, they move from surviving to shaping a meaningful life abroad.
When individuals are supported in making this shift, they are more likely to stay, grow, and thrive, both personally and professionally.
Why is personal leadership a critical component of reinvention, especially for expat partners who may not have a traditional career path in their new environment?
Relocation often forces individuals to rethink their role and identity, professionally and personally. Personal leadership is about reclaiming your voice and choosing how you want to show up in this new chapter.
I support clients in reconnecting with their strengths, designing their next steps with intention, and building something that reflects their unique value, whether it's in their career, personal development, or broader life vision.
Supporting personal leadership during transitions is not just empowering, it enhances resilience, clarity, and long-term alignment with both personal goals and organisational outcomes.
What role does connection—to self, others, and the new environment—play in an expat’s ability to thrive rather than just survive?
Connection is a fundamental human need; we are wired to connect. When you relocate, you often lose your support system overnight. That disconnection can lead to isolation, low energy, and even burnout if not addressed.
I help clients rebuild connection from the inside out: first by reconnecting with themselves, then nurturing new relationships that bring meaning and support. For professionals working abroad, these connections directly impact well-being, engagement, and a sense of belonging in both personal and workplace settings.
Creating space for human connection, through coaching, peer circles, or intentional community-building, can make or break an assignee’s success abroad.
Can you share strategies or practices that help your clients cultivate a sense of belonging in a new country, especially when they feel isolated or unsupported?
I always begin with inner belonging, the idea that feeling at home starts with being at home in yourself. Practices like journaling, mindfulness, and strengths reflection help clients feel more grounded and self-aware.
From there, we co-create low-pressure strategies to expand their circles: joining interest-based groups, volunteering, participating in local events, or reconnecting with joy through hobbies.
These are the kinds of practices organisations can embed into onboarding and support systems to improve well-being, performance, and long-term integration.
You describe global mobility as a catalyst for personal transformation. What makes living and working abroad such a powerful driver for deep growth and change?
When familiarity is stripped away, we are left to confront ourselves: our values, fears, and choices. It can be incredibly uncomfortable, but it also opens the door for reflection and alignment.
Often when living abroad, we face the hardest moments, and the only person we can rely on (immediately) is ourselves. That self-reliance builds inner strength, resilience, and self-trust.
Global mobility doesn’t just change our geography, it shifts our inner landscape. If supported well, it becomes a powerful catalyst for growth, clarity, and renewed purpose. Without that support, it can lead to disconnection or burnout.
Coaching provides the space to turn these transitions into a springboard for sustainable personal and professional transformation.
If there’s one shift—emotional, mental, or behavioral—you wish every globally mobile individual could embrace to truly thrive abroad, what would it be?
I would say: embrace it all, even the discomfort.
Relocation is a deeply humbling experience. You may lose your independence, status, or routine, and that vulnerability is very real. But it’s also a profound opportunity to rethink how you define success and self-worth.
The shift I encourage is toward self-compassion and the permission to evolve. It’s okay to not have it all figured out. You’re still enough. Thriving abroad isn’t about perfection, it’s about presence, reflection, and allowing yourself to grow through the experience.
When we normalise the vulnerability of relocation, and support the whole human, not just the role, we build stronger, more resilient global teams.
Authors:
Thais Silva is a Transformational Coach for expats and global professionals, helping them rediscover their identity, rebuild confidence, and create meaningful lives and careers across borders. Her coaching program Thrive Beyond Borders supports individuals and families in navigating the personal, professional, and emotional challenges of global relocation.
Alexia Schmolling is the Head of Operations and Academy Lead at PMA. Her focus lies on Expat Management, Employee Health and international HRM. She brings valuable insights from her international experiences.
