Are you an international professional considering a career in Denmark? Congratulations on taking this exciting step towards new opportunities and adventures! While the Danish job market offers numerous benefits and growth prospects, we understand that the integration process can be overwhelming, both personally and professionally. That’s why we’re here to help.
In this blog, we’re thrilled to introduce you to the top 4 experts in Odense, Denmark who specialize in supporting internationals like you as you embark on your integration journey. Please note that these experts are listed in no particular order, as each of them brings a unique set of skills and experiences to the table. We have carefully selected them based on their expertise and dedication to helping internationals thrive in Denmark.
Why seek professional help?
Job searching in a new country can be a challenging and emotional experience. The barriers of language, cultural differences, and unfamiliarity with the Danish labor market can sometimes make you feel like a fish out of water. That’s where our experts come in. They are passionate about assisting you in overcoming these hurdles and ensuring a smoother transition into the Danish workplace.
So without further ado, here are the top 5 expert guides to navigate your integration journey in Odense, Denmark.
The Good Expat Life, Henriette Johnsen
As a former seasoned expat and UK-trained counsellor and psychotherapist accredited by the Danish Association of Psychotherapists, Henriette offers individual therapy, couples therapy, and coaching online as well as from her clinic in Odense, Denmark.
Across many time zones and in a warm, empathic, and confidential space, Henriette is in her second decade of helping expats reconnect to their integrity and authentic selves, enhance the quality of their relationships, as well as find ways to lead meaningful and satisfactory expat lives in correspondence with their values and beliefs despite, or perhaps because of, the grapples that they face as expats.
With three expat experiences under her belt, several encounters of raising bilingual/bicultural children abroad and bringing them home again, as well as establishing herself and her career over and over, Henriette understands the transitional element of life abroad.
Besides being an expat mum, she has first-hand experience of life as a trailing spouse, studying and establishing a career, divorcing and living as a single, working parent abroad. Psychologically, Henriette has dealt with depression, anxiety, identity crisis, as well as face her own traumas whilst living outside of her passport country.
Whether depressed, anxious, stressed, bereaved, struggling with trauma, identity crisis, or marital challenges, through bespoke and holistic therapy designed to your individual needs, Henriette believes that everyone is doing their best – and that change is possible.
Henriette holds a BA Honours in integrative relational psychodynamic therapy from Middlesex University in London and works proficiently in English as well as Danish. Since returning to Denmark, she’s trained and qualified in other areas, including emotionally focused couple therapy.
Henriette sees that strategies developed early in life can affect our thoughts and behaviours in ways that no longer serve us. Due to plasticity, our brain and nervous system have amazing ability to reprogram; and when we connect to ourselves emotionally, we can find balance in life, change our perception of what is hindering us leading a good expat life, and last, but certainly not least, enhance the quality of our relationships.
You can read more about Henriette on www.thegoodexpatlife.com where she also offers an extensive blog with articles on psychological consequences of expat life as well as advice on how to deal with these.
Henriette can also to be found on Facebook and LinkedIn.
Wandering Wisdom, Maria Drizati
Maria Drizati is a Master certified Leadership & Youth Coach supporting young internationals in navigating the twists and turns of life abroad.
Maria herself grew up a Third Culture Kid, and as a young adult she ventured on one expat journey after the other – first as a student, and later as a young manager of gen-y and gen-z teams in the tourism industry.
With 35+ years as a TCK and Expat, 40+ moves, and 12+ years in international management, Maria founded Wandering Wisdom out of a desire to provide the support, she’d found herself missing along the way and to guide young internationals towards a sense of belonging and fulfillment, wherever they may roam.
Wandering Wisdom Youth empowers young internationals – from third culture kids to cross-cultural explorers – to embrace their diversity as a source of strength. Through personalized coaching, we help you quiet the inner chatter, break free from societal expectations, feel at home in your cultural identity and forge your own path.
Wandering Wisdom Leadership is dedicated to guiding younger managers on their leadership development path. Our expertise lies in cultivating leadership skills tailored to Generation Z within international and cross-cultural contexts. We emphasize the pivotal role of self-leadership and cross-cultural competency across key domains such as sustainability, diversity, inclusion, belonging, equity, psychological safety and change management.
Wandering Wisdom offers 1:1 coaching, group and team coaching, talks and workshops. All our services are tailored specifically to your wishes. They are available in English and Danish, and all are available online. Selected services can be offered in person upon request.
You can read more about Wandering Wisdom and Maria on www.mariadrizati.com, and connect with her on Instagram, LinkedIn or Facebook.
Expat Solutions, Madalina Henter
With over a decade of experience working with expats and holding a Master’s Degree in Law from Copenhagen University, Madalina established Expat Solutions in 2019 to offer high-quality legal services to internationals in Denmark. Expat Solutions specializes in providing tailored advice in legal, administrative, financial, and business matters, helping expats navigate and thrive in the Danish social environment.
Her mission is clear: to assist expats in understanding and adapting to life in Denmark by simplifying bureaucratic processes and legal complexities. Whether settling in, facing unexpected challenges like home purchases or job changes, or venturing into entrepreneurship, Expat Solutions provides personalized guidance to meet each client’s needs.
Inspired by her experience working with the International Community Odense, Madalina created Expat Solutions to address the specific needs of expats in Denmark, aiming to make their transition and ongoing journey in the country as smooth and successful as possible.
AB Danish, Mikkel Ahlburg
AB Danish was started by Mikkel Ahlburg back in 2019 during COVID. He saw a need for more
tailored and flexible Danish language learning for internationals. The focus of AB Danish was and
still is to adapt each lesson as much as possible to the needs and goal of the individual person.
Over the years Mikkel and his team has provided more than 6.000 tailormade Danish lessons
through online classes as well as in person classes. The main office is in Odense but AB Danish
covers all of Denmark through their great experience in providing online classes which in many
cases give a big flexibility. Though, some people and companies prefer in person classes, and it is
of course also something they provide!
Mikkel is an educated upper class teacher from 2013 and he was teaching Danish, society studies
and Geography as a lead teacher. In 2018 he was head hunted to Greece to start a school for
Danish-Greek kids. In Greece he slowly started to teach Danish to adults in the tourist industry.
And like that the idea to a private language school all started!
When Mikkel came back to Denmark, he settled down in Odense. From here the idea of a private
language school developed and he quickly began to travel daily from Odense to Billund to teach
Danish to employees in one of the biggest firms in Denmark! Things developed and the firm Ahlburg Sprog soon was a reality.
Today, it is AB Danish with a team behind it, but the focus is the same as it has been from the very
beginning: Tailormade Danish lessons provided by highly educated teachers!
Conclusion
Don’t let the initial challenges discourage you from pursuing your dream career in Denmark. Remember, you don’t have to face this journey alone. The top 4 experts we have assembled are here to guide and support you every step of the way. With their assistance, you can embrace the Danish work culture, network with industry professionals, and confidently pursue your professional goals.
So, let’s dive in and get to know these incredible experts who are dedicated to helping internationals like you integrate seamlessly into the Danish labor market. If you want to learn more about getting professional help and live in Aarhus, check out our blog on the Top 5 Psychotherapists in Aarhus Helping Expats. Stick around to follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook as we plan on having these professionals in Odense be our guests in upcoming video content in the future.
