By Naazi Morad Wellness Within Therapy
They say goodbye at the gate,
but they carry you in every step forward.
To leave home for work in another country is often framed as ambition, opportunity, even heroism. But beneath the headlines and the hopeful farewells lies a quieter truth: migration is not just movement. It’s emotional fragmentation.
The one who leaves becomes two people:
They rarely speak of loneliness, because their role is to uplift, not burden.
This silence is not strength.
It’s sacrifice.
💌 A Ritual for the Brave
Write a letter you’ll never send.
Let it be raw, unfiltered, true.
Tell your family what you miss.
Tell yourself what you need.
Then fold it, bless it, and place it somewhere sacred, beneath your pillow, inside your suitcase, or tucked into your journal.
This is not weakness.
This is release.
🌍 A Note to Families Back Home
If your loved one is abroad, ask them how they feel, not just how they are.
Create space for truth, not just updates.
Remind them: they are more than what they send.
They are still yours. The provider, who sends money, photos, and reassurances.
The person, who cries alone in a rented room, eats in silence, and wonders if they’re still known.
🧠 The Psychology of the Migrant Heart
In therapy, we see this as emotional masking, a survival strategy where pain is hidden to protect others. Migrants often feel they must succeed at all costs, even when they’re unraveling.
They may experience survival guilt: “I’m safe, but my family struggles. I must keep going.”
They often suppress homesickness, fearing it will make them weak or selfish.
