Your Guide to Taking Charge of Change Abroad

Debra R. Bryson, MSW, Charise M. Hoge. MSW, Sundae Schneider-Bean, MA

What happens to your sense of self when your life is totally in flux?

When you move abroad to support your partner’s career, the most profound change you experience is internal—shifting your sense of self.

Whether it’s your first international move or your fifth, A Portable Identity is your essential companion for understanding and navigating the emotional, psychological, and cultural impact of global transition.

This revitalized edition blends timeless wisdom with fresh insights for our interconnected world. With warmth, empathy, and openness, the authors explore deeper layers of change that tend to be overlooked in typical relocation handbooks.

You’ll discover:

Why feelings like confusion, self-doubt, frustration, or resentment are normal—and how to move through them

• How identity evolves through each stage of international transition:
  pre-departure, arrival, living abroad, and repatriation
• Practical steps to own your experience and create a more meaningful life abroad
• Inspiring stories, expert reflection, and interactive prompts to guide your
  own transformation

If you are a relocation specialist, HR professional, or global coach, this book is a vital resource for supporting others through change.

The authors combine their professional knowledge and lived experience to give you everything you need to shape a portable identity grounded in your sense of self. This edition features expanded strategies for intercultural adaptation, including The Intercultural Pendulum, and new perspectives on personal transformation. The Wheel, a proven model, provides enduring support during your international transition.

You don’t have to lose yourself in the move.

Open this book—learn to take charge of change, wherever you go.