Moving to a new country is one of the most significant life changes a person can experience. And it’s not uncommon: in 2024, the global number of migrants reached 304 million, representing 3.7% of the world’s population. People migrate for different reasons, both voluntary and involuntary, including to escape conflict and/or persecution, seek safety and opportunity, reunite with family, pursue education or employment, or simply to build a better life. Regardless the motivation, migration brings both opportunities and challenges. But the visible aspects of moving, such as packing boxes, learning a new language, adjusting to unfamiliar systems, and securing accommodation, often mask the deeper emotional journey that unfolds beneath the surface.

In a broader sense, migration is a leap of faith filled with hope and uncertainty. For many migrants, the journey is not only about finding a new home, it’s also about fostering and searching for a sense of belonging in two or more worlds. Migration and the inevitable adaptation to a new, possibly unfamiliar, culture can bring pride and growth, and also confusion, anxiety, grief, and stress. These emotional shifts are part of what psychologists call acculturation, referring to the process of adjusting to a new culture while maintaining one’s own.

As we mark International Migrants Day on 18 December, we’re taking the opportunity to recognise both the courage of migrants and the invisible emotional struggles and experiences that comes with creating a life across cultures.

Culture and acculturation: why does it matter?

When we speak about “culture,” we often think of nationality, language, or ethnicity, but culture is much broader than that. It is a living system of shared values, beliefs, behaviours, and traditions that shape how we see ourselves, others and the world. It also shapes how we express emotions, communicate, and seek help.

Culture can be expressed through religion, gender roles, family structures, professional identities, or community belonging. A person might belong to multiple cultures at once, such as ethnic, religious, linguistic, occupational, sexual, gender, political, or even online cultures, each influencing their worldview and sense of identity.

Acculturation refers to the psychological and cultural changes that occur when individuals or groups from different cultural backgrounds come into continuous contact. For migrants, the process of acculturation involves more than learning a new language or cuisine. It is about navigating the meeting point of many intersecting cultural worlds, including heritage, host, and often subcultures in between. Every migrant’s experience is unique and depends on their background, reasons for migration, and the level of acceptance and opportunity they find in their new environment.

Understanding acculturation

Psychologist John Berry’s Acculturation Model remains one of the most well-known frameworks for understanding how individuals adjust to a new culture. Berry proposed four main acculturation strategies:

  1. Integration: maintaining one’s original culture while also participating in the new culture (e.g., celebrating traditional holidays while also embracing Australian customs).
  2. Assimilation: letting go of one’s heritage culture to adopt the host culture completely.
  3. Separation: holding tightly to one’s heritage culture while avoiding interaction with the host culture.
  4. Marginalisation: feeling disconnected from both the heritage and host cultures.

Berry’s model provides a valuable framework for understanding the different ways migrants may adapt to a new culture. However, the process of acculturation is far more complex than any single model can capture. It is shaped by intersecting influences at the macro-, meso-, and micro-levels, from global and political forces (e.g., war, colonialism, economic inequality), to community attitudes and policies (e.g., racism, inclusion practices), and to personal circumstances (e.g., age, education, trauma history). For example, forced migrants often face different challenges to voluntary migrants. Some have little agency in their displacement, carrying grief, loss, and trauma, while others may encounter systemic barriers such as discrimination, visa insecurity, or cultural invisibility.

Despite these complexities, Berry’s model remains a useful lens for reflecting on how broader social structures and individual agency interact to shape psychological wellbeing across cultures. It serves as a starting point for appreciating the fluid, complex, dynamic, and intersectional nature of acculturation.

When adjustment becomes stressful

The process of adapting to a new culture can be energising, but it can also create tension and loss. Migrants may face language barriers, unfamiliar norms, role changes, financial stress, or discrimination. Even for those who appear to be “doing well,” the ongoing negotiation of identity and belonging can take an unseen emotional toll. Over time, these experiences can lead to acculturation stress, the psychological stress that arises from conscious and unconscious process of adapting to a new culture.

Common sources of acculturation stress include:

  • Language barriers: difficulty expressing oneself or misunderstanding social cues can lead to frustration, self-criticism, or loneliness.
  • Loss of support networks: leaving behind family and community can create feelings of isolation.
  • Employment and financial challenges: difficulty finding work that matches one’s qualifications can impact self-esteem and identity.
  • Discrimination and racism: overt or subtle exclusion erodes one’s sense of belonging and safety.
  • Microaggressions: everyday slights or assumptions (“Your English is so good!” or “Where are you really from?”) can accumulate, causing chronic stress and self-doubt.
  • Shifting family roles: children may adapt faster than parents, leading to role reversals and tension within families.
  • Identity confusion: feeling caught between cultural expectations can make people question who they are and where they belong.

Common warning signs that someone may be experiencing acculturation stress include:

  • Persistent worry, sadness, or irritability.
  • Feeling “stuck” between cultures or guilty about adapting.
  • Physical symptoms (e.g., headaches, fatigue).
  • Conflict in family or peer relationships.
  • Loss of confidence or sense of belonging.
  • Withdrawal from social contact or community.
  • Loss of motivation or pleasure.
  • Difficulties sleeping or concentrating.

If these experiences persist and/or interfere with work, study, and/or relationships, it may be time to seek professional support.

The following studies provide more information on acculturation stress:

Finding balance in cultural adjustment

Adjusting to life in a new culture often means finding balance between preserving one’s cultural identity and embracing new ways of living. Research suggests several protective factors can help buffer against this stress and promote resilience:

1. Maintaining cultural identity

Staying connected to one’s heritage through language, traditions, and community ties can provide a sense of stability, pride, and continuity during times of change. A strong cultural identity has been consistently linked with better psychological wellbeing.

2. Openness to the new culture

Engaging with and learning from the new culture can promote inclusion, belonging, and social confidence. Migrants who can find balance and integrate both heritage and host cultures, rather than feeling forced to choose between them, tend to experience the most positive mental health outcomes.

3. Supportive relationships

Family, community networks, faith groups, and friendships offer understanding, belonging, and practical support. These connections also help buffer the cumulative effects of microaggressions. Microaggressions are subtle and often unintentional comments or behaviours that convey bias or exclusion and can contribute to chronic stress.

4. Access to culturally responsive mental health care

Culturally informed, sensitive, and safe therapy can make a meaningful difference. Many evidence-based therapies can support migrants and their families during cultural adjustment, including:

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): helps individuals identify personal values, accept difficult emotions, and commit to meaningful actions, making space for both heritage and host cultural identities.
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): provides practical skills to challenge unhelpful thinking patterns, manage anxiety or low mood, and build confidence in social and work settings.
  • Narrative Therapy: encourages individuals to re-author their stories, positioning migration as part of a broader journey of resilience, growth, and belonging.
  • Group and family-based interventions: Strengthen communication and understanding across generations, helping families negotiate cultural expectations and identity differences.

Navigating stigma and systemic barriers

For many migrants, seeking help can be complicated by stigma, language barriers, or uncertainty about the healthcare system. Across cultures, mental health is understood and discussed in very different ways.

In some communities, emotional distress may be expressed through physical symptoms (“my heart feels heavy” or “I have a pounding headache”) rather than words like “anxiety” or “depression.” In others, seeking psychological help may be seen as shameful, or as a sign that one is “weak” or “crazy.” Migrants who come from cultures where mental health stigma is strong may find it particularly hard to open up or access support in a new environment.

It is important to remember that seeking mental health care is not a sign of failure. Rather, it is a sign of self-awareness and strength. Reaching out early can prevent symptoms from escalating and promote long-term wellbeing.

Supporting migrant mental health in our communities

Migration is not just a physical relocation; it is an emotional, social, and cultural journey. Every migrant’s story is uniquely shaped by layers of influence, from the global and political to the personal and relational. While no model can fully capture this complexity, understanding acculturation and the stress it can bring helps us recognise both the challenges and the strengths within migrant communities. Everyone has a role to play in supporting the mental wellbeing of migrants, be it friends, families, workplaces, and health professionals alike.

Practical ways to foster wellbeing and inclusion:

  • Create spaces for cultural expression: encourage and celebrate cultural traditions, festivals, and languages. Visible inclusion helps migrants feel recognised and valued.
  • Facilitate community connection: support local groups, peer networks, and mentorship programs that help newcomers build belonging and social support.
  • Promote open and respectful dialogue: in families, workplaces, and schools, discuss cultural differences with curiosity and respect rather than judgment.
  • Increase awareness of support services: share information about culturally safe mental health services, community centres, and helplines. Make these resources easy to access.
  • Challenge discrimination and stigma: speak up against racism, stereotypes, and mental health stigma whenever they arise. Normalising conversations about wellbeing encourages help-seeking.
  • For clinicians and service providers: approach each client with cultural humility. Explore how migration, identity, acculturation, and systemic factors shape distress and resilience. Integrate cultural strengths into care and collaborate with community leaders where possible.

When migrants feel seen, understood, and supported, they are more likely to thrive, and communities grow richer for it.

Navigating the challenges of migration?

At Solasta, we understand the complex journey of acculturation and its impact on mental health. Our team offers culturally sensitive, evidence-based therapy tailored to the unique experiences of migrants.

Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck between cultures, or simply seeking a space to process your experience, we can support you to protect your wellbeing, honour your identity, and find balance in your new environment. Request an appointment today.

About the author

Peck Jin Gan, Registered Psychologist

Peck Jin is passionate about working with neurodivergent individuals and people from diverse cultural backgrounds and LGBTQIA+ communities.

With experience across diverse clinical settings, including inpatient rehabilitation and private practice, she has worked with individuals facing anxiety, depression, trauma, neurodiversity, and complex mental health concerns.

Peck Jin takes a warm and collaborative approach, tailoring therapy to each client’s unique needs. She draws on evidence-based modalities such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Schema Therapy, and mindfulness-based techniques.