Weekly Online Mindfulness & Compassion Groups

Navigate life abroad and connect with other multiculturals worldwide

Book Free Trial Session

Is This You?

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You live abroad as an immigrant, refugee, temporary resident, student, trailing spouse, digital nomad, or other similar status.

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You’re struggling to navigate it all: new language & culture, losing proximity to loved ones, finding a home/job/community from scratch, shifts in identity, endless admin, uncertainty, and discrimination.

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Even after you sorted the visa, learned the language, found the apartment, and made the friends, you still feel overwhelmed, exhausted or stuck.

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Not one person holds the whole picture of you, and you don't fully belong anywhere. You are caught between worlds: the country you left isn't fully home, and the one you live in now isn't either.

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Your struggles aren't seen or validated by loved ones. People back home don't get it or say 'well, you chose this life'. People here don't know you well enough. Your partner is navigating their own adjustment. Your therapist/coach has never lived abroad or is steeped in the dominant culture which doesn't quite translate to yours.

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You're navigating a big change on top of living abroad, completely alone: a break-up, family estrangement, infertility, parenting, trauma, burn out, career change, aging, sickness, death, or the loss of democracy in your home country.

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You are experiencing anxiety, depression or other mental health challenges.

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You have some mindfulness & compassion experience, or are open to exploring it.

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Welcome! You're in the right place.

Why Join A Group?

01

Expert guidance rooted in 14 years living abroad

Certified mindfulness & compassion teacher and coach with 14 years living abroad, I've helped hundreds of people find calm & happiness in the midst of challenging lives. I know what it’s like to rebuild your life and yourself in a new country. I offer a multicultural and trauma-sensitive space, rooted in personal experience and deep professional training.

02

Learn mindfulness & compassion to navigate life abroad

In a supportive group environment, learn the skills of mindfulness (allowing difficult experiences to rise and fall with curiosity and calm) and self-compassion (being a kind friend to yourself in hard moments), and apply them to your daily life. Slowly, you'll find your way back to calm & happiness, right in the midst of this messy and painful life.

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Build authentic, multi-cultural connections

Meet like-minded people from around the world, spanning many languages and cultures. Experience safe, authentic connection and shared humanity, and be inspired by their rich life stories. Our community guidelines ensure you're never pressured to share or met with unsolicited advice or criticism. We trust everyone is on their own journey.

Group Format

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Join one of two groups:
1. Wednesday evenings 7-8:15 pm CET on Zoom or
2. Monday and Thursday lunchtime 12:00-12:30 pm CET on Zoom
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All meditation levels welcome, including beginners!
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Session structure: check in, teaching on that week’s topic, meditation, check out and Q&A.
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Turning on your camera is encouraged for connection, but audio-only is welcome if you're on the move or feeling unwell.

Cost

Monthly Subscription

Ensures consistency and group belonging. You can pause or cancel your subscription anytime.

Includes:

  • Guided meditation recordings and resources (books, videos, articles) to use at home
  • Session recordings for when you miss a session
  • Library of all past sessions covering many topics
  • Private chat group to stay in touch & ask questions
  • Email/chat support from me
€50/month

Drop-in

Join whenever you’d like without commitment. Pay for each session separately.
€15/session

Our financial situations vary widely - especially when building a new life abroad. If these prices are prohibitive, please reach out to me at hi@zeynepesin.com to discuss a sliding scale.

Your first session is free - join and get to know us!

Book Free Trial Session

Practice Topics

Every few months, I survey my groups asking what’s present in their lives, and pick the group’s topics based on what's alive. Some topics we covered in the past:

Breaking the anxiety loop
Managing work stress
Struggling to sleep
Healing from burnout
Emotional regulation
Navigating uncertainty
Dilemmas & difficult decisions
Welcoming difficult emotions
Trauma & window of tolerance
Letting go
Self-confidence
Befriending the chaotic mind
Being a good friend to yourself
Forgiveness of self, others & life
Mindful communication
Mindful communication
Setting healthy boundaries
Repairing after conflict
Mindful parenting
Deepening focus
Cultivating equanimity
Playfulness & Creativity
Appreciating the good
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About Me

I’m a Certified Mindfulness Meditation Teacher and Coach shaped by many homes, and 14 years abroad. I bring in depth-training from renowned teachers like Tara Brach, Jack Kornfield and Oren Jay Sofer, as well as personal experience with being caught between worlds. Mindfulness & compassion practices changed my life. I hope they support you, too.

Read more
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My Approach

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Blending traditional mindfulness & compassion practices with cutting-edge scientific insights,
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Prioritizing trauma-sensitivity to ensure safety during practice,
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Incorporating movement (walking, stretching, dance, yoga) and focusing on the body,
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Focusing on direct self experience of concepts rather than theory,
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Highlighting real-world applications of mindfulness,
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Bringing the learnings alive with stories, quotes & literature,
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Creating safe & welcoming learning environments with multicultural communication guidelines,
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Harnessing the power of community and group learning.
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Your first session is free - join and get to know us!

Book Free Trial Session

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness meditation is the practice of being aware of what is here and now in a kind, non-judgemental way, rather than being somewhere else like we often are - in the future, in the past, in our to do list, in our pain or in our stories. It is simple, but not easy. Like any sports or music practice, mindfulness is a skill we learn and it strengthen over time.

Hundreds of scientific studies show that mindfulness:

  • decreases symptoms of stress, depression, anxiety, pain,
  • improves sleep, focus, memory,
  • decreases illness related distress,
  • decreases the use of abusive substances,
  • slows down cellular aging.

Practitioners report that a regular practice helps them:

  • find an experience of inner safety, stability and resilience,
  • be more present, positive and joyful,
  • slow down and find an inner calm in the midst of chaos,
  • get to know ourselves, and like who we are.
Read More
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FAQs

How is this different from a meditation app?

A meditation app gives you recordings. A group gives you an expert teacher who responds to what's present for you, a community of people who understand your specific context of living abroad, and the accountability that comes from showing up with others.

Do I need experience to join?

No. All levels are welcome, including complete beginners. In fact, learning in a group is one of the most supportive ways to begin a mindfulness practice. You have a teacher guiding every step, and a community practicing alongside you. If you have experience with mindfulness & compassion, that’s great too: you’ll be able to ask your specific questions to a teacher, and be inspired by the practice of others.

What happens in a weekly group session?

Each session follows a consistent structure: a brief check-in, a short teaching on that week's topic (based on the challenges alive in the group), a guided meditation, and a check out for reflections and questions. Sessions run 75 minutes on Wednesday evenings (longer meditation and sharing), and 30 minutes at Monday/Thursday lunchtime (quick work break). You are never required to share, or turn on your camera.

Is this a support group or a therapy group?

Neither. It is a mindfulness and compassion learning group, led by a certified expert teacher. That said, members find that it is therapeutic: the practice and the sense of community offer genuine emotional support. Many members work with a therapist simultaneously and find the two complementary.

What language are sessions in?

Sessions are in English. I also speak Turkish and French. If you'd like to connect in either of those languages, you're welcome to reach out for private sessions.

What if I miss a session?

Monthly subscribers receive recordings of all sessions, so you won't lose your place if life gets in the way. Drop-in participants can simply join the next available session.