At the start of the new year, I always find myself reflecting on the moments that defined the year gone by – both professionally and personally. As a digital nomad, my years are usually shaped by the places I visited, the people I met, and the work I did. And this year brought a particular highlight, as I celebrated 10 years of living this lifestyle. In this post, I’ll share the highlights and takeaways from another year on the road as a digital nomad and online therapist. I hope it inspires you to reflect on your own year and celebrate the moments that mattered most.

 

 

Ready to move on to the next location!

 

 

My Travels in 2024

 

2024 was another year of extensive travel, visiting nine different countries in total. But while in 2023, much of my travel was driven by professional commitments, last year took on a more personal focus, with many of my travels centring around cultural events and family reunions. 

My three weeks in Sri Lanka, at the start of the year, marked my first visit to a new country since 2022. While there, I attended the international book festival, Galle Literary Festival, which turned out to be the first of many cultural highlights of the year. In March, I first attended the Adelaide Festival and Writers Week, then the comedy festival Adelaide Fringe, and one week later, I found myself on the other side of the world, attending Leipziger Buchmesse, a German book fair, followed by another book fair in Paris just a few days later. Finally, I visited the Biennale art festival in Venice, Italy – and that was just the first 4 months of the year.

Beyond my passion for literature and the arts, these festivals provided an opportunity to explore different facets of the countries I was visiting, meet up with old friends and family, and connect with individuals I might not have encountered otherwise – like the time I almost bumped into the Sri Lankan president at the Galle Festival. 

 

 

This was my complete 2024 itinerary: 

France → Sri Lanka → Australia → Germany → France → Italy → France → Vietnam → Australia → Japan → Germany → France → Germany → Thailand → Australia → Thailand → South Korea → Japan → South Korea → France

 

 

A bookshop showing the books of Galle Literary Festival in Sri Lanka

 

 

My Work Year 2024

 

In 2024, my work continued to focus on three main areas: online counselling, the Location Independent Therapists (LIT) Community, and hosting workshops and webinars. Over the course of the year, I worked a total of 935 hours, with 482 of those dedicated to calls, including counselling sessions, admin sessions with my Team, and hosting or attending LIT events or other professional training events. 

While I’ve been more consistent with tracking my work hours this year, these don’t include the hours I spent quickly answering a message from my team or thinking about new business ideas while out and about. However, I’m pretty sure I’ve reduced the overall number of these additional work hours compared to previous years by consistently turning notifications off whenever possible, not checking my emails on days off, etc. 

With my broader business vision in mind and an aim to gradually move toward a consistent four-day work week, I made a conscious effort to streamline my work calls to create more flexibility. I concentrated on scheduling more calls on fewer days, allowing me to preserve the rest of the week for other activities. This shift helped me maintain a better balance between work and travel, especially as it reduced my need for stable internet or a private setting on days without calls.

 

 

Rainy Venice from our apartment during the Art Bienale

 

 

My online counselling clients

 

In 2024, I worked with a total of 38 clients. While many have been with me for several years, I also welcomed five new and three returning clients to my online counselling practice. The frequency of sessions varied, with most new clients starting with weekly appointments before transitioning to biweekly or monthly sessions.

At the start of the year, I increased my counselling session fees. At the same time, I remain committed to inclusivity and continue to offer sliding-scale spots for those who might not otherwise be able to afford my full fee. Striking this balance allows me to sustain my practice while keeping therapy accessible to a wider range of clients.

I also made the intentional decision to reduce the number of clients in my practice by taking on fewer new clients. In total, I held 319 standard 50-minute sessions, while longer 90-minute sessions, such as for couples counselling or intake appointments, accounted for 25 sessions.

Just like last year, 80% of my clients were women, and 75% identified as expats, repats (recently repatriated after living abroad) or had some other type of rich cross-cultural background. Geographically, my client base remained global, including clients in Europe, Africa, South and North America, and Asia. Most sessions were conducted in German, with some also held in English and French.

The topics we explored in the counselling sessions remained consistent with previous years, focussing on relationships, family dynamics, stress and burnout. However, I continued to notice the growing impact of politics and global events on my clients’ mental health and overall well-being, which often became an important part of our conversations.

 

 

The so-called Japanese Machu Picchu – Takeda Castle

 

 

LIT Community

 

My second business, the Location Independent Therapists (LIT) Community, was once again an integral part of my work life in 2024. Since its launch in 2020, LIT has evolved into much more than just a professional network. It’s a space for collaboration, growth, and navigating the unique challenges of running an online practice. 

From regular supervision groups to members supporting one another with complex business and clinical questions, LIT has become an invaluable resource – not only for our members but also for me. It’s a space I frequently turn to for professional guidance and support. Perhaps even more importantly, it’s been a place to connect with like-minded colleagues, particularly during challenging global events. For example, on the day of the U.S. election, we saw a surge of interest in the LIT Facebook group, with over 300 new members joining in a single day, as mental health professionals sought advice on relocating their practices or working internationally amidst uncertain times. And, for many community members, myself included, having two (unrelated) LIT events that day provided a helpful space to digest what was happening.

Behind the scenes, 2024 was also a year of growth and reflection. In August, the LIT leadership team held its second annual virtual retreat, using the time to evaluate the past year and refine our priorities. The experience reminded me of the strength of our systems and the incredible dedication of our team. Even when my co-founder, Melissa, went on maternity leave in October, the community’s operations continued smoothly, thanks to the robust structures we’ve built.

A personal highlight of 2024 was meeting several LIT members and colleagues in person. While I’ve always valued the flexibility of working online, these face-to-face moments remain special. This year, I had the chance to connect with members in Leipzig, Frankfurt and Paris, and at the end of December, I got to meet Georgia, our amazing LIT Community assistant, in person for the first time.

As 2024 drew to a close, we began preparations for our upcoming fifth anniversary in February. Reflecting on the growth and evolution of LIT since 2020 has been a rewarding process. From expanding our offerings to fostering connections among members, it’s clear how impactful this community has been, both professionally and personally. To mark the occasion, we’ve been planning some special offers and events. If you’ve been considering joining the LIT Community, sign up for the LIT newsletter now to be the first to hear about our anniversary promotions!

 

 

Touristy Paris view taken on my way to an art exhibition

 

 

Workshops and Webinars

 

While I didn’t host nearly as many events in 2024 as I did in the year prior, I still organised and ran a number of different online events. Together with business coach Cynthia Dauterstedt, I co-hosted two editions of the Bootcamp Onlinepraxis, guiding participants through everything they need to know to kickstart their own online therapy or coaching practice.

Responding to popular demand, I also relaunched my Q&A Sessions for Colleagues in November. These sessions provide a more accessible format for therapists and coaches to ask questions about starting and running their own location-independent businesses. It’s been exciting to connect with colleagues in this way again and to see how this format opens up opportunities for learning and growth. 

Looking ahead, I’m excited about giving a talk in Berlin at the end of January. This in-person event is a rare chance to connect with people face-to-face – something I sometimes miss while mainly working online. That said, I plan to continue limiting how many work-related trips I take. Maintaining the freedom that comes with a location-independent lifestyle remains a priority, and I want to keep professional travel balanced with the personal flexibility I value so much.

 

 

Watching the European football finals in Berlin

 

 

Website and Marketing

 

In 2024, my team and I focussed our marketing efforts on creating content for my website and newsletter, and it seems to have paid off. This approach resulted in my best SEO performance to date, with over 1 million impressions on Google last year.

We also made some updates to my website, including recording a new introductory video for my online counselling clients. Although it’s currently available only in German and French (one step at a time!), it’s a start. I had put off creating any new video content for years, but I’m glad I finally took the plunge, and I’m planning to keep up the momentum moving forward. In the coming year, you can expect even more video content, offering a closer look at my work, practical exercises, and helpful tips. I’m writing it down here, so you can hold me accountable if I put it off again 😉 I’m also planning on re-recording the French video, as the lighting situation in that beautiful house in Japan was definitely not ideal.

While I stopped posting on Instagram and Facebook in 2023, I’ve recently become more active on LinkedIn, where I’ve also been sharing video insights and connecting with colleagues. It’s been a great way to engage with others in the field. If we’re not already connected on LinkedIn, feel free to do so here.

My assistant Charlotte and I published 29 different blog posts (in 3 different languages) over the year, covering a variety of different topics, from managing stress to adopting new habits, multitasking, online counselling techniques, and insights into my life as a digital nomad. 

 

The 3 most read blog posts (published in English) of 2024 were:

1. My Year 2023 as Digital Nomad Therapist
2. Building Lasting Habits: The 7 Rs Framework from ACT
3. Between routine and adventure: Travelling the world as a digital nomad therapist

My most read articles, including ones published prior to 2024, were:

1. ACT Metaphor: Monsters on a Boat
2. The ACT Radio Doom & Gloom Metaphor
3. ‘The Courage to Be Disliked’ and Alfred Adler

 

 

Kayaking with dolphins in Adelaide

 

 

Personal Highlights & Looking Forward 

 

The highlight of my year was undoubtedly celebrating my 10-year anniversary as a digital nomad in October. A decade ago, I could have never imagined all the places I’d see, the challenges I’d face, or the countless lessons I’d learn along the way. Reflecting on this milestone reminded me why I chose this path: the freedom, adventure, and connections it offers. It’s been a journey of growth – professionally and personally – that continues to surprise and inspire me. I wrote more about my experiences and the lessons they taught me in this blogpost. 

For the first time in years, I also found myself signing a longer-term (for my standards) rental contract in Adelaide, Australia. Furnishing the space with second-hand finds, including a sofa from my favourite local café, which sadly closed last year, brought a sense of creativity and comfort to this temporary home base. 

Travel, for me, has always been about more than seeing new places – you can learn a lot by travelling, both about the world and about yourself. The older I get, the more I realise how much my way of travelling has evolved. I’ve learned to curate experiences that align with my unique interests and preferences. During my three weeks in Sri Lanka, for example, I skipped many of the country’s iconic must-sees in favour of slower, more intentional moments: people-watching in Colombo’s cafés, reading several books, and attending a literary festival. 

 

Picking up trash with the locals in Japan

 

More recently, I balanced big city and nature time by first spending a few weeks in a residential area of Osaka, Japan – with easy access to both the city centre as well as the nearby mountains – followed by two weeks in a small Japanese countryside town to fully enjoy the amazing autumn leaves. In between, I also spent three days as a tourist visiting the art islands Naoshima and Teshima, which, as great as they were (and, if you have a chance to go, I’d highly recommend doing so!), also reminded me how exhausting it can be to travel at a faster pace. It made me grateful that my travels aren’t usually about cramming as much as possible into a short time. While most people only get to experience new places as tourists rushing from one highlight to the next, I’ve come to enjoy the quieter, everyday moments of living somewhere, even if that means that sometimes nothing much is happening. Having the flexibility to experience both immersive, slower routines and the occasional whirlwind of exploration feels like a privilege and aligns perfectly with how I want to live my digital nomad life.

Looking ahead, I’m excited for what the future holds. The past year has shown me the beauty of balancing spontaneity with intention, rest with adventure, and change with stability. Whether exploring new corners of the world, pursuing creative projects, or stepping into the unknown, I’m ready to embrace the opportunities and challenges that come my way.

 

A long weekend with friends in Marseille

 

What stood out in your year 2024, both personally and professionally? The start of the year is a perfect time to reflect on your own journey – celebrate the wins, honour the challenges, and embrace the lessons learned along the way. If you’d like to share your highlights or reflections, I’d love to hear them in the comments below.

 

 

*****

 

 

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