Gabriela Encina shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Gabriela, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your customers?
What surprised me most is that the expats who seem unstoppable on paper often feel completely out of place in real life.
They lead global teams, deliver ambitious goals, switch languages mid-meeting, and still, deep down, wonder if they belong anywhere.
That gap between how they look and how they feel is massive. It quietly eats away at focus, confidence, and motivation. But when companies finally see it and start building true belonging, everything changes. Those same “outsiders” become the most loyal, creative, and high-performing people in the room.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Gabriela Encina. I started out as a psychologist and counselor, working with expats navigating the messy reality of life abroad: relationship strain, cultural dislocation, sleepless nights, constant pressure to perform. Over the years, I realized these private struggles ripple into teams, leadership, and company culture.
That’s when I started taking what I learn in the counseling room to the stage. I deliver talks and workshops for international companies, showing leaders how identity, belonging, mental health, and resilience directly impact engagement, performance, and retention.
What makes my approach different? I don’t rely on theory alone. I’ve sat with hundreds of high-performing expats who’ve trusted me when everything else failed. I bring their stories, patterns, and breakthroughs into workshops that are honest, actionable, and surprisingly fun.
Right now, I’m focusing on helping companies turn the hidden challenges of global talent into opportunities: teams that stay, leaders who inspire, and employees who feel like they belong, while still crushing it in their roles.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I was 17, standing in front of a room full of exchange students, translating and moderating because nobody else could bridge all the languages. Watching the tension dissolve as people finally understood each other was electric.
That’s when I realized my “superpower” was creating belonging in a space where everyone felt lost. That moment has shaped everything I’ve done since, from counseling expats to running workshops for global teams.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I’d tell her: “Stop apologizing for being too much, too loud, too curious. That’s exactly what the world will need from you.”
I see now that all those moments of self-doubt, the ones I tried to hide in counseling sessions or in new countries, were actually the groundwork for empathy, insight, and boldness. They gave me the tools to help expats find themselves while performing at their best.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
The biggest lie is that a “relocation package” solves everything. Companies think flights, housing, and maybe a language course equal a successful expat assignment. It doesn’t.
Another lie? That resilience is just about grit. I’ve seen expats grit their teeth until they crack. Real resilience comes from belonging, support, and knowing you don’t have to perform as a robot in a foreign land.
These myths keep companies blind to why their international talent leaves, even when the salary is great and the benefits look perfect on paper.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say, “She made it safer to be human while doing big things far from home.”
That I brought science, humor, and guts to conversations everyone else avoided: the loneliness behind success, the identity crises in boardrooms, the quiet unraveling behind polished LinkedIn profiles.
And that I didn’t just help expats “adjust,” but helped them find belonging in themselves, in their work, and sometimes, in the last place they expected.
If that’s the story people tell, that means I helped to change how we show up for each other across borders.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gabriela-encina.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabriela.encina.psychologist/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/psgabrielaencina/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gabriela.encina.psychologist1
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GabrielaEncinaPsychologist
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