International Coaching Solutions

Individual resilience and cross-cultural coaching for expat transitions

International Coaching Solutions is a Geneva-based coaching practice run by Shermeen Zeidan, a certified master coach specializing in resilience building and cross-cultural adaptation for professionals and expat families. The firm is structured as a solo practitioner business rather than an agency, meaning you work directly with Shermeen through all coaching engagements. For a spouse or partner arriving in Switzerland anxious about career transitions, cultural adjustment, or professional identity shifts in a new environment, this is a coaching resource focused specifically on the psychological and professional dimensions of arrival, not the logistics.

Shermeen holds multiple relevant credentials. She is a Certified Master Coach through the Institut de Coaching International (ICI), accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF), and trained as an NLP Business Practitioner. She holds additional training in emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence, and the science of happiness from UC Berkeley. Her professional background spans employment at the United Nations, small and medium enterprises, and multinational corporations, giving her exposure to international mobility and cross-cultural work environments. She describes her coaching mission as "build your resilience and guide you to succeed in a highly motivational mindset."

The site emphasizes resilience as the core coaching focus. Resilience in this context means the capacity to maintain forward momentum and adapt constructively when facing uncertainty, setback, or change. For someone relocating to Switzerland, this translates into coaching support for managing the stress of arriving in an unfamiliar environment, navigating workplace cultures that differ from your home country, dealing with language barriers, and building new professional networks and social connections in a place where the norms and relationships are initially opaque.

Shermeen's service offerings are grouped into three tracks. Coaching for Professionals covers career transitions, professional performance management, work-life balance, and advancing through workplace challenges in Switzerland. Cross-Culture Coaching is explicitly designed for people navigating cultural differences, cultural shock, and identity shifts that accompany international relocation. Workshops and trainings are offered for groups or teams, typically in corporate settings, though the site does not detail specific workshop topics or availability.

The practice does not offer job placement, skills training, or employment counseling; it is coaching, not career consulting. The distinction matters: a coach helps you think through your own goals and decisions, while a career consultant might analyze the market and recommend specific paths. If you need direct advice on job search strategy in Switzerland or industry-specific career development, you would pair Shermeen's coaching with a recruiter or career counselor. If you are already employed or have a job secured and you are wrestling with the professional and emotional dimensions of moving and settling, Shermeen's coaching is directly relevant.

Pricing is not published on the site. You would need to contact Shermeen directly to discuss rates and package structure. Coaching engagements typically span multiple sessions rather than single appointments, and are arranged at a frequency that fits your schedule and her availability.

Testimonials on the site come from people Shermeen has coached. One client, an expat in Geneva relocating to the city, describes how Shermeen "helped me identify my emotions, overcome the stress and transition into adapting quite well into my new environment. It impacted positively my family and especially my professional life." Another, an HR consultant at Société Générale, credits Shermeen with helping her through a tough professional decision and teaching her to "identify and work on my needs, identify my talents and turn them into strengths." A third, a sales employee at Givaudan, notes how Shermeen helped her "convert my challenge into an opportunity to grow." These testimonials suggest that Shermeen works with professionals in multinational companies who are managing both international careers and personal transitions.

The website includes a blog where Shermeen shares articles on resilience, adaptation, and professional growth in relocation contexts. This content is free and can give you a sense of her thinking and coaching approach before committing to paid sessions. The blog's existence also signals that she is actively engaged with her practice and willing to share knowledge, rather than simply offering sessions.

One practical limitation is that International Coaching Solutions is a one-person practice. There is only Shermeen, so availability depends on her schedule and capacity. If you require coaching urgently and her calendar is full, you may face a wait. This is different from larger coaching firms or relocation services where multiple coaches can accommodate demand. It also means there is no backup or peer review of coaching approaches; Shermeen's methodology and interpersonal style are what you get.

The site does not detail how coaching is delivered (in person in Geneva, online, by phone). Given that Geneva is a primary location for arriving international talent and that Shermeen explicitly states she is "based in Geneva," in-person coaching in her office is probably an option, but you would confirm the logistics when you first contact her.

The approach is explicitly positive and forward-looking. Shermeen's self-description emphasizes optimism, resilience, growth mindset, and autonomy: "always be dynamic, optimistic, resilient, and have a growth mindset to reach excellence." This is a coaching stance that assumes your challenges are workable and that the goal is growth rather than just coping. If you prefer a coach with a more clinical or problem-focused approach, or if you are seeking therapy rather than coaching, Shermeen's orientation might not fit.

Resilience versus therapy

It is worth noting that coaching and therapy are different. Shermeen is a coach, not a therapist or psychologist. Coaching typically assumes you are functioning reasonably well and want to move forward on specific professional or personal goals. Therapy addresses deeper emotional wounds, mental health conditions, or trauma. If you are relocating and struggling significantly with anxiety, depression, or past relocation trauma, a therapist or psychologist might be more appropriate than a coach, though coaching and therapy can work in parallel.

Contacting and engaging

Shermeen can be reached by phone (+41 76 595 55 60) or email (info@internationalcoachingsolutions.com). There is a "Get in Touch" form on the website. You would typically have an initial conversation or intake call to discuss your situation and explore whether coaching is the right fit before committing to a series of sessions. This is standard coaching practice and allows you to assess whether Shermeen's style resonates with you.

Cross-cultural coaching in context

Shermeen's cross-cultural coaching focus is particularly relevant for arriving spouses and partners because this is often where the culture shock and identity disruption hit hardest. An employee relocated by a multinational employer may have corporate support, language training, and expatriate community access built into the move. A spouse following along may not. Cross-cultural coaching can help navigate the gap between your home country's workplace norms and Switzerland's, build professional networks in a language you may still be learning, and make sense of social patterns that feel opaque. The coaching is not a substitute for integration services (housing, schooling, language classes), but it addresses the psychological scaffolding that makes all those practical pieces manageable.