From civil servant to vacataire, clinical psychologist and super mum

I moved to France from Portugal in 2021, after my husband João, 43, was offered a sports retail job in Lille. Initially we expected the role to be temporary, so I had not fully considered what I might do for work. However, when he was offered a permanent position everything changed. 

I graduated from Lisbon in 2003 with a degree in clinical psychology, before joining the army as a psychologist. I worked in that role for seven years, while studying for two master’s degrees. In 2009, I also began a degree in international relations.

In 2013, I moved on to a role in the civil service, where I worked for several different departments, including international affairs and human resources.

When we arrived in France, I took some time to settle the children into their schools and deal with the administration of the move, which was not easy during the Covid-19 pandemic. I was also held back by my level of French, despite having studied it at school.

My husband’s firm allocated a placement coach to help out. She advised how to present my CV, as well as carrying out mock interviews. I also attended French lessons twice a week at Alliance Française.

Despite having several degrees, I was unable to use them until they were validated by the French authorities. This took two frustrating years and involved a great deal of personal cost, as many of the documents had to be translated. 

When I finally received my accreditation in 2021, I applied for a specialised course in clinical neuropsychology at the Université de Lille two days a week to refresh my skills.

In the meantime, I wanted to find work. This proved difficult because I had no network in France. Over time I began to make connections, including with a professor at a Lille-based language school. 

She offered me some work teaching Portuguese and English to French people. While I had never taught languages before and am no fan of grammar, I do like talking to people, so I accepted.

I worked in this role until July 2025, also taking on a part-time role as a vacataire (a qualified person who is not a teacher but gives specialised courses in their subject) at the Université Catholique de Lille. 

Working in a university is a dream come true. I love education, and mixing with the teachers and students is wonderful. 

In Portugal I would not have been able to teach at a university unless I had a PhD – and even then it is almost impossible to find a job, as people tend to work their entire lives in one location, so vacancies are rare. The job market in France is much more mobile. 

In October 2025, I also started my private practice as a clinical psychologist.

Outside of work I have a very full life. I volunteer at my children’s schools as a parent référent (parent representative) for special needs children and help out with the scouts, as well as volunteering with an association called Super Mamans which supports new mothers.

While my children now speak fluent French, I have been careful to ensure they keep their native tongue too. This is part of the reason I also volunteer with a French Brazilian association, supporting activities for children who speak Portuguese, or who are learning the language. 

Moving to France has been life changing, particularly when it comes to my career. When I worked in the civil service, I craved variety. 

Now, working and volunteering in a number of roles means that no two days are the same. Some days I am studying, some days I am working as a psychologist, on others I am teaching. 

On Wednesdays, when both my children are home from school, I am a stay-at-home mum. It is a great life as I have the best of all worlds.