I have been working with Third Culture Kids (TCKs) since 2005, and conducting research since 2012.

While my Masters thesis (2017) was completed in an academic setting, I have chosen to do most of my research outside academia and publish online and in book form. This allows me to look at broader topics and ask questions that TCKs, Adult TCKs, parents, and caregivers want answered—and share the stories TCKs want to tell. The research I do (both qualitative and quantitative) is key to the work I produce as an author and speaker. My first book was published in 2016 (see more about it below) and I have three more book projects currently underway.

RESEARCH YOU CAN TAKE PART IN

TCK TRAINING SURVEY OF ADULT tCKS

I am coordinating TCK Training’s current research on the experiences of globally mobile Third Culture Kids. If you are over 18 and lived outside your passport country for at least one year (or lived in more than one country) before age 18, we want to hear from you! We are looking at difficult experiences and positive experiences, what builds resilience, and the strengths and struggles Adult TCKs see in their lives. 46 countries are already represented and we hope to see more!

Researchers and mental health professionals Karina Lagarrigue and Jennie Linton are doing research toward developing "Best Practices for counseling and coaching the Globally Mobile Population!" This new survey will help better understand what's working and what isn't in counseling and coaching for TCKs and expats. Anyone who has lived internationally and has received mental health support, such as counselling or coaching, is invited to participate in this important (and anonymous) survey.

Current RESEARCH projects

My main project is writing a guidebook for adults who wish to unpack the legacy of their cross-cultural childhood, to investigate the ways this has shaped them, become comfortable in their own unique skin, and create an integrated life that works for them. I have completed >120 interviews and an initial survey of >800 adult TCKs; additional research will follow in 2024. Look for the new survey in the second half of 2024, and the book in late 2025!

My co-authored book for Australian TCKs, “Thongs or Flip-Flops?” will cover the specific experiences of Australians living overseas, what it is like repatriating to Australia, wrestling with what it means to be ‘Australian’, and how Australian TCKs learn to be adults - in Australia or elsewhere in the world. I led both qualitative and quantitative research for this project, which is represented in the text. Look for it in March-April 2024!

I am the Director of Research and International Education at TCK Training, a US-based company and leading provider of preventive care and support to TCKs of all ages, as well as their parents, teachers, other caregivers, and sending organisations. I was lead author on three white papers published in 2022/2023 all of which are available for free on the TCK Training website, along with a series of blog posts breaking down the data by sector and education type.

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supporting my work

I believe in the great importance of the research and writing work that I do, but this is work that comes without a salary. I have a Patreon account, where patrons who share this vision sponsor my work, helping me financially so I can devote more time and effort to what amounts to volunteer work on my part. These patrons receive a few benefits, chief among which is exclusive information from my on-going research and sneak peeks of where my writing is headed. For $2 a month you too can become one of my patrons, and hear all the latest about my research and writing. Higher tiers include benefits such as a handwritten postcard from me, submitting a question to be answered as a blog post on this website, and discounts on my workshops.

 

MISunderstood: The Impact of Growing Up Overseas in the 21st Century

Misunderstood is my first book, published in 2016. It explains the TCK childhood experience to those who have not experienced it. It also provides TCKs with validation and recognition: others felt the same way they did, and their feelings and experiences make sense in context. I have received countless emails and other messages from teenage and adult TCKs who read my book and were astounded that others had put their own thoughts into words, and found comfort and understanding they believed was impossible.

Misunderstood is based on a decade of experience working with TCKs in Asia, along with hundreds of interviews with TCKs around the world and an original survey of 744 adult TCKs. Whether you grew up overseas, are raising children overseas, or know a family living abroad, Misunderstood will equip you with insights into the international experience, along with practical suggestions for how to offer meaningful care and support.

Buy it now: paperback or ebook

What experts are saying about Misunderstood:

  • “Misunderstood is a must-read for anybody trying to deepen their understanding of the TCK experience and how international mobility affects a child. Tanya Crossman’s collection of unique real-life stories will not only resonate with TCKs, but will also inspire empathy and understanding for anyone who has ever transitioned.”

    Valerie Besanceney, International Education Consultant and Author

  • “If I were moving overseas with my kids today, this is the book I’d want in my hand luggage. Misunderstood updates the gold standard of TCK research for today’s families, weaving detailed information together with compelling personal narrative, giving a voice to this generation of kids growing up overseas, and fostering understanding with those who love and care for them.”

    Kay Bruner, MA Licensed Professional Counselor and Author

  • “It’s hard to imagine a more thorough – or more thoughtful – treatment of the dynamics of being a TCK. Crossman’s survey results alone make this an invaluable contribution to the field, but it is the compelling voices of TCKs themselves, generously cited throughout, that will leave a lasting impression. Anyone who is a TCK or who cares about them will find insights on every page.”

    Craig Storti, Director of Communicating Across Cultures and Author of many books