The Travel Psychologist

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The Travel Psychologist

The Travel Psychologist is written by UK‑trained Psychologists who love exploring the world.

We provide trustworthy, psychologically informed content for self‑aware travellers who use their journeys to support wellbeing and personal growth.

08/04/2026

NEW: When a “generous” family holiday comes with unspoken rules, old roles, and gendered expectations, it stops feeling like a break. This week’s letter is about protecting your children, supporting your partner, and finding your voice in someone else’s house.

"Dear Dr Charlotte I’m a dad of two young children, and every summer we spend a chunk of our holiday at my in‑laws’ villa. On the surface, it’s a huge privilege — a beautiful place, no accommodation costs, and a chance for the kids to spend time with their grandparents. I am genuinely grat...

03/04/2026

Film tourism isn’t just about “seeing where something was filmed.” It’s a psychological pull: the stories that shaped us, the characters we grew up with, the places that feel familiar long before we arrive. From narrative transportation to parasocial bonds, screen locations can feel like stepping back into a world that once held us. But not all motivations are deep — some visits are simply for the photo. In this piece, I explore the full spectrum of why we travel to the places we’ve only ever seen on screen.

Dr Charlotte Russell, Clinical Psychologist and Founder The psychological pull of visiting film and TV locations is substantial. We can see just by the numbers that people are spending a lot of money and time visiting the places they've seen on screen: A 2021 BFI report found that two‑thirds of to...

01/04/2026

This week on Dear Dr Charlotte, we’re exploring a dilemma that so many women quietly carry: the judgement that comes with travelling solo when you’re married.

Why it provokes such strong reactions, what those comments really reveal, and how to stay grounded in the relationship you actually have — not the one others imagine.

A thoughtful one this week, and one I know will resonate with many.

"Dear Dr Charlotte I’m a married woman in my late thirties, and I’ve always loved travelling. It’s been part of who I am for as long as I can remember — the planning, the exploring, the feeling of being somewhere new. My husband is lovely and supportive, but he just doesn’t share the same ...

26/03/2026

NEW: Check out my guide to this atmospheric city that makes a great weekend break. Proving (including to me) that we don't always need a flight or a long time away to feel restored!

This guide contains affiliate links. This means that if you book through the links provided this blog may receive a small commission at no cost to you. York is one of those rare small cities that feels instantly transporting. Its city status dates back to its medieval importance, and you feel that h...

25/03/2026

Sometimes the hardest part of a holiday isn’t the planning — it’s the pressure we quietly put on ourselves to be the “easy” one, the flexible one, the one who keeps everyone happy.

If you’re afraid of letting your friends down on a trip, it’s rarely about the itinerary. It’s usually about old roles, unspoken expectations, and the fear of being “too much” when you finally need something different.

Here’s the truth:
You don’t ruin a holiday by having preferences, limits, or moments when you need space.
You ruin it by disappearing yourself to keep the peace.

Travelling with friends isn’t about performing ease.
It’s about being real, being human, and trusting that the friendship can hold it.

"Dear Dr Charlotte I’m writing because I’ve realised that one of the biggest sources of stress for me when I travel with friends isn’t the destination or the planning, it’s the fear of disappointing everyone. I love my friends, and they’re genuinely kind people. But when we go away togethe...

20/03/2026

NEW: You’re allowed to step away, refill, and return softer.

In her latest article, Elise Dyer unpacks the emotional weight of mum guilt — and why solo travel can be an act of care, not escape.

By Elise Dyer, Clinical Associate Psychologist & Clinical Lecturer I'm sitting in a café in Istanbul. The coffee is exceptional. The pastries are warm and buttery and everything a pastry should be. I'm alone, reading and not checking my phone constantly. I'm fully present in this moment. And immedi...

18/03/2026

Why do so many couples find themselves arguing on holiday — even when things feel steady at home?

This week’s Dear Dr Charlotte letter comes from someone who feels blindsided by the way tension seems to appear the moment the suitcase is zipped. What unfolds is something many people quietly experience: the pressure to “make the most of it,” the loss of routine, the unspoken expectations about what a “good trip” should look like.

In my response, I explore why travel can activate parts of us that stay quiet in everyday life, how mismatched assumptions shape the mood of a trip, and why none of this means your relationship is in trouble.

If holidays sometimes feel more emotionally complicated than you expected, this one might resonate.

"Dear Dr Charlotte, I’m writing because I’m confused by something that keeps happening when my partner and I go on holiday. At home, we get along well; we communicate, we laugh, we’re generally steady. But the moment we go away together, it’s as if some invisible switch flips. We start bicke...

13/03/2026

Today I explore the psychological drivers of overplanning and this can get in the way of our enjoyment of our trip. I share my tips on how to reduce overplanning and make space for curiosity, spontaneity and restoration.

Dr Charlotte Russell, Clinical Psychologist and Founder Many of us start planning a trip with the best of intentions: we want to make the most of our time off, avoid stress, and squeeze in as many meaningful experiences as possible. But somewhere along the way, planning can tip into overplanning; le...

11/03/2026

Introducing Dear Dr Charlotte — a new column exploring the emotional life of travel.

Because so many of our dilemmas on the road aren’t really about itineraries or packing lists, but about identity, permission, relationships, and the stories we carry with us.

Our first letter is one so many people quietly relate to:
“I feel guilty spending money on travel. Is this normal?”

In this week’s response, I explore why guilt so often appears around pleasure, how family narratives shape our sense of what we’re “allowed,” and why something joyful can feel emotionally complicated.

Dear Dr Charlotte, I’ve noticed a pattern that’s starting to bother me. Every time I even think about booking a trip, I get this tight feeling in my chest, like I’m doing something I shouldn’t. I’ll spend hours looking at flights, imagining myself wandering around a new city, feeling that ...

06/03/2026

NEW: More and more travellers are listing the number of countries they’ve visited; a modern badge of honour in our bios and feeds. But what’s really going on beneath the surface? This article unpacks the psychology of counting, comparison, and the quiet pressure to ‘collect’ experiences.

Dr Charlotte Russell, Clinical Psychologist & Founder There’s a particular kind of travel conversation that reliably appears online: How many countries have you visited? For some, it’s a playful metric, a way of tracking memories or setting personal goals. For others, it’s become a badge of ho...

28/02/2026

A few thoughts from me in this insightful piece for BBC Travel

Train Street started life as a razor-thin alley with a train rushing through it. Now, it's swarmed with Instagrammable cafes and tourists who can't stay away, despite the risks.

27/02/2026

This week, regular contributor Elise Dyer writes about how Istanbul’s colour, noise and movement helped her see the quiet rhythms of Cornwall with new eyes. Sometimes it’s only when we step away that home reveals its own kind of beauty.

By Elise Dyer, Clinical Associate Psychologist & Clinical Lecturer There is a particular kind of magic that happens when you return from travel. Not the intoxicating magic of the journey itself, with all its newness and wonder, but something quieter and more grounding. For me, it came as I stepped b...

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