Montana, here I am…
Why I uprooted my family this year…
While it may sound like a scary transition; my family and I uprooted to Montana this year. The transition has been amazing and long-awaited. I was already licensed as a Mental health professional in Montana, and we planted roots back in 2020. My son, who is only 4 years old, has been loving the move and the transition. However, with uprooting comes its challenges. Moreover, creating a better life for my family and a more fluid lifestyle is why I chose to make the leap! There are many reasons why people uproot themselves and plant seeds elsewhere. The reasons we chose included, happiness, a better us, and helping those in need of mental health services in Montana.
What it takes to move
The growth mindset that comes with transition (s) included a belief that I can always improve, grow my skills as a therapist, wife, and a mother. When moving to a new(ish) environment, this quality is a useful tool to have with you. If you can adapt to a new environment, be able and willing to change your standards, life will be what you had hoped for. Deep self-awareness came with the transition of uprooting. Besides the cultural shock, way of living, and slowing down some (which is what I signed up for); has come more resiliency, a well-balanced life -one in which I feel very much aligned with, and productivity.
Is Relocating Good for Your Mental Health?
Moving gives you an opportunity to reinvent yourself – to become the person you always wanted to be. When you live in the same place for a long time, you develop a network of friends, family, and connections – but also have the tendency to get stuck in ruts. And these ruts can create chaos and havoc. Can moving out of state increase your happiness and overall well-being? Likely yes, if it comes with general improvements in your living environment, social network, and work-life balance. But it's far from a cure-all, and you're unlikely to notice a change in how you feel if your move doesn't offer more than just a superficial change in scenery. The change that we created was a big one and I am looking forward to the new connections that are going to be genuine connections and do not include the superficialness that comes with California. I get to experience life differently and create a life for my son who will learn the Montanan way of life – easy paced, new perspectives, and a culture that calls itself family.
What are therapist saying?
Some therapists, borrowing a term used in Alcoholics Anonymous, call frequent moving “pulling a geographic,” seeking external changes to change internal problems. I assure you, that is not what I did. I moved for peace, tranquility, and an easier way of life. Also, this is my first time out of state. So, welcome, Montana. Thank you for taking us in!
Written by: Lital Diament BBH-LMFT-LIC-56973, a mother, wife, and a therapist