Boulder is an amazing and wonderful place to live – with fantastic weather, amazing people, spectacular vistas and incredible places to visit, hike and ski just outside your door. But if you have recently moved here you might be having some trouble feeling the awe and wonder around you. You might be feeling numb, angry or unsettled instead. These are totally normal feelings. Anytime you move there is an adjustment period – even if your new location is amazing. Many clients are also confused by their response to their move because they wanted to move to Colorado; they worked hard to make this move happen. How confusing to then be mired in sad and troubled emotions.
I believe that it is important to understand a normal reaction to a relocation. Typical responses to the stress of moving include:
– feeling anxious
– difficulty sleeping
– feeling weepy and tearful
– feeling shut down or numb
– feeling like you have lost your identity
– an increase in fighting with your spouse
So many clients ask how long will it take until they feel like themselves again. I believe it takes three years to feel fully settled into a new city. I realize that this sounds like a terribly long time to have to endure these feelings which at times feel intolerable. Having recently relocated from Washington, DC to Boulder with my family I have a full understanding of the complexity of moving – how it affects one personally, emotionally, professional and in your relationship.
While therapy cannot speed up this process of settling – it can help you to gain perspective on the emotions and teach you coping skills for the anxiety, depression and fatigue that comes with any big change. If you are interested in talking about how individual therapy might help you or your relationship after a move, please contact me for a free consultation.
– Ashley Seeger, LCSW
