A place to talk through the practical and personal side of a move, before, during or after it happens. Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW), Canadian Certified Counsellors certified by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) and supervised therapists. Psychologists regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP). In person in Edmonton and St. Albert, and virtual across Alberta.

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You Might Be Wondering Whether Moving Stress Counselling Is Right for You

You may be asking yourself whether a move is really a reason to talk to someone. People move all the time. Maybe you chose this move, or even wanted it, so it can feel strange to admit that it has been harder than you expected. Nothing is wrong, exactly. It just feels like a lot.

Perhaps the new place still does not feel like home, months after the last box was unpacked. You might catch yourself snapping at the people you moved with, or looking at photos of the old neighbourhood late at night. Or you may be holding things together for everyone else while quietly wondering who you would call here if you needed someone.

Reactions like these make sense. A move can change your routines, your surroundings, your responsibilities and your relationships all at the same time. Feeling relief and sadness together, or excitement and doubt in the same afternoon, is an understandable response to that much change. It does not mean you made the wrong choice, and it does not mean something is wrong with you.

If you are trying to decide whether speaking with someone could help, this page may be a useful starting point. It explains what moving stress counselling looks like here, what the research can and cannot tell us, and what the practical steps involve. If you are reading for a partner, parent or child, most of it applies to them too.

Who We Help

Moving stress counselling may be a good fit for:

• People getting ready to move who feel stretched by the decisions, costs and logistics involved
• People who have already moved and are finding the adjustment slower or harder than they expected
• Couples and families whose routines, roles or communication have shifted since a move
• Newcomers to Canada adjusting to a new language, culture, workplace or set of systems
• Students, workers and retirees starting a new chapter in a new city or neighbourhood
• People whose move came with another change, such as a separation, a new job or a loss
• Parents wondering how a move is affecting their child or teen
• Family members or friends gathering information on behalf of someone else

This service may not be the right fit for:

• Immediate safety concerns or crisis situations. Please use the crisis resources below.
• Legal, forensic or documentation needs. Reports for court, immigration proceedings, custody matters or workplace claims are outside this counselling service. Psychological assessments are a separate service and are not part of moving stress counselling.
• Moves that followed an evacuation, disaster or frightening event. These can involve more than everyday adjustment. If this applies to you, mention it when you contact the clinic so the team can talk with you about which service and clinician may suit your needs.

If You Need Help Right Now

Counselling appointments are booked in advance. Routine counselling and website communications are not emergency services, and messages may not receive a real-time response. For an immediate safety concern, call 911, attend the nearest emergency department, or contact a local crisis service.

• 911 for immediate danger
• Alberta Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642 (24/7)
• Family Violence Info Line (Alberta): 310-1818 (24/7, toll-free), including if you are planning a move to get away from someone who is hurting you or your children
• 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 9-8-8 (24/7)

Wholesome Psychology is not an emergency or crisis service.

What Moving Stress Counselling Is

Moving stress counselling is a collaborative space to talk about how a move is affecting you. That might include the practical pressure of planning, the adjustment to a new place, changes in your relationships, or what the move means for your sense of belonging. Sessions are shaped around your goals rather than a fixed script.

It is also helpful to know what this service is not:

• It is not a legal service, an investigative process or crisis intervention.
• It is not real estate, financial or immigration advice. Your therapist will not tell you whether to move or where to live.
• It does not include a psychological assessment. Assessments are offered as a separate service.
• "Moving stress" is an everyday phrase, not a diagnosis, and you do not need a diagnosis to start counselling.

You set the pace. You decide what to talk about and how much to share. What you discuss is confidential within limits set by law, and those limits are explained at your first session (see Confidentiality and Privacy below). Each clinician works within their own training and professional regulations. If your needs fall outside their scope of practice, they can talk with you about other options.

Signs the Stress of Moving May Be Affecting You

There is no checklist that decides whether a move "counts." Still, some people notice patterns like these:

• Missing your old neighbourhood, friends or routines more than you expected to
• Feeling relieved and sad at the same time, and not sure which feeling to trust
• Second-guessing the decision to move, even when it made sense on paper
• Finding everyday decisions harder than usual, or losing focus at work or school
• Having a shorter fuse at home, or more friction with a partner, children or roommates
• Feeling like an outsider in the new place and unsure where you fit
• Feeling worn down by the to-do list: paperwork, school registration, utilities, boxes
• Pulling back from friends far away because keeping in touch takes more effort than it used to

Canadian public education resources describe strong feelings after a big move or a sudden relocation as normal, at least for a while (Canadian Mental Health Association British Columbia [CMHA BC], n.d.; Government of Canada, 2024). Having some of these experiences does not mean something is permanently wrong. It often reflects how much has changed at once. If they are lingering or getting in the way of daily life, structured support may help you sort through them.

How Treatment Works Here

• Find your therapist. You can use the Match with a Therapist tool, browse Our Therapists to read individual profiles, or call the administrative team at 780-904-4880 for help choosing.
• Book your first session. Your first appointment typically covers informed consent, how confidentiality works and its limits, and a conversation about what brought you in and what you would like to focus on.
• Build your plan together. You and your therapist decide on goals and a direction that fits your situation. Your input shapes the plan.
• Ongoing sessions. Sessions are 50 minutes and usually weekly or every two weeks. Frequency can be adjusted as your schedule and needs change.
• Progress check-ins. Your therapist reviews how things are going with you regularly, and the plan can change as your needs do.

There is no fixed number of sessions. Counselling is collaborative, and your voice matters at every stage. You can read more on the Getting Started with Therapy page.

Evidence and Approaches

Research on counselling designed specifically for everyday household moves is limited. The sources reviewed for this page are Canadian public education resources rather than clinical trials, and none of them shows that a particular counselling method reduces moving stress. The areas below reflect what those sources do support. Your therapist can talk with you about specific approaches that fit your goals, preferences and the scope of their practice.

Talking It Through With a Counsellor

What it helps with: Making space to put words to the mix of feelings and pressures that can come with relocating.

Evidence summary: A Canadian resource on newcomer stress describes talking with someone, including a counsellor, as one way to cope when strong feelings after a big move do not settle (CMHA BC, n.d.). Federal guidance on evacuations similarly suggests reaching out for professional help if feelings become overwhelming or last a long time (Government of Canada, 2024).

Limitations: Neither source is a clinical study, and neither tests counselling for everyday moves. One focuses on immigration and the other on emergency evacuation.

Routines, Priorities and Practical Planning

What it helps with: Sorting through competing demands and rebuilding daily structure when old routines no longer fit.

Evidence summary: Federal mental health guidance for people relocated by evacuation encourages keeping a daily routine where possible, focusing on what is within your control, and setting priorities and small daily goals (Government of Canada, 2024). In counselling, ideas like these can be discussed and adapted to your own move.

Limitations: This guidance was written for emergency evacuations, which differ from a planned move. It offers practical suggestions, not evidence that a specific counselling method works.

Connection, Belonging and Communication at Home

What it helps with: Rebuilding a sense of belonging, and talking through strain at home, when familiar supports are farther away.

Evidence summary: Public health guidance encourages staying connected with family and social support networks during and after relocation (Government of Canada, 2024). For newcomers, CMHA BC notes that making new friends, learning new systems and missing home can all add strain, and that the stress of moving can affect relationships between partners or family members (CMHA BC, n.d.).

Limitations: These are public education resources, not outcome studies. They do not show how much counselling itself changes belonging or relationships.

What Results to Expect

Adjusting to a move rarely happens in a straight line. Many people have good weeks and harder weeks, and a hard week does not mean you are going backwards.

• Some people notice shifts within a few months. Others benefit from longer-term work, especially when a move overlaps with other changes.
• Some people come for a small number of sessions focused on one decision or one transition. Others continue as the move settles in.
• Outcomes vary. They can depend on the reasons for the move, how much choice you had, what else is changing, the support around you, and the fit with your therapist.
• No counselling service can guarantee a particular result.

Therapeutic fit matters. If the match does not feel right, changing therapists or trying a different approach is always an option.

Confidentiality and Privacy

What you share in counselling is confidential. Confidentiality and its limits are reviewed as part of informed consent, so you will know how your information is handled before you share anything personal.

Psychologists at Wholesome Psychology are regulated by the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP) and follow the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists. Privacy of personal and health information is governed by Alberta law. Private clinics in Alberta are generally subject to the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). The Health Information Act (HIA) applies where a clinician or organization is a custodian of health information under that Act. Your clinician can explain which applies to your care.

There are legal exceptions where information may need to be shared without your consent, including:

• A risk of serious harm to yourself or someone else
• Suspected abuse or neglect of a child, which must be reported under Alberta law
• A court order

Your clinician will explain these limits clearly during your first session. You are welcome to ask questions about privacy, records or virtual sessions before you share anything personal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to explain everything about the move, or what led to it?

No. You decide what to talk about and how much detail to share. Some people want to talk through the reasons behind a move. Others prefer to focus on what is happening now, such as the routines, decisions or relationships that feel hard this week. Your therapist will follow your lead on pace.

Is what I share kept private?

Yes, within limits set by law. Those limits include a risk of serious harm to you or someone else, suspected abuse or neglect of a child, and a court order. Your clinician explains these at the first session, and you can ask questions before sharing anything. The Confidentiality and Privacy section above has more detail, including the Alberta privacy laws that apply.

How many sessions will I need?

There is no set number. Some people come for a few sessions around a specific move or decision. Others continue longer, especially when a move is tied to other changes in their life. You and your therapist review progress regularly and decide together what makes sense.

What if the therapist is not the right fit?

Fit matters, and it is reasonable to want a different match. You can tell your therapist, or contact the administrative team at 780-904-4880 to talk about other clinicians. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

Can I do counselling online?

Yes. Virtual sessions are available for people across Alberta, which can help if you are between homes or still settling in. The same confidentiality standards apply to virtual and in-person sessions.

Is moving stress a diagnosis?

No. "Moving stress" is a plain-language way to describe the pressure and adjustment that can come with relocating. You do not need a diagnosis to start counselling, and your clinician can talk with you about your concerns without assuming one.

Can my partner or family come to sessions with me?

That may be possible, depending on your goals, the clinician's scope of practice and availability. Some people start individually and later explore couples counselling or family issues counselling. The administrative team can help you figure out which option fits.

We moved to Canada recently. Is this a reasonable place to start?

It can be. Moving to a new country can involve adjusting to a new language, culture, workplace and set of systems, all while missing people and places back home (CMHA BC, n.d.). Counselling can be a space to talk about that adjustment at your own pace. You may also find our cross-cultural issues counselling page helpful.

Meet Your Clinicians

Wholesome Psychology's team includes Registered Psychologists, Registered Provisional Psychologists, Registered Social Workers, Canadian Certified Counsellors (CCCs), Mental Health Therapists and Student Therapists. All psychologists are registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Registered Provisional Psychologists practise under the supervision of a fully registered psychologist while they complete the requirements for full registration. Registered Social Workers are regulated by the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW). Student Therapists are master's-level practicum students who provide reduced-rate counselling under supervision.

Areas of focus vary from one clinician to another. Each profile on the Our Therapists page describes that clinician's experience, so you can look for someone whose work fits a move, a life transition, ongoing stress or grief and loss. The Match with a Therapist tool can narrow the options, and the administrative team at 780-904-4880 can help if you are unsure.

Children, Teens and Moving

A move can mean a new school, a new bedroom and leaving friends behind, often without the child having much say in the decision. Federal guidance on evacuations notes that children may react to sudden upheaval differently than adults, partly because they may not fully understand what is happening (Government of Canada, 2024). A planned move is not the same as an evacuation, but the reminder that children show stress in their own ways can still be useful.

• Wholesome Psychology offers counselling for children and youth, including adolescents and young adults.
• Therapists who work with younger clients use age-appropriate approaches, such as play, conversation or activities suited to the child's stage.
• Clinicians work with parents and caregivers so the support continues at home, not just in sessions.

If You Would Like to Talk Through a Move

Whether you are planning a move, in the middle of one, or still settling in long after, you can take the next step in whichever way feels easiest:

• Book a session online
• Match with a therapist
• Call: 780-904-4880
• Email: info@wholesomepsychology.ca
• Read about Getting Started with Therapy

Starting the conversation is enough. New clients may access their first session at 50% off to help find the right therapeutic fit.

References

• Canadian Mental Health Association British Columbia. (n.d.). Newcomer stress: Big moves are hard but there is help. https://bc.cmha.ca/documents/newcomer-stress/
• Government of Canada. (2024). Evacuations and your mental health [Health Canada publication]. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/evacuations-mental-health.html