Moving to a New City: From Houston to Austin

It’s been almost six months since I’ve made the move from Houston to Austin, and it has definitely been one of the best decisions I’ve made. Moving from Houston to Austin might sound like a small or easy transition (with Austin being only 2.5 hours away from Houston), but it was somewhat of a big deal for me since I’ve spent almost my entire life in Houston.

Towards the end of my time in Houston, I was starting to feel pretty restless and just overall ready for a new experience. I felt like I had gotten to a place in my life where I was feeling really confident and accomplished in many areas, and I finally had the time (and energy) to actually ask myself “do I really want to be here? Do I even want to live in Houston anymore?”.

Being in Houston made sense for a long time, and for many different reasons. I attended graduate school there, and afterwards I kept finding great job opportunities in Houston. The cost of living was also relatively low compared to other big cities, which was definitely something I had to take into consideration as I moved through my career as a therapist earlier on. Finances were not abundant as I attended grad school and accepted low paying jobs for a few years afterwards to gain experience and work towards my clinical licensure.

I also had my family and friends in Houston, and as I was building my career as a new therapist, I began to make plenty of connections and friendships with other therapists in Houston. Houston always felt like home, and I didn’t really think twice about leaving…until last year.

A lot began to change during the last few years I spent in Houston. Life took some unexpected turns, many of which I am now so grateful for, and I witnessed loved ones and close friends go through many life changes as well (kind of like the second-wave of quarter life-crises/awakenings, yet in your 30’s).

One of the biggest changes for me was leaving my job at a group practice to start my own private practice. Because my private practice is completely online, I had this new sense of freedom that led to me questioning where I actually wanted to live (remote work will do that to you!).

Austin felt like a big enough change, but not so much that I would be starting over completely. I’ve always loved Austin, and always envisioned myself living here eventually. I do have family here as well, and have easily made plenty of new friends since being here. I’ve found that when you put yourself out there consistently, and really want to connect with like-minded people, you’ll find them. Having a dog definitely helps too, especially being somewhere that is such a dog friendly city.

Although it hasn’t been a major adjustment settling in Austin, change can definitely bring up a range of thoughts and emotions. It challenges you to step outside of your norm and lean into a new type of discomfort, and that can bring up many other questions. It can also lead to so much growth, if we let it.

There are some things I do miss about Houston (mainly my family, friends, and my favorite restaurants), but I have found my place in Austin so easily that I don’t imagine I’ll ever move back. It’s also comforting that Houston is only a short drive away. It’s been an exciting new challenge to put myself out there to make new therapist friends as well (so necessary - especially in private practice).

If you’ve been thinking about making a change lately, or have recently moved to a new city like Austin or Houston, I hope you recognize how much courage that takes and how much opportunity can come from a new beginning. We all deserve to create a life we’re proud of, and that includes not settling in any one area of life - including where we choose to live. Even the act of checking in with ourselves consistently, asking those important questions like, “am I happy with where I’m at?” or “what might need to change?” is what creates an intentional, well-lived life.

Online Therapy Services in Houston, Austin, and throughout Texas

If you are looking for a therapist, feel free to explore my website to see if we might be a good fit to work together. My approach is trauma-informed, person-centered, and grounded in humanistic and existential philosophy. I work with young professional women navigating anxiety, relationship struggles, and life transitions.

Please note: this blog post is for educational purposes only and is not a replacement for mental health therapy.