Hello! It’s Lindsey here on the Dóchas blog. I’m the business manager here at Dóchas Psychological Services, and I have personally experienced what an interprovincial move is like. To me, a word that sums up the feelings that come with this kind of move is displacement. Displacement implies that an object has been moved or displaced—a change in a position of an object.
I will gladly take the title of this “displaced object” because I am an object from Conception Bay South, Newfoundland.
We moved out here to Alberta for the same reason that many from the East Coast leave that beautiful place: to provide a better life for ourselves and our families. It really is true that Newfoundland is one of the top ten happiest and friendliest places in the world. But the economy hasn’t been great back home since the collapse of the cod fishery in 1992. Many people started to move out west because they never had much of a choice. We were raised in a simpler style of life, and the faster-paced style of life in the rest of Canada isn’t for everyone.
Many East Coast people who are living away from home live with homesickness from time to time. The past two-and-a-half years were especially hard during the COVID pandemic—not being able to travel there and not seeing family for a very long time was rough. And the recent price increases for flights, gas, and food make it very difficult to visit home too.
Not all of us are alike. Some have adjusted well to their new lives in a new place, while others really struggle with having their whole family so far away. For me, in a way some of my heart is still there, and the saying “home is where the heart is” is one of the truest statements ever said.
I am very grateful that we have great people in our lives and have made a new family here. But the reality is, the feeling of displacement is very lonely and takes a while to get used to.
However, here are a few tips that helped me navigate this move, and I hope they will help you too:
Know You’re Not Alone
The feelings and emotions that come with interprovincial moves are not talked about as much as the emotions that are involved with immigrating from one country to another. So it’s easy to feel that since moving from one province to another is not as “big,” or that you shouldn’t have so many emotions surrounding your move. However, you don’t need to minimize what you feel! While you might have moved within Canada, Canada is an enormous country with enough regional differences to make you feel displaced. The place you moved to might really feel like a different culture. And even if it doesn’t, the distance between you and those you love makes it hard.
In 2020-2021, 286,170 people moved within Canada. That’s a big number! You are not alone in your feelings of displacement. Just because we don’t hear about all the emotions that come with moving from one province to another, doesn’t mean many of us don’t experience them. Give yourself time to adjust. And if you get a chance, talk to others about where they’re from. You might find many have a shared experience of moving far away from “home.”
Find New Supports in Your New Home
Being removed from your social circle and supports is a big challenge with moving. I was fortunate to have a child, so I got to meet people through the school that she attended – and it just expanded from there. In addition, I now work with a great group of ladies. Kim has pushed me to get out of my comfort zone and attend Chamber of Commerce meetings and luncheons to make my name and face visible within the tri-region community where I now reside. Now, people can be like – oh there’s Lindsey – she’s the front line of Dochas.
So I’d suggest starting to build connections in the places you already are, such as work and school. But if you don’t have those opportunities, other options are to try to connect with groups in the community, or volunteer somewhere, so you don’t feel so isolated and new – or feel like you don’t belong.
It Takes Time
It takes time to get used to a new place. It takes time to build new connections. Take it easy on yourself if you don’t feel “at home” for what feels like a long time. You don’t have to figure out everything right away, or rebuild a new version of your life immediately. It may take some time for you to learn what there is to love in your new place. Give yourself that time.
I hope sharing my experience helps you navigate any feelings of displacement you might be feeling about an interprovincial move (or even an international move). There are a lot of feelings of loneliness and homesickness to navigate. And sometimes it is helpful to have a professional helping hand guide you through this experience—if you’d like to talk to one of the team here at Dóchas about what you feel, reach out to us. You can email us at info@dochaspsych.com, or call our main office at (780) 446 0300.
About Dóchas Psychological
Dóchas Psychological Services is a well-established and trusted therapy clinic located in Spruce Grove, Alberta. At Dóchas we value the idea that everyone deserves a safe space. Through connection and education, our team works hard to build a trustworthy relationship with each of our clients. It is our goal to create a community for our clients to feel like they belong.
Disclaimer
Information provided through Dóchas Psychological Services blogs or vlogs is meant for educational purposes only. They are NOT medical or mental health advice. You can read more about our disclaimer here.
