As a military family, you’re used to packing up your life every time a Permanent Change of Station or PCS order is served. It makes you experts in the art of starting over, whether nearby, in another state, or in a foreign country where you need to adapt to another culture.

In the process, you say a heartbreaking goodbye to a comfortable and secure life in which you’ve carefully nurtured relationships, connections, and networks. Even if you’re used to relocating and uprooting the family, the moves can still be daunting and scary. According to HealthStatus, moving is rated as the third highest cause of emotional tension, next to divorce and the death of a loved one. A PCS sending your entire family to a new place is a major change that will overwhelmingly disrupt your life.

The Upside of a Military PCS Move

Permanent changes of station are something that many military families have embraced as a way of life. With each move comes an opportunity to meet other people and establish new relationships. Each new duty station opens the door to fresh learning and growth. Each unfamiliar set of surroundings teaches you the flexibility to live outside your comfort zone. Each new adventure molds you to become a better person.

This constant movement not only provides new destinations, but is also a rich field of experiences you can share with others. It pushes you to try new things and dream bigger than your past aspirations. If you want to embrace your new community and forge strong relationships, regardless of where a PCS takes you, you are not alone in this challenge. Other military families have succeeded, and you too can achieve a positive and enjoyable life in your new home.

Weathering the Challenges of a PCS

It is, however, easier said than done. In reality, moving to new locations is stressful no matter how often you have done it. While families outside the military may decide to move after thorough consideration and to a location they choose, this is not the case for a military family.

Those three little lettersPCS, mean big changes are about to happen in your life. Even in the best of circumstances, heading across the state, country, or world is difficult. You may dread the upcoming move and resent the fact that you’re relocating to a place where you have little information and no support to rely on. Each PCS move involves a lot of emotions that can be tough to handle. Seeking help from a professional to guide you through the difficult feelings may be beneficial.

Asking for Help

It is always tough to get started in a new location, but it can’t be that bad when you think about the countless other families in the same situation. It is important to remember that many share your struggles. You, too, can rise above the challenges and take each PCS as a unique opportunity to become a better person, spouse, and parent.

Asking for help may provide you with wonderful insights and the resilience to overcome these challenges. Asking for help is smarter than trying to figure things out and manage your feelings alone. Asking for help not only offers many ways to start over, it also allows you to see fresh opportunities to welcome and enjoy the new chapter of your military life.

The Place to Get Started

It’s easy to feel lost in the shuffle in a PCS move, but you can take the shortest route to a smooth transition by seeking help. Of course, you want to embrace the changes and reinvent yourself after moving to a new location, but it can be difficult to know where and how to start. While friends and community members may be able to help, you can’t go wrong in choosing to seek aid from a professional.

The help you need to get started is available at Carolina Counseling Services – Southern Pines, NC. Seeking counseling from one of our independently contracted therapists will allow you to form new and better perspectives on your new life. With help from CCS – Southern Pines, NC, you can see your PCS move in a new light and come to realize that there’s a whole new world waiting to be explored and conquered. All you have to do is call CCS – Southern Pines, NC to schedule your first appointment.

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