Kristin Trick, MA, LCMHC, LPC-S, RPT-S is a therapist in private practice and specializes in the treatment of post-traumatic stress and anxiety disorders. She has worked in the psychiatric hospital, non-profit agency, and private practice settings over the past 10 years.

Moving to a new state is a daunting process. After several years of operating a solo practice in Texas, I relocated it along with my family to North Carolina.

If you’ve decided to expand your counseling practice into a new state, success depends on the steps you take before, during, and after the move. The following checklist is based on the lessons I learned during my cross-country transition to help you manage your relocation with minimal disruption.

The groundwork you lay before leaving your home state is the most critical for business continuity.

You’ll first need to decide whether to register as a foreign entity in your new state or domesticate your business from your home state into the new one. Filing as a foreign entity allows you to keep your original registration while gaining legal privileges to deliver services concurrently in the new state.

In contrast, domesticating into your new state means that your business will no longer be recognized as an active company in your home state; its identity will become tied to the new state.

I chose to foreign register in North Carolina because I didn’t want to lose privileges linked to my Texas-based business, namely my employer identification number (EIN), bank accounts, and insurance contracts. I’d developed a solid caseload and strong referral network over the years, and I’d lose the benefits of those assets if I didn’t maintain a legal connection to Texas. 

As you assess your options, consider whether you want to continue working with clients in your home state. Note everything connected to your current EIN and how you’ll manage the logistics if you surrender that number.

Confirm your eligibility for licensure in your new state. Make it your goal to submit all required documentation — such as fingerprint cards, letters of recommendation, and national exam scores — to your new state board before you leave your current one.

Likewise, review your home state board’s rules to verify your ability to practice from another state via distance counseling.

If you haven't already, incorporate telehealth sessions so you can bring your current caseload with you. Familiarize yourself and educate your clients about your virtual platform of choice so they can continue to work with you after you relocate.

Clinical continuity requires plenty of lead time. Give your clients 3 months of notice about your relocation and the break you will take during your move, and revisit the topic as your departure date approaches. 

Schedule at least 4 weeks off to make the move, and notify clients of when they can expect to hear from you to book new appointments. Compile a resource list with links for coping skills and directives on what to do in emergencies, to review with your clients the month before your absence.

Limit your expenses to the essentials and strive to increase your number of appointments in the weeks leading up to your move. These strategies will help to protect you financially when you’re unavailable for sessions but still need to pay for subscriptions, services, and applications.

Update your referral network of your moving date and plan to continue business. Deliver letters, preferably in-person, which include this information along with advantages you can offer (i.e., ability to offer evening appointments from a different time zone or receive clients in their caseload who’ll be moving to your new state).

Contact your insurance network managers to make sure you can continue services with existing clients after you move. Ask specifically if they require anything other than an active license and an updated insurance contract for that state. 

To ensure you continue receiving important communications, register for a mail forwarding service. If you don't have a new office yet, you might ask a trusted colleague if they’ll let you share their business address until you’re established. 

Relocation is physically and emotionally taxing. To resume counseling in a healthy state of mind, you must prioritize your own transition.

Once you are established, focus on growth and community integration:

Though we sometimes use the terms "gamble" and "risk" interchangeably, there is a substantial difference. A gamble is often reckless and short-lived; a risk is something that has been carefully evaluated, planned, and executed.

The expectation with a calculated risk is that the benefits will eventually outweigh the costs. Relocating your counseling practice to a new state is certainly a risk, but using a structured checklist can help guide you steadily through to the other side.