A woman sits in the doorway of her camper van, smiling at a small Chihuahua perched on the bench inside. The van’s cozy interior features a green cushion, white cabinets, and floral wall art, creating a welcoming and serene space.

It wasn’t just one moment, but a gradual realization that I didn’t want to keep doing what I was doing. I was feeling drained from work and stuck in the same weekly routine. My housing situation felt stagnant, and I knew I needed a change. I began asking myself: How can I live a life more aligned with what truly matters to me? What would need to change for me to experience more meaning and fulfillment?

As I began exploring new possibilities, I realized that both van life and private practice offered the autonomy and freedom I had been longing for. From there, my journey toward van life and private practice began.

Discovering Autonomy: My Transition from a Traditional Job to Private Practice

I knew I wanted to transition out of my Monday-through-Friday, eight-to-five job. For me, this structure was draining, leaving me unable to recharge. The only time I felt truly connected to myself, centered, and grounded for an extended period was on the weekends. It was a cycle that kept repeating, and eventually, it became unsustainable for me.

I began reflecting on my values and what truly nourished and recharged me. Autonomy and living at my own rhythm were central to my needs, simple things I couldn’t attain on someone else’s schedule. At that point, I realized I wanted to work for myself. There are many ways to live autonomously and at your own pace, and for me, that path ultimately led to opening my own private practice.

I began exploring what private practice could look like for me, knowing I wanted to offer one-on-one, online therapy. I was fortunate to work at an agency that allowed me to open my practice while still employed there. This enabled me to gradually build my practice while maintaining a steady source of income. As I transitioned into private practice, I gained the flexibility to create my own schedule, see as many or as few clients as I needed, and work with the clients I felt most aligned with.

Finding Balance: Tiny Living, Travel, and Nature

During this time, I was also reflecting on my housing situation. After years of apartment living, I felt stagnant and ready for a change. I began exploring the tiny living lifestyle. As a minimalist, I prefer environments with fewer distractions and less stimulation, which drew me to the idea of simplifying my life.

While exploring tiny living, I realized that travel might be the remedy for the stagnation I was feeling in my housing situation and could easily integrate with my virtual practice. I considered various options since there are many ways a traveling therapist can live. During this process, I realized I still needed my own consistent space to come back to and that having a home base was essential for me. A camper van was the perfect balance: the freedom to travel while still having a place to call home, all while maintaining my virtual practice.

Another significant reason for my decision was my desire to spend more time in nature. Being outdoors has always centered and grounded me, and I knew that integrating nature into my daily life would be essential to my well-being. A camper van allowed me to do just that by giving me the flexibility to immerse myself in the outdoors.

With the process of building my private practice in motion and the decision to pursue a camper van as my new home and office, I left my agency job, moved out of my apartment, and began the van conversion journey.

The Van Conversion Journey

For the past two years, I’ve been living with my parents while my dad and I converted the van. The conversion was a challenging process, both mentally and physically. With no prior experience in building, I embraced the challenge of learning new skills, from woodworking to electrical work, painting to plumbing. Not only did I gain a lot of new skills; I also have a deeper knowledge of how everything works, which gives me more confidence in my ability to maintain my van. More importantly, the process taught me how capable I am of learning and achieving things I never thought I could.

Camper van interior with white cabinets, green seating, and wood flooring. The kitchen includes a sink, stovetop, and fridge with a floral backsplash. A bed is positioned at the rear near windows, and overhead cabinets offer additional storage.

Clarity, New Beginnings, and the Road Ahead

Leaving my stable job for private practice, along with embracing a nontraditional lifestyle, hasn’t felt as daunting as I expected. Instead, I feel a deep sense of clarity. This process has taught me to recognize what clarity feels like for me and to trust myself. Letting go of what I thought I should be doing and turning toward what I truly wanted allowed everything to start falling into place.

I’m excited to begin this new journey of van life and private practice. This next adventure feels like a new chapter, and I can’t wait to share it with you all.

I invite you to join me on this journey of exploring how to foster a life filled with meaning and fulfillment, wherever we are—Subscribe to my blog below for news and updates, and follow along on Instagram, where I’ll be sharing more moments from life on the road.

My New Journey: Embracing Van Life and Private Practice