Life as a traveling health care professional is thrilling, filled with new experiences and endless exploration. However, amidst the adventure, many bear the same heavy weight – a feeling of loneliness and missing out while on the road. A nomadic career means leaving behind social circles, friends, family, and the comfort of familiarity; leading to depression, anxiety, and isolation. As a fellow travel nurse and board-certified Holistic Nurse Coach who specializes in working with travelers, I have witnessed the burden of loneliness on many travelers. With a lack of resources available for helpi ..read more

My Story Hi, what’s up? I'm Chelsea Gallagher — a travel occupational therapist, solo female traveler, yoga instructor, free diver, and aspiring entrepreneur. Over four transformative years, I've fused my love for occupational therapy with my passion for exploration, seeking pediatric contracts in breathtaking destinations like Alaska, Hawaii, and the US Virgin Islands. Fuelled by an adrenaline rush, I've embraced heart-pounding adventures that have left an indelible mark on my journey. Yet, it's the connections and communities I've formed along the way that truly&nbs ..read more

I swore I would never get a dog as a traveler. I had every intention of getting one in the future... but once I was settled somewhere, not traveling. Having a pet comes with responsibilities, and in my head I believed these responsibilities would be doubly difficult on the road and would limit the possibilities of what I could do while I lived this lifestyle. It was not until my third contract when I was living with two other travelers with dogs that I realized that it is way more doable than I thought, and before I knew it I was getting a puppy of my own. That was back in 2020 ..read more

Are you a healthcare professional who dreams of exploring new places, meeting diverse patients, and embarking on exciting adventures? If so, a career as a traveling healthcare professional might be the perfect for you. I started my travel nurse journey over nine years ago and still think it was the best decision of my life. In this blog post, I will guide you through the nine essential steps to becoming a traveling healthcare professional. Lets dive in!  ​ Education and Licensure: Start by completing the necessary education and training for your healthcare profession. Whether you're p ..read more

Being a travel nurse, something that I love the most is the freedom and ability to explore new places both in the form of new cities while on assignment, and leisure vacations in between contracts. I love planning trips and finding unique experiences to do within that destination! ​ Over the years, I've made some expensive and timely mistakes, but also researched and learned lots of great tips and tricks for traveling both domestically and internationally. Check them out below! Be Loyal. Something I was told a long time ago and wish I did sooner- pick an airline or hotel chain & alw ..read more

To be completely honest, I started looking into travel when I was still in grad school. I knew that I wanted to work with the pediatric population for the duration of my career so my first concern was how to become a travel PT and still only work in pediatrics. I almost put the idea of travel on hold because it didn’t seem like there were enough short term travel contracts with peds to be able to get back to back placements. However, that’s when I began considering traveling as a school-based physical therapist.  ​Right off the bat, I found that there were quite a few pros and cons to th ..read more

As a travel nurse, I often tell people that I live my best travel life 13 weeks at a time, which is typically the length of one contract. Thirteen weeks in a new place are full of ups and downs – the excitement of starting over, the horror of realizing you’re starting with zero other people in your social network, meeting new people and finding friends and having a grand old time, and then all of a sudden, your contract is over and it’s time to start the process all over again in a new city. It’s this cycle fueled by the adrenaline of everything and everyone shiny and new, made even knowing y ..read more

Four years ago, I decided to take the leap into the world of traveling as a healthcare professional. I was scared, nervous, and constantly anxious at how my life would play out with so many uncertainties. I wasn't worried about starting at a new hospital or uprooting my life, my true fear was being alone in a new city without any friends............. ​ Unlike some of my peers that I have encountered and interacted with, I did not have a whole lot of friends growing up that I could call upon. I knew I would have to put myself out there and meet people as I explored each new location, whet ..read more

The title is a little daunting. It’s never easy to step out of your comfort zone or overcome loneliness but being lonely can really take a toll on your emotional, mental, and sometimes even physical health! As an extrovert, I thought traveling would be a piece of cake. I accepted my first assignment thinking it would be great and everyone would be nice and helpful,  however,  I was wrong. 12 hours into my contract, I was canceled. I was sad and defeated, with it being my first contract, I thought, “This is it, I’m going to be staff forever.”  I wallowed in self pity for about ..read more

The process of downsizing can be daunting and overwhelming. You may be asking yourself: How do I even get started? What do I keep and what do I give away or donate? What happens to my keepsakes and personal items? This blog is how my husband Jacob and I downsized from our 3,000 square foot home to a 25 foot travel trailer... At the start of COVID in April 2020 we stopped doing travel contracts and moved across the country back home to be closer to family. We bought a house and quickly discovered we did not have enough furniture, decorations, outdoor supplies and miscellaneous odds and ends fo ..read more