A packer assembly is located in a compacted wellbore and a method of relieving compression on the packer assembly are disclosed. An initial load path that exists when the packer assembly is in a set position is altered. The alteration of the load path relieves substantially all of the compression on the packer assembly. This causes a lower packer mandrel to move towards an upper packer mandrel. This upward movement shortens the distance between the upper packer mandrel and the lower packer mandrel, which removes the compressive forces on the packer assembly.