Kalua Rhody, M.A., R. Psych

Kalua Rhody View Specialties

  • Registered Psychologist
  • Paramount Psychology & Counselling 10418 99 Avenue Unit 103, Grande Prairie, Alberta, T8V 0S3
  • Phone: 780-532-4944
  • Send A Message To Kalua.
  • Session Fees: $220/hr
  • This member is also available for online counseling.
  • Online-counseling methods: Phone, Webcam


PHILOSOPHY
"The wound is the place where the light enters you"~ Rumi

We all have pain. Many of us spend our whole lives avoiding it. We numb out with substances, food or other distractions. We over-think, over-work, over-spend, over-compensate to prove ourselves worthy and forget. These strategies can work...until they don't...and then we are faced with a critical dilemma: face the wound and set ourselves free, or go back to sleep and let it swallow us. 

All the epics from cultures across the globe explore opposing forces of darkness and light. The heroes and heroines venture "into the belly of the whale" and emerge stronger, wiser and more resilient as a result of their arduous journey. For thousands of years humans have been telling this story, as it speaks to the universal human experience of hardship, the inner journey and the hope we all have for redemption and freedom.

I believe that therapy is often pretty epic. We journey into the shadow, into the crevices that we've long forgotten, so we may face our demons and reclaim the power they once had over us.

It's true that people also seek counselling to receive coaching around an important life decision, receive guidance on how to achieve personal or relationship success or find more balance in life.   But often my clients are looking for more than that. They are unravelling in some way and looking for something deeper, something real, something that they know is possible but is just out of reach...

To discover true freedom requires one to be curious, honest and resolute with a dose of humility to boot. To grow, heal and become the 2.0 version of oneself necessitates time, energy and commitment. It involves taking the plunge, digging deep and choosing to believe that you will come out the other side the person you’ve always wanted to be.

From Marcel Proust: "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes".

 Are you ready to wake up from the trance and voyage with me?

SPECIALIZATIONS
In my 16 years of practice, I have had the privilege of helping countless individuals and couples to:

-Manage stress and anxiety
-Communicate effectively and resolve conflict for healthier and more fulfilling relationships
-Let go of fears, anger or sadness that keep depression entrenched
-Learn to set boundaries and be assertive
-Navigate and adjust to life transitions & changes
-Move through grief and loss
-Heal from abuse and childhood wounds
-Develop inner strength and courage
-Achieve work-life balance
-Cultivate self-compassion, self-forgiveness and self-love
-Discover passion and purpose

APPROACH
I will support you in gaining clarity and learning how to release the conditioned beliefs and behavioural patterns that limit and sabotage your best efforts.

We begin by establishing a safe, confidential and collaborative working relationship where we identify key problems, set goals, clarify underlying feelings, discover patterns and learn practical tools to enhance well-being and healing.

Throughout our time together, I will listen, guide, encourage, and challenge; I will offer therapeutic insight, interpretation and feedback when appropriate; suggest relevant assignments, activities and direction in therapy; and provide recommendations on how to improve the quality of your life in a simple and sustainable way.

In order to meet your unique needs, I draw from and integrate a variety of mind-body therapeutic modalities including: EFT tapping (an effective technique that utilizes the meridian system to reduce nervous system distress and install positive beliefs); Cognitive Behavioural Therapy; Solution-Focussed and Constructive Therapies; Psychoeducation (I offer readings and education on relevant research & psychological concepts); EMDR (which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, used to process trauma); and a variety of somatic resourcing and relaxation techniques (including diaphragmatic breathing, mindfulness practices and guided meditations).

When offering relationship counselling, I draw from attachment theory and have been trained in the Gottman Method for Couples Therapy; the Bader-Pearson Developmental Model for Couples Therapy; Terry Real’s Relational Life Therapy, and more.

Studies show that more important than any technique is the therapeutic relationship; one in which you feel supported enough to take the steps—and sometimes leaps of faith—necessary for healing. Thus, my primary intention as a therapist is to co-create the kind of space that allows you to get vulnerable, be bold, and take meaningful action in the areas of your life that matter most.

 Again from Rumi: "Stop acting so small. You are the universe in ecstatic motion".

Let's venture together!

ABOUT ME
Prior to becoming a therapist, I began my education in Montreal at Concordia University where I received a Bachelor's degree in Human Relations, Anthropology & Psychology. I went on to obtain my Master's degree in Counselling Psychology at McGill University in 2008. Shortly thereafter I moved out to Grande Prairie to start a new chapter of my life in the Peace Region.

I love yoga, sound baths, the Redwood Forrest, cooking, travelling, HGTV, trying different cuisines, people watching, furry animals, watching the sunrise & sunset, starry nights, witnessing growth, seeing the good in this world, spontaneous dance parties with my kids, and spending quality time with my wonderful husband of 16 years. 


Kalua Rhody Reaches

Grande Prairie AB