Katarina Osterlind shares her experience after Rhodes College
When Katarina Osterlind decided to make a career change in 2012, she had no idea that she would return to teach at the same school where she received her Professional Counsellor Diploma. Throughout her studies, she experienced significant personal growth, where she discovered her niche of grief counselling and passion for teaching others. Katarina describes her career as both an instructor and a grief and loss counsellor as being “Very touching, it’s very moving, very fulfilling.” (Osterlind, 2016)
Katarina isn’t the only graduate who found her true purpose through professional counselling training. Read on to discover what she and other alumni of Rhodes College have to say about life and success after Rhodes.
Life Before Professional Counselling School
After fifteen long years in the corporate world, Katarina felt uninspired by her career. “I was tired of the rat race” she recalls. However, although she had always wanted to become a counsellor, making the leap to a new career was daunting. “I didn’t think school was an option” she remembers, but with the support and encouragement of her partner, she decided to make the leap.
She explains, “For me it was a big career change, I was leaving the corporate world and going into what I’ve always wanted to do, which was to be a counsellor.” (Osterlind, 2016)
Many Rhodes alumni share a similar experience to Katarina’s before beginning their professional counselling courses. Rhodes alumnus and owner of Limitless Wellness Sarah Flynn had also been “working in a career I didn’t like and telling myself I should just be happy” before pursuing her passion of helping others. (Rhodes Wellness College, 2016)
The Transformational Impact of Rhode’s Professional Counselling Courses
At Rhodes College, experiential learning is at the forefront of the curriculum. Students are taught in emotionally safe and welcoming classroom settings, where they learn how to handle challenging real life client situations. Through their journey, students not only hone their counselling skills, but discover truths in themselves.
Under the expert guidance of her instructors, Katarina gained confidence in her skills, and discovered her niche and talent for helping clients dig deep and heal from loss. When remembering a specific instructor who greatly impacted her learning experience, Katarina says: “She is like my pillar, she is kind of the foundation for me. As are all of the teachers that I had at Rhodes” (Osterlind, 2016)
Bea Rhodes, President of Rhodes College, embraces an alumnus at the 20th Anniversary Alumni Reunion
Katarina isn’t the only student who felt impacted by the unique learning model offered at Rhodes. Holistic Wellness Coach and Rhodes alumnus Sue Murthi says, “Through the unique experiential model of learning at Rhodes, I was able to come to terms with my Self, understand the complexity of my Being, past and present” (Rhodes Wellness College, 2016)
After Rhodes College, Students Enjoy Fulfilling Careers They Can Be Proud Of
Graduates of Rhodes College often describe the fulfillment and enjoyment they feel in their careers. Katarina says that, “To me [grief counselling is] such a beautiful experience where I feel honoured, because a lot of people don’t want to do this. But I do, and I love it.” She explains, “It’s easier to share our happy thoughts and joys with people, but it’s not easy to dig deep. I just think when you dig deep there’s so much richness in there.” (Osterlind, 2016)
In addition to her grief and loss counselling, Katarina gives back to Rhodes College by teaching and helping future counsellors find their success. Her passion and happiness in her career is clear: “It’s just that I love people and to watch people dare to change, to grow” (Osterlind, 2016)
Another successful graduate, Nat Perry, finds her professional counselling training useful on daily basis. Nat says that “I use the training I received at Rhodes every day, both with my clients and in my personal life” (Rhodes Wellness College, 2016)
Jennifer Schramm, another Rhodes alumnus, even says that “Without Rhodes, none of this would have been possible. Rhodes gave me back my life, it gave me my start, my foundation, my career.” (Rhodes Wellness College, 2016)
Guests reuniting at Rhode’s College 20th Anniversary Alumni Reunion
Do you want to find your career calling at professional counselling school?
Contact Rhodes Wellness College today to learn more.
Works Cited:
Osterlind, K. (2016, 11 11). Professional Counsellor and Rhodes Instructor. (J. Stafford, Interviewer) Rhodes Wellness College. (2016).
Success Stories. Retrieved from https://www.rhodescollege.ca/resources/success-stories/
