Intrinsic Psychology – Cristina Kalas, RPsych

I became a psychologist for a number of reasons. I always knew that I wanted to help others. Caring for and attuning to others’ needs has always been intuitive and natural for me, even from a very young age. Later on in life, as I began to direct this compassion towards myself, I recognized that my own sense of identity, and caring for that self, was equally as important as the generosity of ensuring others were doing okay. I began to notice that my own difficult emotions, my own anxieties, were no longer something to be feared or fixed, but a signal to be utilized and valued. A sign that tells me that perhaps I am not living in a way that is congruent with my authentic self, my beliefs, my needs, and my values. Through self-exploration, vulnerability, and acceptance, I began to see that peace, contentment, fulfillment, and happiness become more automatic when we begin to honour who we are and what we believe in.As a psychologist, I strive to help my clients attune to themselves. To notice their values and their purpose, which may be, or have been, hidden for a variety of reasons. They may have felt a need to protect themselves, or developed a belief that it was not safe to express their feelings. Perhaps they felt a need to defend themselves by fighting back or building a tough skin. Maybe they feel a need to ensure others approve of them by being what others, the world, or even a part of themselves, feel they should be. Identifying who we are, learning to trust our intrinsic self, and developing the courage to stand in our truth, I believe, are all at the core of living an authentically fulfilling life. No matter what concern, struggle, or trauma an individual is experiencing, we all long to be seen, heard, and understood exactly as we are. My journey lies in helping individuals remove anything that lies in the way of their greatness and to help them identify and nurture who they have been all along.”