Who is SOAR
The Design Thinker, The Psychologist & The Artist
Once upon a time three friends wondered if anyone else would like to see how high they could soar, to realize a life filled with purpose & meaning, free of negative mind traps & full of creative possibilities.
Maybe they just needed a bit of a lift.
The Design Thinker thought: what if a person could realize they have the tools within themselves to connect their values to lead them intentionally towards purposeful living.
The Psychologist thought: what if a person could move past limiting self doubts and see that within there are wonderful possibilities waiting to be discovered.
The Artist thought: what if a person could live a creative life and reconnect with the joyous play they felt in childhood but later released for a proper grown up life?
The Design Thinker, The Psychologist & The Artist thought, what if there could be a way to combine an opportunity for value, without the baggage of negative mindset encapsulated within a creative outlook on life.
And thus SOAR was born.
We believe you are meant to SOAR.
Our Story
Rhonda, Nancy & Karen have been friends for over 20 years. They've met every Wednesday in the gorgeous, wild Millcreek Ravine in Edmonton to run or walk but mostly just to enjoy each other's company in a most revitalizing setting. They've been through thick and thin, discussing life matters and trying to figure out WHAT ACTUALLY MATTERS along their journey together.
Meet The Soar Team
THE SOAR TEAM
RHONDA WEBSTER
The design thinker
DR NANCY HURST
The psychologist
KAREN McCALLUM
The artist
Founder and CEO of Suite 101, Rhonda is a serial entrepreneur whose current consulting work focuses on developing and managing change for organizations in Edmonton, Alberta. She has designed and facilitated workshops that improve organizational productivity through enhancing personal connection.
Her use of design thinking as a tool to support change is rooted in her fundamental value that empathy is key to successful growth. It is here where design thinking teaches and develops knowledge enabling the user to marry divergent and convergent thinking to become a value creator.
Rhonda is an alumnus of the Royal Road University’s Bachelor of Commerce in Entrepreneurial Management program where design thinking was implanted into her cortex and grew rapidly.
Nancy is a registered psychologist with over 30 years of experience assisting people through challenging times. She is passionate about supporting people to learn, heal and grow.
She brings a warm, caring presence to her practice recognizing that a safe therapeutic relationship is essential for change. Nancy looks for what is right with people believing we all have strengths we can draw upon.
Nancy created Compassionate Counselling Wellness Centre with psychologists, dieticians, and social workers. Compassionate Counselling is nestled in a home-like office just off Whyte Avenue.
She is co-creator of the The Second Steps, a podcast which discusses how to take the second step from wherever you are in your life. She is nourished by nature, friends and feels most joyful in the company of her family, which includes 2 fur babies.
Nancy completed her doctorate specialising in counselling psychology from University of Alberta.
Karen grew up in Edmonton, and was usually found playing like a free-range kid in the Millcreek Ravine near her home. That playful exploration of the outdoors fostered a deep appreciation for the Alberta landscape.
She's forever curious to explore processes and mediums that may help her express herself. She believes everyone has a creative side they can tap into--sometimes with a little help.
She works primarily in acrylics but she'll dabble in anything messy and fun which explains her new addiction to making pottery.
After 20 plus years of being an artist in residence at elementary schools in and around Edmonton, Karen now paints full time and hosts occasional workshops.
Karen holds a BA and a BEd from the University of Alberta. She is an Active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and sits on the board of the local chapter.
