Hello! My name is Rhianna and I am looking forward to completing my internship with Dóchas Psychological. To know me is to know where I come from – and that is the island of Newfoundland! It possesses unique beauty and cultural ways of its’ own, fostering within me a strong sense of family, identity and belonging. It is also where I met my husband and obtained my undergraduate degree in nursing.

Growing up, healthcare has always been an interest of mine, and taking care of others comes very naturally to me. The majority of my nursing career has been in palliative and long-term care settings, meeting the needs of vulnerable individuals dealing with complex health challenges. This area of nursing also fosters a delicate balance of connection, compassion and support for the loved ones of those in my care.

Shortly after graduation, career opportunities for my husband led us to the bittersweet decision to move to Ontario and begin a life of our own. I always say we had one ‘normal’ year of adjusting to our new life before COVID happened, which brought some unanticipated challenges. During that time, with nursing demands higher than ever, and living away from family and friends, I found myself feeling a little lost in my life, struggling with an unhealthy work-life balance. We then decided to move to a place that would bring us closer to family, and continue to support our budding careers. This has brought us to the beautiful city of Spruce Grove! We have lived here for almost four years now and are thoroughly enjoying all that this part of the country has to offer.

When I am not busy with work or school, I enjoy walking, biking, going to movies, baking, quality time with my fur babies, family game nights, and traveling!