Lightning Path Counselling provides authentic healing

By Grant Cree

Gina Ratkovic and her business partner Mike Sosteric of Lightning Path Counselling offer authentic healing to clients across Sturgeon County. Both are qualified counsellors with years of experience. Ratkovic specializes in ‘Get-a-backbone life and relationship coaching,’ while Sosteric is a connection coach and spiritual mentor who delves into mysticism, religion and human spirituality.

“I call my approach a decolonizing approach to health and well-being,” said Ratkovic, who grew up as a working-class Indigenous person and co-founded Lightning Path. She practiced as a therapist for over a decade and experienced her own healing journey.

“I have studied health and well-being from multiple perspectives and have developed a professional helping style that utilizes traditional counselling methods and techniques with an emphasis on psychoeducation,” she said.

She describes psychoeducation as a healing method that combines cognitive-behaviour therapy, group therapy, and education elements. “The basic aim is to provide clients and families knowledge about various facets of the illness and its treatment,” she explained. “So you can work together with mental health professionals for a better overall outcome.”

Ratkovic views psychoeducation as foundational learning needed in effective healing work, yet it is often lacking in traditional therapy. “Think of it this way,” she explained. “Many people use traditional methods of western medicine and healing services, but they also supplement their healing with non-traditional methods. That’s how I see myself and the work that I do.”

Lightning Path Counselling is a home-based business serving a variety of clients.

“People who never thought they were in a toxic relationship, but being in the pandemic and staying home has really opened up a lot of family wounds,” said Ratkovic. “People are not able to cope or do not have communication skills to be able to advocate for their own needs.”

Over the years, Ratkovic has discovered her healing approach works with all kinds of people in different demographics. They range from middle and upper-class clients, ethnic clients, Indigenous, non-Indigenous and LGBTQ2+. “If you are tired of your toxic relationships, if you know you’re meant to be more but can’t seem to figure it out or if you are tired of not finding the right kind of help, I can help,” she claims on her website.

For more information or to book an appointment, visit www.lightningpath.org or phone (780) 292-2827 or email gina@lightningpath.org.