Rita Kalanovics

Hi! I‘m Rita Kalanovics.

I am a speech-language therapist based in Utrecht. I work part-time in an amazing international IB school in Utrecht as an Inclusion Specialist. As a freelancer I work as a speech-language therapist and voice coach with individuals and groups to guide them in finding their effective, comfortable speaking voice and feel good in their own skin.

When people around me ask me the simple question What do you do?, I always find it challenging to answer, because I’ve always liked stepping into different projects and experiences.

What HangarofVoice is

One of my main projects is HangarofVoice. Together with Fruzsi (see her below) we co-lead workshops related to voice, speech, and self-expression.

We are both curious minds who like to experiment with voice, body, and PLAY.

Past participants include different international communities and individuals. We‘ve worked together with individuals, a burn-out group based in Amsterdam, female expats, and a refugee community in Amsterdam Science Park.

My personal voice journey

During my university studies I took several speech & voice training classes, with more or less success, but the deeper journey with the voice began when I met Fruzsi. One of my great friends was describing her stickwork method to me & I had the feeling that I want to see `this woman with her sticks`with my own eyes. Our private sessions together were eye-opening, fun, light & deep at the same time, but most importantly, they were never embarrassing. I never felt that I had to perform, prove, or showcase myself in any certain way.

Looking back at my notes from that time, I always left that space with a smile, high on dopamine, with the feeling that I can do absolutely anything in this world.

For a long time, I was struggling with building healthy habits. I knew perfectly well as a speech therapist the power of small everyday practices, yet I struggled to implement my own habits and the practices learned into my busy everyday life. Nowadays, it doesn’t feel like practice anymore. It makes me feel good in my own skin. It helps prepare me (professionally and personally) for all the beautiful humans who I meet along the way.

My story – what changed in me

That period of my life & these past 3 years taught me so much.

I finally started taking up my space.
I started believing in myself for real and trusting that I am capable.

I started enjoying the process more: in my new workplace, in dance, and in everyday life…

I always had a bold, reckless attitude towards jumping into things and figuring them out as I go, but these experiences gave me the push to restart, rebuild, and reform an entrepreneurship in a new country I had moved to less than a year earlier.

I also became more aware of my boundaries (still a lifelong learning process, I feel).

I went to intensive voice & body training in Poland, which gave me so much: spending time with yourself, facing all the things that come up – crying, joy, all of it.

By peeling away all the different layers, I finally learned not to force or rush anything.

My mission / beliefs

We have a saying with Fruzsi that we are playful humans who like to live in the moment and have a good time! I want to guide people into becoming more playful and not taking life too ****** seriously.

My aim is to help people slow down a little. To help people believe that they are already good enough. To guide them into taking up their space. To reconnect with themselves, their voice, and their body.

Fruzsina Horváth