Kristina Dargan

Registered Psychologist
Adults, Couples
As featured in
Energetic, empowering, and witty. Kristina helps you untangle life’s challenges and turn insight into action.

About Me

I see therapy as a place to get curious about the “pile under the rug” – – the thoughts, emotions, and habits that build up and weigh you down. Together, we’ll sort through what’s there, keep what’s useful, and learn how to handle the next pile before it grows. I bring humor, warmth, and practical tools to help you move from awareness to change.

Clients often say therapy with me feels like a real conversation rather than being “talked at.” I share psychoeducation in plain language, stories, and metaphors so ideas land. I’m not easily shocked; my own life experience helps me understand how people cross lines they never expected to. Instead of judging the details, I focus on the process underneath, patterns in thinking, shame, avoidance, or emotional overwhelm. We use curious questions and simple tools to catch, check, and change those patterns, aiming for progress over perfection as the pile gets smaller.

In our work, you can expect:

  • An honest, down-to-earth space that feels approachable and human.

  • A mix of curiosity, humor, and action-oriented conversations.

  • Practical strategies for managing stress, emotion, and mindset.

  • Support that feels collaborative, energizing, and encouraging.

 

People tend to experience me as an insightful catalyst – someone who brings bubbly energy, warmth, humour, and clear tools to help you move forward with confidence and resilience.

Kristina Dargan

Types of Support Offered:

  • Addiction and Substance Use
  • Anxiety and Overwhelm
  • Childhood Trauma
  • Inner Child & Attachment Healing
  • Trauma and Stress Recovery (PTSD)
  • Depression and Disconnection
  • Self-Esteem / Self-Confidence
  • Guilt and Shame
  • Grief and Loss
  • Stress and Burnout
  • Couples Counselling
  • Relationship Conflict
  • Intimacy & Connection
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • LGBTQIA2S+ Concerns
  • Anger Management
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
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Kristina One Life Counselling Calgary

How will I know if you are a good fit for working with me?

I am going to challenge you as a means of facilitating new patterns and personal growth.
If I am the right fit, you are going to feel safe and super comfortable with me while I do that. That said – the process of therapy may not always feel comfortable while we are deep in the trenches, but you should continue to feel like I’m in your corner – championing you to make it through to the other side.
If you find that it is not the right fit, I will take no offense and help you to find a Calgary psychologist on our team whose style resonates for you!

Why did you decide to become a therapist?

As a person in recovery from addiction, I know how difficult it can be to pull yourself out of a dark place. Years ago, I had to learn the value of stepping into the discomfort of asking for help and embracing vulnerability. Through therapeutic intervention, a lot of support, and a TON of hard work, I was able to pursue a healing journey that I never thought possible and achieve a profound dream of mine: Helping others on their own healing journey. To suffer in life is painful and often inevitable; however, there are always valuable lessons to be learned through suffering. It can be a wonderful tool for growth.

Academic Credentials:

Psychologists in Alberta are required to hold a graduate-level degree in psychology that satisfies the academic criteria of the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP).

  • Masters of Arts in Counselling Psychology, Yorkville University
  • Bachelors of Arts in Psychology, University of Victoria

Professional registration:

  • Registered Psychologist, Province of Alberta: Registered with the College of Alberta Psychologists. Practice Permit Number: 7113

Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy With Me

Who do you work with, and what’s it like to be in a session with you?

Hi, I’m Kristina! I specialize in supporting individual and couples clients age 16+.

As a person in recovery, I have experienced a whirlwind of chaos and struggle, which significantly increased my empathy and compassion for all people. After all, there is always a reason for why people do the things that they do!

A key goal of mine in pursuing this field was to help people feel less alone, as I felt very alone for a long time. I am a human first, therapist second! I am very open and honest about who I am, as I have learned through therapy that there is nothing to hide. Shame and guilt are not welcome here! I am keen to help you embrace this mentality as well!

I have an energetic and fun personality and aim to always embrace authenticity in our sessions together. I invite authenticity and work to create an environment where you feel safe to just be YOU and make no apologies for it.

If you’re looking for a personable, energetic, and creative therapist, I’d love to connect!

What do individuals generally find challenging about the process of therapy?

I’ve heard a lot of people say that they fear judgement when pursuing therapy and worry about disapproval from the therapist. I can absolutely assure you… it is simply not in my nature to judge anyone. I can promise you a safe and welcoming space with zero judgement whatsoever and am keen to help as best as I can!

Therapy requires stepping into vulnerability and this can definitely be a challenging mental hurdle to overcome. To share your inner thoughts and experiences with another person requires trust, mutual respect and understanding. Sometimes it can be difficult to find someone you feel safe enough around to really open up and embrace blatant honesty, as this can bring up a whirlwind of emotions.

“The night is darkest just before the dawn” – Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight (yes, this is my favourite movie).

What training or specializations complement your work with individuals?

Humans are unique and what may work for one individual may not resonate with another. Through an integrative approach, I use concepts from cognitive behavioural, solution-focused, narrative, dialectical behavioural, mindfulness-based, and accelerated resolution therapies to guide my practice and help clients heal from issues that limit their ability to step into their power. I’ll walk alongside you to increase awareness of your emotions and to accept them with compassion, hold that inner critic accountable and gently introduce a more balanced view incorporating both logic and emotion, process traumatic experiences, increase the quality of their relationships and embrace real and authentic relaxation through the use of mindfulness interventions.

If you are experiencing distress due to anxiety, depression, trauma (PTS or PTSD), phobias, addictions (among others), I have training in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) that can help to replace negative images and sensations with positive ones of your choosing.

Through the use of eye movements similar to eye movements that occur during dreaming or rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, ART reprograms how distressing memories and images are stored in the brain so that they no longer trigger invasive and distressing physical and emotional reactions.

What training or specializations inform your therapy approach with couples? What’s unique about your style?

Dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) is a modality that has been very helpful for couples. DBT can help you increase your skills around effective communication and boundary setting, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and utilizing mindfulness as a coping mechanism.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help couples become more aware of how their thought processes influence their behaviours. This can help to identify unhelpful patterns deriving from your cognitive processes which can lead to behaviours that can become problematic in relationships. CBT is also helpful to discover core beliefs about oneself that have developed over time as a result of life experiences. Couples have found it to be a rewarding and enlightening process to delve into how you THINK and how this has the potential to facilitate a decrease in the quality of your relationships.

How long will it take to see results or changes?

I wish I had a definitive answer for this question; however, this is very much up to you. The brain is a muscle, just like any other part of the body. If you want that muscle to become stronger, it is crucial to keep working it! That means practicing the tools in between sessions and committing to your growth. The more you practice, the easier it becomes to see lasting and sustainable changes in your life!

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We can help connect you with psychologist or therapist who understands your experience and your needs.

“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” 

— Nelson Mandela

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