Meet Dr. Crystal Dittrick (she/her), Founder and Clinical Supervisor of CARE Psychology.

I am a Registered Psychologist, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor™, Certified Play Therapist Supervisor™, and Certified EMDR Therapist™ with over 20 years of education and experience in working with children, youth, adults, and families.

From a young age I have always loved helping people and watching them grow. I knew I wanted to be a psychologist after my very first psychology course in high school. I have a Ph.D. in Counselling Psychology from the University of Calgary and a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology from the University of British Columbia.

I provide psychological services to children, adolescents, adults, and their families, including both treatment and assessment. I believe in a strengths-based, creative approach with a focus on understanding and building relationships. I integrate a variety of therapeutic approaches in my work including Client Directed, Outcome Informed Therapy, Play Therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), Narrative Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Family Systems, and Mindfulness practice.

I am the clinical supervisor of CARE Psychology. I enjoy teaching and mentoring psychologists through supervision in our clinical practice. I am a Play Therapist Supervisor (Registered Play Therapist Supervisor™ and Certified Play Therapist Supervisor™) and am working towards my certification as an EMDR consultant (EMDR Certified Therapist and EMDRIA Approved Consultant-in-Training). I consider myself to be a life-long learner and continue to update my practice based on the latest evidence of what works for the people I serve.

I have experience providing counselling, assessment, and psychological services in a variety of settings including schools, mental health services, community clinics, and private practice. I have presented for various schools, organizations, and parent nights, national and international conferences, and written peer reviewed articles on the topics of child and adolescent mental health, bullying, peer relationships, social emotional learning, and mindfulness.

I am a mom of two incredible boys and grew up in a family with three sisters. I spend much of my free time with my family. A creative person at heart, I enjoy crafting, hosting family events, baking, watching movies, and playing with my kids.

Meet Dr. Crystal Dittrick (she/her), Founder and Clinical Supervisor of CARE Psychology. I am a ... Read More

Meet Dr. Christina Fernandez Conde (she/her)

I am a Registered Psychologist. I hold a Doctorate in School and Applied Child Psychology from the University of Calgary and have over ten years of experience supporting children and youth in schools, hospitals, community clinics, and private practice in Canada and Mexico.

I have a passion for working with children and youth. I love helping them understand how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours influence their well-being. My goal is to help individuals thrive by overcoming challenges using a strengths-based approach.

As a therapist, my practice is rooted in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and I integrate Play Therapy, along with other approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy skills to foster resilience. I am currently working towards becoming a registered play therapist. I strive to create a supportive and collaborative therapeutic environment that honours diverse backgrounds, cultures, and experiences.

When conducting assessments, I work with families to better understand their child or adolescent’s reasoning abilities, learning skills, and overall development. I also explore social, emotional, and behavioural concerns to identify neurodiversity, including autism, intellectual disabilities, ADHD, learning, mood, and behavioural disorders. My approach to psychological assessments focuses on identifying strengths and providing personalized recommendations to support each child’s unique needs.

My core values that guide my practice: Honesty, trustworthiness, respect, and collaboration.

Outside of work, I enjoy reading, watching movies, travelling, and spending time with friends and family.

Offers Services in Spanish ¡Hola! Me llamo Cristina y tengo un doctorado en Psicología Escolar y Aplicada por la Universidad de Calgary. Ofrezco servicios de terapia y evaluación para niños y adolescentes. Si estás buscando trabajar con una psicóloga que hable español, puedes agendar una cita conmigo.

Meet Dr. Christina Fernandez Conde (she/her) I am a Registered Psychologist. I hold a Doctorate ... Read More

Meet Kristina Jelinkova (she/her)

I am a registered provisional psychologist with a passion for supporting children, adolescents, and adults. Currently, I am completing my Doctoral degree at the University of Calgary where I earned my M.Sc. in School and Applied Child Psychology.

I have worked in the mental health field for more than ten years. Throughout this time, I received quality training and extensive experience in psycho-educational assessments in areas of cognition, academics, behaviour, social-emotional functioning, and neurodevelopmental conditions. In therapeutic approaches, I integrate components of Play Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), EMDR, and Mindfulness practice to best support each person and their unique strengths and needs. In all my work, I take a collaborative and strengths-based approach. I value building positive relationships and working together to identify concerns and highlight strengths. My goal is always to meet you where you are and help you feel empowered moving forward. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my loved ones, exploring new games and books, and attempting to take my cat on walks.

Meet Kristina Jelinkova (she/her) I am a registered provisional psychologist with a passion for ... Read More

I am a Canadian Certified Counsellor (C.C.C.), a Counselling Therapist with the Association of Counselling Therapy of Alberta (ACTA), and a Registered Nurse (RN). I have a Master’s in Counselling Psychology, plus degrees in Nursing and Health Science with a focus on Child Studies.

I have spent over a decade working in the mental health field, supporting people of all ages in a variety of settings. I am especially passionate about working with children, teens, and anyone who has experienced trauma. Alongside my formal training, I have continued to learn and grow in areas that support deeper trauma processing and healing.

In my work, I draw from several approaches including Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), CBT, DBT, EMDR, expressive arts, mindfulness, and therapeutic play. When working with kids, I often lean into creative tools like art and play - They can offer a safe and meaningful way to express feelings. I particularly enjoy utilizing the expressive arts in my work with children as it can be a means of non-verbal expression, exploration and emotional processing and provides a way of communicating things when words are hard to find.

At the heart of it, my approach is collaborative, person-centered, and grounded in a trauma-informed lens. I aim to meet you where you are at, hold space for your story, and support you in finding the strengths and tools that help you move forward.

When I am not in session or working toward becoming a Registered Provisional Psychologist, Certified EMDR Therapist, and Registered Play Therapy, you will likely find me with my family or crafting. My biggest joy is exploring new places with my husband and doing just about anything that involves animals (say ‘Hi’ to your dog for me!).

I am a Canadian Certified Counsellor (C.C.C.), a Counselling Therapist with the Association of Co... Read More

Meet Dr. Marisa Van Bavel (she/her).

I am a registered psychologist with extensive experience supporting children, youth, and adults. I hold a Doctorate in School and Applied Child Psychology from the University of Calgary, where I also earned my Master of Science in the same field. Over the past eight years, I have worked in various settings, including community-based mental health programs, education, and private practice.

My passion for psychology began in high school while volunteering with youth with exceptional needs. Since then, I have developed expertise in psychological assessment and consultation, addressing concerns related to mood and anxiety, giftedness, and neurodevelopmental differences such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disabilities, and learning disorders. My approach is strengths-based and collaborative, aiming to meet individuals where they are in their journey while equipping them with strategies and supports to thrive.

Beyond clinical practice, my research has focused on mental health, collaborative practices with Indigenous communities, and community-based programming. Through this work, I am committed to promoting inclusive, evidence-based approaches that respect and integrate diverse perspectives.

Meet Dr. Marisa Van Bavel (she/her). I am a registered psychologist with extensive experience su... Read More