Kristina is a native Oregonian, raised on the Oregon coast, where she still often loves to visit for relaxation and self-care. She has always been in interested in healthcare, starting as a nursing assistant right out of high school and later working her way through nursing school at Linfield College as a CNA. She later worked in hospice as an RN where she felt honored and privileged to work with patients and families in this most important time of their life. Fifteen years and a couple of kids later, she returned to grad school to obtain her master’s degree in nursing and became licensed as an FNP, working in primary care in a rural clinic for several years. Most recently, she completed her lifelong journey to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner after receiving her doctoral degree from Rush University and has truly fallen in love with being able to provide this much needed care to individuals of all ages. It is her belief that true health requires attention to the whole person including mental well-being.
Her philosophy of care involves meeting the patient where they are at, seeking to truly hear and understand their perspective, and then together collaborating in shared decision-making on their journey to mental wellness. Kristina has had specialized training in providing medication assisted treatment to those with opioid use disorder and has felt truly honored to be able to work with people from all ages and stages of life as they heal and return to a life of freedom and normalcy.
Kristina enjoys rural living, caring for her ducks and chickens, and spending time outdoors hiking, kayaking, and camping with her husband who is her best friend. She and her husband have two amazing young adult children and she enjoys spending time and traveling with them as much as possible.