Meet Skilled Counsellors and Therapists in Calgary, Alberta
The Intrinsic team is made up of multi-faceted individuals, each bringing a distinct background and perspective that's celebrated and embraced. Based in Calgary, our therapists are united by the desire to lead with human-centric counselling that nurtures individual freedom and, in turn, fuels collective healing.
Rebecca Tunke
provisional Psychologist (She/Her)
Downtown & Virtual
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As Intrinsic’s complexity-embracer, Rebecca is a Registered Provisional Psychologist with a deep respect for people’s stories and a natural curiosity about the many experiences, relationships, identities, and systems that shape who we are. She holds a Bachelor of Behavioural Science, bringing together the study of psychology and sociology, as well as a Master of Counselling from City University of Seattle.
Rebecca has had the privilege of working alongside people with varied abilities, identities, and life experiences across community-based work, non-profit organizations, and private practice. She is particularly drawn to perspectives and experiences that can too easily go unheard, and believes everyone deserves space to explore who they are, honour what matters to them, and discover what living authentically means for them.
Outside the therapy room, Rebecca finds joy and grounding in connection, movement, and creativity. She loves getting outside and into nature with the people she loves—whether for a paddle, hike, bike ride, snowshoe, or long walk. At home, you’ll often find her sewing or exploring other fibre arts with an audiobook or podcast playing in the background. A proud cat lover, Rebecca is also always happy to hear a good cat story.
Rebecca has had the privilege of working alongside people with varied abilities, identities, and life experiences across community-based work, non-profit organizations, and private practice. She is particularly drawn to perspectives and experiences that can too easily go unheard, and believes everyone deserves space to explore who they are, honour what matters to them, and discover what living authentically means for them.
Outside the therapy room, Rebecca finds joy and grounding in connection, movement, and creativity. She loves getting outside and into nature with the people she loves—whether for a paddle, hike, bike ride, snowshoe, or long walk. At home, you’ll often find her sewing or exploring other fibre arts with an audiobook or podcast playing in the background. A proud cat-lover, Rebecca is also always happy to hear a good cat story.
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Rebecca believes there is rarely one simple explanation for why we think, feel, or respond the way we do. When life becomes overwhelming, it can be difficult to hear ourselves beneath the noise of our thoughts, emotions, expectations, and circumstances. Her approach invites clients to slow down and get curious about what is happening beneath the surface—not with judgment, but with compassion and an openness to understanding.
Warm, collaborative, and curious, Rebecca works alongside clients to explore the stories, beliefs, relationships, and experiences that have shaped how they understand themselves and move through the world. Rather than telling clients who they should be or where they should go, she helps create space to reconnect with their own voice, values, and sense of what matters.
Rebecca believes we can honour where we are without becoming stuck there. Together, she and her clients make sense of their experiences, embracing the complexity of being human, and discovering meaningful and workable ways forward that feel authentic to who they are.
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“By staying curious about who I am, what matters to me, and why I am the way I am. I’m learning to make space for all the parts of myself—including the ones I don’t always understand or feel proud of. For me, authenticity means slowing down, turning inward, listening to myself, and having the courage to honour what I find there.”
*Rebecca is accepting new clients at our downtown location, in-person and virtually
Cari Ionson
Registered clinical Social Worker & Somatic therapist (She/Her)
Downtown Office
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As Intrinsic’s community-cultivator, Cari is a counsellor and educator, and a Registered Clinical Social Worker with the Alberta College of Social Workers. Born in B.C., Cari completed her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Social Work close to home before pursuing her Master of Social Work, with a practicum centred on concurrent substance use and mental health concerns. She has also completed training in Hakomi Therapy, a mindfulness-based approach to somatic psychotherapy.
Over the past nine years, Cari has had the privilege of working in a variety of healthcare and wellness settings, supporting people navigating sexual trauma, substance misuse, mental health concerns, breakups, divorce, and intimate partner and gender-based violence.
Cari takes pride in helping people establish and restore healthy relationships with themselves and others. She finds joy in sharing space with people as they show up for themselves, discover new possibilities, and shift from surviving to thriving.
Cari is a well-known dog lover and proud dog mom. Her dogs often accompany her on bike rides or adventures in nature—one of her favourite ways to escape. When she's off dog-parenting duty, you'll find her rock climbing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, or diving feet-first into just about anything mountain-related.
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Cari believes that when life becomes overwhelming, whether through everyday stressors or experiences of trauma, it's easy to feel lost, disoriented, or unsure of how to find your footing. She's deeply invested in helping people navigate these experiences, offering support and practical strategies while creating space for healing.
At the heart of Cari's approach is a desire to help people make sense of difficult experiences and emotions, while nurturing a stronger connection with themselves, others, and the world around them. Her work is collaborative, drawing on somatic, attachment-focused, and mindfulness-based approaches, alongside her extensive training in yoga and meditation.
Cari invites you to get curious about yourself, explore what matters to you, and create space for new ways of being that feel aligned with who you are and how you want to live.
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“By keeping my focus and energy on following what inspires me and lights me up. Maintaining relationships with authentic humans. Learning how to let go and not sweat the small stuff. And lastly, forgiving myself when I make mistakes—self-compassion goes a long way.”
*Cari is accepting new clients at ouR Downtown location, in-person or virtually
Jaimee Grossklaus
RegisteredPsychologist (She/Her)
Virtual only
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As Intrinsic’s multifaceted collaborator, Jaimee is a Registered Psychologist with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Sociology from Mount Royal University, as well as a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology from Yorkville University.
Her diverse experience in community-based rehabilitation, non-profit organizations, and private practice has shaped her holistic understanding of mental health and the many experiences that influence our well-being. Today, Jaimee is drawn to supporting people as they navigate anxiety, depression, emotional regulation challenges, borderline personality disorder (BPD), trauma, stress, self-esteem and confidence struggles, workplace concerns, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain, and other health concerns.
Outside the clinic, Jaimee finds grounding in the great outdoors—often kayaking or canoeing with her partner, family, and friends. A foodie with a soft side, Jaimee also enjoys connecting inward through writing poetry, playing piano, and spending quality time with her beloved pups.
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Grounded in validation and acceptance, Jaimee strives to build therapeutic relationships rooted in mutual trust and collaboration. But it's not all so serious—she also embraces humour to bring a light-hearted and relatable feel to her sessions.
With formal training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD, Jaimee draws on her diverse experience to weave together practical strategies, build resilience, and develop skills that support a fulfilling and meaningful life.
Jaimee also recognizes that therapy is a two-way human experience. She values the lessons she learns from her clients and finds genuine joy in witnessing them grow, make meaningful changes, and achieve goals that matter to them.
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“It took me a while to learn how to live authentically. To me, embracing authenticity means truly feeling like I'm just being me, comfortable in my own skin—not scanning a room to figure out how I should respond or react, not comparing myself to others, and living in alignment with my values. That's when I know I'm experiencing a genuine moment and feel connected to who I am.”
*Jaimee is accepting new clients virtually
Cristina Kalas
Registered Psychologist (She/Her)
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As the founder and driving force behind Intrinsic, Cristina Kalas is a Registered Psychologist with the College of Alberta Psychologists. In 2016, she founded Intrinsic Therapy with a desire to cultivate an environment that reflected her belief in human-centred care, individuality, and the freedom to explore what makes each of us who we are.
Cristina's educational background is a little unconventional, beginning with a Bachelor's Degree in Biological Sciences, majoring in Biochemistry, followed by a Master's Degree in Counselling Psychology. These days, you might catch her dabbling in physics and quantum theory. Naturally curious and a lifelong student, Cristina has travelled the globe, drawn to different cultures, perspectives, and ways of knowing.
Her diverse training and experiences have shaped an appreciation for the many ways people understand themselves and the world around them. She believes our unique perspectives are part of what makes the world interesting, and that everyone deserves the freedom to define a fulfilling life on their own terms, regardless of the barriers they face or the perceived size of their struggles.
And don't let her sweet demeanour fool you. Cristina has never been one to shy away from a challenge, whether as a former competitive snowboarder, recreational motorcyclist, or present-day entrepreneur. A connoisseur of good food and good company, she's also rarely one to turn down a deep, philosophical conversation—often unfolding around a dinner table, even when she's technically off the clock.
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Cristina believes that many of our struggles are deeply connected to how we understand ourselves, the stories we've come to believe about who we are, and how we perceive our own worth and value. Whether shaped by childhood experiences, trauma, relationships, or more recent events, these beliefs can influence how we move through the world, relate to others, and show up for ourselves.
At the heart of Cristina's approach is a curiosity about the different parts of ourselves—the ones that protect us, push us, hold pain, or sometimes seem to pull us in conflicting directions. Having completed Level 1 training in Internal Family Systems (IFS), she invites clients to explore these parts with compassion rather than judgment, creating space to understand the experiences and beliefs beneath familiar patterns.
Using an integrative and collaborative approach, Cristina draws on IFS alongside other therapeutic perspectives, while honouring each client's unique strengths, experiences, and values. She believes that as we deepen our understanding of ourselves, we can begin to reconnect with our sense of worth, redefine the stories that no longer serve us, and find greater freedom to live authentically and stand in our truth.
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“My own therapeutic journey. Learning to listen to the parts of me that wanted or believed something different from what I had been taught to want or believe. Following what feels right for me. Standing up for what I believe in, even in the face of society's judgment and pushback.”