About Dr. Kristina Purganan

Dr. Purganan chose psychiatry because of its unique place at the intersection of medicine, neuroscience, and human experience. Her work has focused on how people think, feel, relate, and adapt—and how those processes may change during illness, stress, cognitive change, and major life transitions.

She earned her medical degree from Western University of Health Sciences and completed her Psychiatry Residency at the University of Cincinnati, where she served as Chief Resident. She then completed fellowship training in Geriatric Psychiatry through the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati VA Medical Center, followed by advanced ECT training at Duke University.

Dr. Purganan began her faculty career at the University of Cincinnati, caring for patients across inpatient geriatric psychiatry, consultation-liaison, and ECT services while teaching medical trainees. She later worked at CHI-Franciscan Health, where she provided psychiatric consultation and helped implement a collaborative-care model integrating mental health services into primary care.

At the University of Utah, she founded and served as Medical Director of the Outpatient Geriatric Psychiatry Clinic and worked in a neurobehavioral program serving people with complex medical, cognitive, neurological, and developmental needs. More recently, she practiced as an outpatient psychiatrist with UCLA Health before establishing her private telehealth practice.

Across these settings, Dr. Purganan developed a whole-person approach grounded in careful evaluation, collaboration, and respect for each patient’s goals and lived experience.