Andrea Krygier
Registered Psychologist
Client Focus: Adults, Athletes, Executives, Entrepreneurs, Leaders, Couples
Modalities: Solution-Focused, Cognitive-Behavioural (CBT), Narrative Therapy, Social Therapy, Psychoanalytic Therapy
Common Concerns: Post Success Depression, PTSD, Panic, Anxiety, Stress and Burnout, Mental blocks, Performance Anxiety, Setback Repositioning, Self-esteem, Confidence
Areas of Practice: Psychoanalysis, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Mental Performance, Leadership development
What’s one thing you wish more people knew about therapy or mental performance coaching?
Therapy isn’t just for crisis—it’s a strategic way to strengthen your mental game. High performers face intense pressure, rapid decision cycles, and constant visibility. The right therapeutic work sharpens self-awareness, builds resilience, and improves decision-making under pressure so you can sustain peak performance without burning out.
Who are you and what led you to this work?
With over 30 years of experience in psychodynamic psychotherapy, I’ve devoted my career to helping people navigate high-performance demands, leadership challenges, and personal transformation. Early in my practice, I worked extensively in the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) sector in Alberta’s oil and gas industry, partnering with executives, CEOs, managers, and team leaders—as well as professionals in high-stakes roles like school principals, physicians, law enforcement, firefighters, and correctional officers. Across these settings, I saw the immense psychological load that comes with leadership, accountability, and sustained performance.
What is your approach to therapy or mental performance coaching?
My style is eclectic and results-focused, integrating psychodynamic principles with solution-focused and cognitive-behavioural techniques. I help clients reframe setbacks, regulate emotions, and expand mental agility—shifting from perfectionism and overcontrol to adaptability, clarity, and strategic risk-taking. Mindfulness and breathwork support recovery after performance peaks and reinforce composure in high-stakes moments.
What areas do you focus on?
• Performance anxiety & setback repositioning
• Leadership development, mental agility & strategic thinking
• Burnout prevention, capacity building & stress management
• Ego-based pressure, perfectionism & sustainable success
• Post-success depression & meaning renewal
• Team trust, communication & interpersonal effectiveness
• Psychological safety & resilience in high-pressure workplaces
What types of clients do you typically work with?
Executives, senior leaders, founders, and high achievers across corporate, energy, education, healthcare, public safety, and sport. Many are navigating ego-driven expectations, fear of failure, and the pressure to maintain an unrelenting standard of excellence while leading others.
How do you help clients overcome mental roadblocks and perform at their best?
We identify deeper psychological roadblocks—often rooted in earlier experiences—and rework the narratives that drive perfectionism, prestige fixation, or rigid identity. Using insight work plus practical tools (CBT, solution-focused strategies, mindfulness, breathwork), clients learn to regulate under pressure, recover quickly from setbacks, and translate self-awareness into executive presence, better decisions, and cohesive team leadership.
What evidence-based methods or strategies do you use?
• Psychodynamic psychotherapy
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)
• Mindfulness and breathwork protocols
• Psychoeducation and performance psychology techniques
What can a client expect in their first session with you?
An in-depth exploration. I ask many questions because I’m genuinely curious about your life trajectory and context. We map the pressures, patterns, and goals shaping your current performance, then tailor a plan to maximise meaningful change. You can expect unconditional positive regard, respect, and a steady partner in your growth.
What makes your work at The Mental Game unique?
I combine clinical depth with performance strategy. At The Mental Game Clinic, my work helps leaders and high performers move from rigid perfectionism to resilient execution—aligning values, talents, and goals to create sustainable success. The focus isn’t on avoiding failure; it’s on mastering resilience, reinvention, and the courage to keep playing at the highest level.
Performance Interests
I’m deeply interested in the psychology of high performance—particularly leadership under pressure, team cohesion, and recovery after performance peaks. I integrate mindfulness and breathwork to cultivate focus, composure, and sustainable performance.
