Hello! I am Dr. Kari Rengo
True North Psychiatry™ offers inclusive, compassionate, and professional care to individuals across Minnesota and Wisconsin. With the convenience of telehealth, you can access support from anywhere you feel most comfortable, whether at home or in another setting.
To reach and support more individuals throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin, True North™ partners with MAP Behavioral Health Center in Duluth, MN, working together to offer compassionate and effective psychiatric medication management. Together, we ensure that our patients are receiving the greatest benefit and best possible outcomes from their medications.
Meet Kari
Kari has a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and a Family Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner certificate from the College of St. Scholastica. In short, she is a DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC (Say that 10 times fast!).
She lives in the Northland with her husband, their three kids, two dogs, and a cat! As a tight-knit family, they enjoy spending time in nature and being together on the lake. A fun fact about Kari is that she has a love for gnomes and a weakness for peanut butter M&Ms, cake pops, and comfort food.
Psychiatry is not just Kari’s profession, but it is a true passion dedicated to helping you rediscover True North™ and find your way back to the life you have always dreamed of!
Let’s begin this journey together. Take your first step and reach out today to schedule your first appointment.
Mission
Vision
Confidentiality
Your personal information and records are secure and all our telehealth sessions are confidential.
Pet Therapy
Animal can help reduce nerves, increase your mood, and even boost your confidence during your session.
Online Appointments
Receive psychiatric-mental health services in a more comfortable setting with telehealth.
Experience
As a practicing psychiatric-mental health practitioner, my passion in helping clients find their True North™ in our busy world.
Professionalism
Guaranteed high-quality professional services for everyone of all ages, race, sexual orientation, and gender preference.
Your Journey
Together we will create a treatment plan that is based on your most deeply held beliefs, values, and principles.
Pet Therapy
Pet therapy is a comforting and effective way to support healing, using specially trained animals to help people navigate and recover from various physical and mental health challenges. While the term “pet therapy” was not used until the 1960s, dogs have been offering companionship and emotional support to individuals with psychiatric conditions as far back as the 1700s. Today, we recognize that spending time with therapy animals can offer numerous meaningful benefits, both emotionally and physically.
- Increase energy levels
- Decrease depression
- Improve self-esteem and mood
- Reduces boredom
- Stimulates the release of endorphins (oxytocin) that have a calming effect on people
- Encourages Communication
- Increase socialization and sense of community
- Decrease Anxiety
- Creates motivation for faster recovery
Now, imagine you’re at a telehealth psychiatry appointment and are feeling a little nervous about opening up and sharing the symptoms that are bothering you the most with someone new. Then, a dog or cat wanders into the provider’s office on screen. Who are those pets, you wonder? Meet Emmy and Jemma!
By the end of the visit, you realize you’re smiling. You feel a little less nervous and a bit more at ease and confident. In fact, you’re already looking forward to your next visit with Jemma, Emmy, and Kari!
Jemma
Jemma is an 8-year-old German Shepherd with the most awesome pointy ears and a soft, smooth coat. She is a talkative dog and is not afraid to voice her opinion about things! She loves chasing chipmunks, playing in her pool, and taking naps outside. She is obsessed with tennis balls and has been known to steal items from the garage and hoard them in her outdoor kennel.
Emmy
Emmy is a 15-year old Maine Coon cat with the most amazing green eyes and the fluffiest coat. He talks to people using trills, which are cooing, bird-like sounds. He loves eating, especially other people’s food, and takes many naps. He is obsessed with hair ties and is frequently caught lying on the kitchen table.
Now, imagine you’re at a telehealth psychiatry appointment and are feeling a little nervous about opening up and sharing the symptoms that are bothering you the most with someone new. Then, a dog or cat wanders into the provider’s office on screen. Who are those pets, you wonder? Meet Emmy and Jemma!
By the end of the visit, you realize you’re smiling. You feel a little less nervous and a bit more at ease and confident. In fact, you’re already looking forward to your next visit with Jemma, Emmy, and Kari!
Resources
National Institute of Mental Health
The lead United States federal agency for research on mental disorders.
Administration for Children and Families
Working to promote the economic & social well-being of children, families, and communities.
MentalHealth.gov
One-stop access to U.S. government mental health and mental health problems information.
American Psychological Association (APA)
The premier scientific and professional organization for psychology in the United States.