Let’s face it; this world we call ours is crazy and getting crazier each year. We’re all, every last one of us, dealing with something, and many times, our unwillingness to admit this truth limits the life we could be living.  “Take a look at the world we’re living in and be honest … who wouldn’t be depressed by what we see?” - Kristen Today, I’ll spend time with Dr. Kristen Casey; a woman who is adept at building solutions that tap into the best of all of us. We’ll cover the entire gamut from sleep hygiene and the role sleep plays in our mental health to meals and when we eat to how past and current experiences with loved ones shape our lives. No matter what it is you’re facing, chances are she has seen it a time or two. “Your brain will still respond to things while you’re sleeping. If you fall asleep with the television on your brain is responding to stimuli in the environment.” – Kristen  Her journey has been an interesting one and one you won’t soon forget. She’s an author, a content creator, and entrepreneur who is keenly focused on delivering services that help others get the most out of their lives.  “Sleep plays a role in your health and research shows that people who have poor quality sleep habits tend to have higher mortality rates. “   In This Episode  (1:24) – Kristen gives the definition of a Clinical Psychologist to the listeners.  (2:50) – Kristen discusses the importance of getting an accurate diagnosis.  (4:05) – Everyone goes through a bout of depression at some point.  (4:42) – Allowing a person to be sad is important. (14:30) – Therapy can be considered life-continuing education.  (17:34) – Kristen discusses the importance of sleep and the role it plays in mental health. (24:46) – Finding a state of relaxation before bed should be a priority.  (25:30) – Kristen advises that at certain points in the day, you just have to allow your brain to exist.  (26:52) – The correlation between poor sleep and higher mortality rates. (30:05) – Natural light is the best morning alarm.  (38:00) – Kristen begins discussing the concept of toxic positivity.  (49:07) – Kristen speaks about where she would like to see psychology go next.  (51:00) – Tattoos and perception; professional and personal.  (54:29) – Part of the rationale behind having the word, “die” in the title of her book was to make people think about their mortality.    Our Guest Dr. Kristen Casey is a true champion of mental health. The founder and owner of Evolve Psychological Services, she holds a doctorate in clinical psychology (PsyD) from Midwestern University. Her relaxed, down-to-earth approach comforts patients and helps her get to the root cause of their challenges. She makes patient interactions conversational, thus removing any inhibitors that may block the healing process.  Dr. Casey uses a combination of modalities including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectal Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). A noted content creator, she’s also the author of,” Life Lessons to Master Before You Die: Practical Ways to Achieve an Authentic Living Experience.” Her ongoing mission is to help others know that they’re heard, encourage them to grow, while challenging them to live life to the fullest.   Resources & Links Off The Cuff https://www.offthecuff.fm/ https://www.youtube.com/c/OffTheCuffwithDannyLoPriore https://www.instagram.com/1and1otc/ https://www.tiktok.com/@1and1otc https://www.instagram.com/dannylopriore/ Dr. Kristen Casey https://www.drkristencasey.com/ https://www.instagram.com/drkristencasey/ https://www.facebook.com/drkristencasey https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlbIjiVbZ-IzaFN-3FDRWg https://twitter.com/drkristencasey https://dr-casey.clientsecure.me/ https://www.tiktok.com/@drkristencasey