We recently connected with Casey Hester and have shared our conversation below.
Casey , we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
Struggling with anxiety and depression—especially anxiety—taught me that true strength isn’t about pretending to be okay; it’s about asking for help when you need it. As someone in long-term recovery from alcohol and opiates, I often heard the advice, “Your best thinking got you here. It’s time to listen more, speak less, and humble your heart.”
Therapy, medication, and the 12-step program helped me develop coping tools, techniques for avoiding triggers, setting boundaries, and building resilience. Progress came in small, achievable steps, like showing up on difficult days and being kind to myself.
I’ve learned that persistence means continuing despite hardship, and that mindset has helped me grow stronger, more self-aware, and more compassionate.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I do not simply have a career; I have a calling. I once ignored my need for treatment out of fear. The psychiatric clinicians I consulted rarely looked me in the eye, focused solely on my current symptoms, and prescribed medications that would alter my neurochemistry without providing any explanation. There was no discussion of side effects, mechanisms of action, or a timeline for recovery—if there was one at all. I made a firm vow that no patient will ever walk through these doors feeling ill-informed or emotionally neglected.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1. Embrace fear and the unknown: use it as a catalyst for growth, not a barrier to progress.
2. Resilience: always get up when knocked down, despite the seemingly impossible task. Be courageous, not fearless. Fear is the absence of certainty, not the absence of strength.
3. My ability to relate to patients’ pain breaks down a wall of fear when they come into my office. I briefly tell them my story to recovery so that they don’t feel broken or alone—but instead, seen, understood, and capable of healing.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
Access to mental healthcare in Mississippi is severely lacking, particularly inpatient care, whereby the patients in these facilities feel imprisoned rather than places of healing. I’m collaborating with like-minded advocates to ensure individuals with mental health and substance use disorders receive compassionate, evidence-based care in environments that focus on recovery, dignity, and long-term healing—not retribution.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lifebalanceoxford.com
Image Credits
Kim Underwood, Office Manager
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
