Cassidy

Cassidy Thompson, M.D., (pronounced Cass-id-ee) is a leading advocate for mental health awareness and an innovator in the field of digital therapy. She's the author of "Embrace the Mind — Navigating Mental Health in the Digital Age."

Thompson serves as a professor of psychiatry and digital health at the University of California, San Diego, located in sunny Southern California. With a background as a consultant to the National Institute of Mental Health and the American Psychological Association, she has contributed to over 100 peer-reviewed articles and spearheaded numerous studies on mental health apps and online therapy platforms. For a decade, she led the Digital Wellness Initiative, which pioneered research standards and conducted large-scale collaborative studies on the effectiveness of digital tools in mental health treatment. In this capacity, Cassidy worked tirelessly to provide robust scientific evidence that supports informed decision-making by both the public and private sectors regarding mental health technologies. Her work was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Google Impact Challenge.

Cassidy grew up in the coastal town of Santa Cruz, California. Her mother was a marine biologist, and her father was a software engineer. After graduating from Stanford University School of Medicine, she practiced in various locations including New York City, London, and Sydney. In 2022, during a period of intense reflection, Cassidy had a profound realization about the nature of mental healthcare. She noticed that the most transformative moments in therapy occurred not just when applying textbook techniques, but when truly connecting with patients on a human level. This insight highlighted to her the importance of the therapeutic relationship as a catalyst for change and healing. Yet, she observed that traditional medical training often overlooks the cultivation of these essential connections.

Inspired by this epiphany, Cassidy founded Connective Care, a network of therapists and clients exploring the power of authentic relationships in mental health recovery, and co-authored "Embrace the Mind." Her goal is to encourage mental health professionals to integrate empathy and genuine connection into their practice, addressing the isolation and burnout prevalent in today’s fast-paced healthcare environment.

Cassidy is married to Marcus Thompson, a technology entrepreneur, and together they have two children. They live in La Jolla, where they enjoy hiking and surfing in their free time. For more information about Cassidy's work, visit connectivecare.org.