Dr. Cassidy is a proud native of Mount Sterling. After graduating from Montgomery County High School in 1990, she attended Duke University and, in 1994, graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and sociology as well as a marketing and management certificate. While at Duke, Dr. Cassidy spent four years as a student athletic trainer. This resulted in a change of course from pursuing a career in economics to following her passion of medicine. She attended the University of Kentucky School of Medicine and graduated in 2000. After finishing her intern year in pediatrics at Richland/Palmetto Hospital in Columbia, South Carolina, Dr. Cassidy returned to the University of Kentucky where she completed an adult psychiatry residency (2003) in addition to a child/adolescent psychiatry fellowship (2005). She has found it a privilege to care for the mental health needs of numerous children and adolescents throughout the last 22 years of practicing medicine. Dr. Cassidy resides in Lexington with her husband and two teenage sons.

What are your hobbies?

Walking, doing Pilates, baking (any and all sweets!), volunteering at church and school for my children, and spending time with family and friends

What is your advice for parents of children who have ADHD?

After treating children with ADHD for nearly a quarter of a century and parenting my own child who has the diagnosis, I have a particular passion for helping children, as well as the parents of the children, who have been diagnosed with this disorder. My best advice is that patience pays off when parenting the child with ADHD. The more patient and supportive that we can be of our ADHD children, the more we see positive results across settings as they age with the diagnosis.

What is your advice for parents of teenagers?

My advice prior to having my own teenagers would have been much different than the advice that I offer now. The three keys to parenting teenagers, in my opinion, are the three Ls: Listening; Learning to let go; and Loving.  Listening to what they have to say…even when our teenagers are hesitant to talk to us!  Learning to let go and watch our teens become independent…while so very difficult, there is a great sense of hope and pride in this process. Finally, continuing to love our teens at all times…even when we feel they might not love us back!