Casandra (Cassie) Starback, LMSW

Casandra (Cassie) Starback is a licensed clinical social worker in Michigan with 22 years of professional experience focused on gerontology and supporting people affected by dementia and age-related challenges. She has worked across clinics, residential care communities, and community organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association, gaining broad experience in both direct care and family support. Her practice centers on helping older adults and their caregivers navigate stress, grief, anxiety, depression, and the complex transitions that accompany aging and caregiving.

Starback integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and practices of self-compassion into a values-driven approach that supports clients in moving toward meaningful goals even amid uncertainty. She emphasizes building inner resources and strengthening support networks to better manage caregiving demands, hospice and end-of-life concerns, isolation, and questions about life purpose. Starback views each person as the expert of their own experience and collaborates with them to identify practical, mindful steps that encourage resilience and a more fulfilling daily life.

With a warm, respectful style, she focuses on creating space for healing and forward movement while addressing compassion fatigue and control issues that can arise in caregiving roles. Starback welcomes the opportunity to work alongside individuals and families as they confront life changes and seek sustainable coping strategies.

Evidence-based techniques for online aging and caregiver support

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people notice difficult thoughts and feelings without letting those experiences dictate their actions. By clarifying personal values and taking committed steps, ACT supports coping with grief, anxiety, and life transitions that often accompany aging and caregiving.

Self-compassion practices teach people to treat themselves with kindness during times of stress and loss. These techniques can reduce the intensity of self-criticism and compassion fatigue, and help caregivers and older adults cultivate steadiness when facing change.

Choosing the right therapeutic approach is a collaborative process. Starback works with each person to explore which methods match their needs, goals, and preferences, adjusting strategies as progress unfolds.

Online therapy with licensed professionals offers flexible ways to connect, including video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging. These options make it easier to fit sessions into busy schedules, to involve family or caregivers when helpful, and to maintain continuity of care across transitions or mobility limitations.