We’re looking forward to introducing you to Casie Ellison. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Casie, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
“Right now, I feel called to step more fully into visibility. For a long time, I was afraid to share my story—of grief, of depression, of rebuilding after loss—because it felt too raw and vulnerable. But I’ve learned that what once terrified me is also what connects me to others, and using my voice to help someone feel less alone is exactly what I’m meant to do.”
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
“I’m Casie (K.C.) Ellison, people call me Casie Casem, I’m the founder of Change the Face of Depression (CTFOD), a nonprofit and movement dedicated to breaking the stigma around mental health by combining honesty, creativity, and connection. My work is rooted in my own story—navigating grief, depression, and healing—and it’s grown into something much bigger than me. Through my podcast Take Off the Mask, my guidebooks and workbooks, and now interactive projects like peer support groups and creative wellness resources, I’m creating spaces where people can feel seen, supported, and inspired. What makes CTFOD unique is that it isn’t built on clinical distance; it’s built on lived experience and real human connection. Right now, I’m expanding both our digital and in-person offerings, including launching events, building out resources for families, and developing Green Beary Manor, our homestead, into a place for creativity, community, and healing.”
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
“I think the part of me that always felt I had to shrink myself to make others comfortable has served its purpose. For years, I believed my story, my grief, or even my dreams were ‘too much,’ so I kept them small. That self-protection helped me survive some hard seasons, but it no longer serves me. Now, I’m releasing that version of myself and allowing space for a more authentic, unapologetic me to lead—because that’s where real connection and healing live.”
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
“I would tell her, ‘You are not too much, and you are not alone. The very parts of you that feel heavy or broken will one day be the light that guides others. Keep going—your softness is your strength.’”
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
“I’m committed to building Change the Face of Depression into a lasting movement that outlives me. Whether it’s through guidebooks, podcasts, community programs, or the spaces I’m creating at Green Beary Manor, I believe in making mental health support accessible, human, and stigma-free. It’s not a quick project—it’s a lifelong mission. No matter how long it takes, I’ll keep showing up to grow it piece by piece, because the world needs it.”
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
“I hope people will say that I made them feel seen. That I turned my own pain into purpose and created spaces where honesty and healing could live side by side. I don’t need to be remembered as perfect—I want to be remembered as someone who showed up with her whole heart, who wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable, and who reminded others that their story and their life mattered.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.changethefaceofdepression.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changethefaceofdepression/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/changethefaceofdepression
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Casiecasem
Image Credits
Image credits: Change the Face of Depression. All marketing and PR by CTFOD, with affiliate photographers including GenoVision.
