Dr. Emily Casey graduated from Trinity College Dublin in 2004 with a 1st class Honours degree in Psychology. She subsequently trained in Medicine and graduated with Honours from UCD in 2009. Emily worked for the next 3 years in a number of Dublin's busiest hospitals before completing her GP training with TCD in 2014. She continues to work 4 days per week as a GP in Dublin 15. She established Optimal Life in 2017 having observed a significant proportion of patients presenting to primary care with high levels of burnout, stress, and life dissatisfaction. She observed and continues to note that these issues often present initially as worsening of a chronic disease (e.g., high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, migraine) or as new psychosomatic symptoms including fatigue, poor sleep, vague aches and pains, gastrointestinal or neurological symptoms, all of which invariably remain unaccounted for by physical pathology following extensive investigation. She notes that a major contributor to people's stress-induced symptoms is a lack of meaning at work, overwhelming workload and working hours, and poor work-life balance. Emily decided to pursue further training and qualified as a Coach in 2016 being awarded a Diploma in Personal and Business Coaching via the Irish Lifecoach Institute as well as a Distinction in Life and Workplace Coaching (Level 6 QQI Award). She is currently completing a dual MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology at the University of East London, the first of its kind in the world.
Emily abides by the code of ethics and professional conduct of the International Coach Federation as well as the Psychological Society of Ireland.
Emily empowers clients to make lasting and meaningful change to their health, personal, and work circumstances by drawing on a number of evidence-based coaching approaches including positive psychology, cognitive-behavioural, person-centred, and solution-focused coaching. Taking an integrative approach she also draws on her knowledge of lifestyle medicine when addressing health or wellbeing issues. In this way she provides a comprehensive, holistic service for her clients.
Emily uses validated assessments, techniques and interventions from the emerging and promising field of positive psychology that are aimed at identifying and leveraging an individual's strengths and competencies in order to maximise their personal achievements. Her scientifically rooted approach serves to enhance client readiness and motivation to change, identify and manage internal and external blocks, leverage untapped internal and external resources, improve performance, and achieve valued goals.
Emily believes that a sense of wellbeing, successful work performance and a life that one considers to be exciting, meaningful and flourishing are not only inextricably linked but also imminently achievable.
