Electronic Spring 2023 | Issue 54
Member spotlight: Christina Carr MD
In this spotlight, Dr. Sudhakar Shenoy, Council Member and Chair of the Early Career Psychiatrists Committee, interviews Dr. Christina Carr, who is a proud IPS member and a psychiatrist at the Sheridan Correctional Center for Illinois Dept of Corrections (IDOC) through Wexford Health Sources Inc.
Dr. Shenoy: Dr. Carr, thank you so much for doing this interview with me on International Women’s Day. Can you tell me about yourself?
Dr. Carr: First and foremost, I am a mom to a wonderful 7-year-old daughter. I am a wife and a proud sister to 5 brothers and sisters. Originally, I’m from San Antonio, TX. I first studied theater, including theater as a political tool, and comparative religion in college before I went off to work as a political organizer for electoral and social justice campaigns. I got to do a lot of exciting work, including working on former President Obama’s senate campaign and organizing for Planned Parenthood. During those years, I developed an appreciation for the work needed in improving community healthcare, especially mental healthcare. I eventually went to medical school when I was 30 years old, and I knew I wanted to be a psychiatrist.Dr. Shenoy: That is a fascinating transition. Where did you do your med school and training?
Dr. Carr: I trained at Harvard for both Medical School and Psychiatry residency. I specifically chose to pursue residency at one of the five Harvard-based psychiatry programs with a focus on community mental health and psychotherapy.Dr. Shenoy: Boston must have been an expensive city to live in during med school. How did you stay afloat?
Dr. Carr: Well, I had a boat! I mean, literally! Housing was so expensive that my partner and I decided to live on a boat. So, we bought a boat online for $3000 off something like Craigslist. We weren’t sure it would float, we were cramped for space, and the roof leaked everywhere when it rained.
Dr. Shenoy: That’s one impressive way to run a tight ship. You had your daughter during residency and entered motherhood. Surely that must have rocked the boat?
Dr. Carr: Ha-ha! Yes, one of my fondest memories is when my daughter was learning to walk, she would be swaying as the boat swayed. I would often wonder if it was her waddling or was it the boat?
Dr. Shenoy: How has life changed now that you have moved inland to Illinois?
Dr. Carr: I live in rural Illinois on 9 acres of land, open skies, and expansive flatlands. When we moved here, we immediately got chickens and a pet pig. My daughter has her cousins and family around. We moved to Illinois to be around my husband’s family. I certainly do not miss the boat life, but I miss the boating community dearly.
Dr. Shenoy: That sounds like a picture-perfect rural Illinois life. Going from political campaigns to caring for incarcerated individuals. Tell me about your journey.
Dr. Carr: While working in political campaigns, I learned that healthcare is fundamentally connected to the cause and effects of poverty. Those years also helped me to confirm my love for learning about human behavior and gain a deeper understanding of the importance of a sense of agency. The recurring themes of substance use disorders (SUD), mental health, trauma and access to care affected not only people’s quality of life, but also their own images of themselves. The political campaigns I worked on were focusing toward improving these. Also, the struggles of my own family inspired me further to make a difference in this realm.
During a political campaign related fundraiser event, I met the famous Dr. Paul Farmer, who always emphasized working with the “poorest of the poor”. People in correctional facilities are often devastated by poverty and adversity much before they are incarcerated. Very often, mental health issues are involved. Dr. Farmer’s extensive work on delivering high-quality health care in resource-poor settings had a profound impact on me.
After medical school, I was given the opportunity to continue to focus on the issues I care so much about. During my residency training, I was the Chief Resident for addiction treatment and services. I was allowed to combine my work with addictions with extra training in treating trauma. Working in correctional psychiatry has furthered my appreciation for the intersection of substance abuse and trauma, as well as deepened my understanding of the connections between racial and socioeconomic inequities. I am motivated as a person and as a physician, to make a difference on an individual and community level. My hope is that the work I do now will aid in my ability to eventually work in helping shape policies that govern jails and prisons and improve the correctional system.
Dr. Shenoy: That is a noble cause, and it is wonderful to hear about your passion for correctional psychiatry. Can I ask you about your involvement with IPS and how did it come about?
Dr. Carr: During a phone call, I happened to speak with IPS President, Dr. Tinwalla. He told me about the Illinois Psychiatric Society. Soon after, I got your email about the Early Career Psychiatrists (ECP) committee. Through this ECP committee, I am making new friends amongst peers and look forward to more involvement.
Dr. Shenoy: As we are celebrating Women’s History Month, do you have any words for young women?
Dr. Carr: Just as I tell my daughter, you can do anything you set your mind to, fly if you want to. Always fight for what is right, for you and for others, in everything you do. Do not let anybody make you feel small. If you fall down, believe you can always get back up. And know, your lived experiences are as important as any knowledge gained by reading books.
Dr. Shenoy: Finally, what is your favorite boat joke? Mine is this: Why did the boat go to the psychiatrist? Because it was feeling a little rudderless.
Dr. Carr: Hahaha! Mine is: How did the boat's therapy session go? It was a little choppy at first, but it eventually sailed smoothly.