Meet Carolyn Ross, MD, MPH of Numinous Enterprises

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carolyn Ross, MD, MPH.

Hi Carolyn, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am the oldest of five children and come from a family that values education and contribution. As a little girl, I worked in my grandfather’s medical office and even went with him on house calls, including the delivery of a baby. This is how I came to be fascinated by medicine. By the time I went to medical school, I had already lost my father to a massive heart attack. This event changed everything for my family.

By the time I went to medical school, I was married and had two children – ages 8 and 3. Having young children definitely made it more difficult for me to do well in school and I eventually sent my children back home to stay with my husband until I finished school. By the time I finished medical school, however, my marriage had failed and I was now a single parent. I have worked during my career in a number of settings. I worked in the same country town in Texas where my grandfather had practiced and treated patients and their children that had also been treated by him. This was very fulfilling and helped me connect to his legacy. Secondly, I had a three women’s medicine practices – offering office gynecology and general medicine to women in San Diego, CA. This was a dream come true. I was able to create an office culture and an environment that women loved and which made them feel at home. My third iteration was as the head of the eating disorder/addiction treatment program at world-renowned Sierra Tucson.

Prior to this, I had completed a two years fellowship in Tucson with Dr. Andrew Weil. So I was able to pioneer an Integrative Medicine Approach to treating eating disorders and addictions. Over the years that followed, both my brothers fell victim to substance use disorders. My brother Billy and I reconnected after he went into recovery after almost dying from kidney failure from his addiction. During what was left of his life, I came to feel closer to him, visiting him and his family, and this continued until his death several years ago. He was a great inspiration to me because of his big heart and how much he loved his family and how hard he fought to be a part of their lives after the long absence from his addiction. I have included his story in my TEDxPleasantGrove talk in 2020 and in many of the lectures I give at conferences.

In my personal life, I married for a second time and had another son – but the marriage didn’t last. Currently, I am the mother of three sons. My middle son, Noah, committed suicide in 2004 after a long struggle with depression. His death was not something I could overcome as I had most other adversities in my life. But I was able to endure through the pain and use it in my work with people in treatment centers where I’ve consulted and in my practice. My oldest son and my youngest son are both amazing men who are successful in their chosen careers and with whom I am very close. I also have a granddaughter who is finishing college in Melbourne, Australia.

My work now includes having an online program beginning in 2016 for women with binge eating and food addiction. I also have. a private practice in San Diego, CA. I have written four books and contributed chapters to five other books. After the murder of George Floyd, myself and three colleagues formed the Institute for Antiracism and Equity and I am very passionate about the DEIB training we have done with behavioral health treatment facilities and other organizations to help them understand the impact of antiblackness and systemic racism. The Institute has a book coming out next year that is an anthology exploring antiblackness, white privilege and authentic allyship. Last year I was awarded an Outstanding Service Aware by Friendly House in LA. Last month, I received an award for my work in DEI from the National Assn of Addiction Treatment Providers. I continue to love my work just as much as I enjoyed going on house calls when I was nine years old with my grandfather. I try to live up to the legacy of my ancestors.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I feel as if I’ve had many smooth patches but also lots of struggles along the way.

1. Growing up, I was the oldest of five children and my mother suffered from postpartum depression and other mental health issues, so I was often the caretaker even at a young age for my siblings.

2. Going to med school with two small children was difficult to say the least. When they went back to live with their Dad while I finished, my education was equally difficult.

3. My son’s death was devastating and I struggled to “right myself” after that.

4. I’ve had two periods of significant medical illness – 2000 – I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. It took me five years to recover. In 2020, I got COVID and was then diagnosed with COVID long haul which affected my heart, lungs, sapped my energy and made it difficult for me to think clearly and continue working.

5. I’ve struggled to balance my devotion to working with having any type of social life/relationships!!!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Numinous is the umbrella for my private practice, the online / telemedicine program (The Anchor Program) and my speaking and writing careers. In private practice, I see patients with addictions, mental health issues and eating disorders. Currently, I only see patients via telemedicine (zoom / phone). I also specialize in treating trauma and in my practice, have helped many people identify and seek help for trauma.

In 2016, in response to the high cost of treatment for eating disorders, I started a telemedicine program called The Anchor Program. I work with women who are tired of focusing on weight loss and are ready to address their childhood trauma that has created their eating disorder. I work with small groups and have an online curriculum and employ two dieticians who help them change their relationship with food.

I speak at national and international conferences on eating disorders, addictions and trauma. I have spoken in Korea and Iceland, London.

I have written three books on eating disorders – Emotional eating, food addiction and binge eating plus chapters in academic books on Women’s Health, Gastroenterology and Eating Disorders and Black Women.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Perseverance – seeing things through
Creative thinking
Problem-solving
Being able to be truthful with myself and others
Finding support when needed
Ability to work hard

Contact Info:

• Website: www.carolynrossmd.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_anchor_program/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarolynCokerRossMD
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-coker-ross-md-mph-ceds-7b81176/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarolynCRossMD
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=carolyn+coker+ross+md
• Other: https://AnchorProgram.com