David Carroll PHD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Behavioral Health Psychology
Get Contact Info
TEACHES IN THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM(S)
Behavioral Health Psychology
Biography
Dr. Carroll is a mission-driven professional who is focused on engaging others in lifelong health, well-being, and resilience. He completed an undergraduate major in psychology at Marquette University where he graduated with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology prior to completing his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Ohio University. He has worked in inpatient, residential, and outpatient mental health facilities, general medical settings, and private practice. He is committed to lifelong learning and professional development and taught at Marquette University, the Medical College of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology. He supervised pre-doctoral interns and post-doctoral fellows in psychology and led the development of national training programs and leadership development courses. The primary locus of his professional work has been within the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), beginning at the Zablocki VA Medical Center in Milwaukee where he served as a staff psychologist, program manager, professional practice leader, and co-chair of the Ethics Council. He went on to hold national management and leadership roles within the VA, including serving as the Executive Director for mental health and suicide prevention at VA headquarters in Washington DC where he was responsible for the development and oversight of VA’s entire system of integrated mental health care and suicide prevention
services. He has been a leader in innovation – advancing whole health care, the adoption of telemental health services, the coordination of services with community partners, and the spread of best practices. Throughout his work, Dr. Carroll has been a champion for team-based care, shared decision making, and professional development. He has over 20 years of service on multiple educational and faith-based boards in leadership positions, with oversight of operations, finance, and community services.
Education
- Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, OH
- M.S., Clinical Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
- M.Div., Pastoral Theology, St. Francis Seminary, Milwaukee, WI
- B.A., Philosophy, St. Francis de Sales, College, Milwaukee, WI
Areas of Specialization
- Clinical psychology
- Clinical supervision
- Leadership development
- Integrated, team-based, recovery-oriented care
- Veterans’ mental health and well-being
- Suicide prevention
Scholarly and Professional Achievements
Carroll, D., Kearney, L. K., & Miller, M.A. (2020). Addressing suicide in the veteran population: Engaging a public health approach. Frontiers in Psychiatry, November 11.
Kearney, L. K., Smith, C., Carroll, D., Burk, J., Cohen, J., & Henderson, K. (2018). Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) National mental health leadership mentoring program: A pilot evaluation. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 12(1).
Carroll, D., & Kudler, H. (2017). Measuring the quality of VA care. Psychiatric Services, 68(3), 308.
Carroll, D. (2017). My part in our story. In R. Baker & R. Goldberg (Eds.), Even more stories from VA Psychology (p. 73-82). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Zeiss, A. M., Zeiss, R. A., & Carroll, D. (2016). Veterans Affairs. In J. C. Norcross, G. R. VandenBos, D. K. Freedheim, M. M. Domenech Rodríguez, J. C. Norcross, G. R. VandenBos, ... M. M. Domenech Rodríguez (Eds.), APA handbook of clinical psychology: Roots and branches, Vol. 1 (pp. 421-433). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.
Carroll, D. (2009). The road back to self: It’s the journey not the destination. In P. Driscoll & C. Strauss (Eds.), Hidden battles on unseen fronts: Stories of American soldiers with traumatic brain injury and PTSD (p. 241-246). Philadelphia: Casemate Publishers.
Carroll, D. (2008). Coping. In S. Loue & M. Sajatovic (Eds.), Encyclopedia of aging and public health (p. 235-237). New York: Springer.
Honors and Awards
- Exceptional Service Award, Department of Veterans Affairs, 2022
- Presidential Citation for Lifelong Leadership and Commitment to Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Services, American Psychological Association, 2022
- Patrick DeLeon Advocacy Award, Association of VA Psychologist Leaders, 2015
- John Beard Award, United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association. 2010
- Professional Services Award, Association of VA Psychologist Leaders, 2010
What is your teaching style?
Education is a right and a responsibility, and it is fundamental for the well-being of individuals and societies. Formal education is a critical, formative component. It is a privileged moment for the student and for the teacher who mutually share in the act of discovery and learning. For those of us in behavioral health psychology and human services, the ultimate goal of our education is beyond ourselves. It is directed toward the welfare of others, particularly those who are struggling and those who are or are at risk of being marginalized or disenfranchised. We have a tremendous opportunity to make an impact, and I am eager to help students build and nurture a lifelong passion for learning and service. To begin, I want to understand students’ experiences, expectations, goals, and needs so I can tailor our work accordingly. By providing multiple different types of learning experiences, I want to encourage students to become well-informed but ever curious, confident but humble critical thinkers who are self-reflective yet don’t take themselves too seriously. I strive to model that to which I aspire in all my interactions.
Why do you do what you do?
I am passionate about advancing the health and well-being of those for whom and with whom I work and of the communities in which I live. I am excited about bringing to bear the best science and practice in the service of mental health clinical care and in promoting opportunities for all to reach their full potential. It is such a privilege to be a mental health professional and to assist others as they journey through life. I want to build up the mental health workforce so we can continue to meet the needs of all members of our society and can promote, protect, and restore the well-being of all through clinical care, research, advocacy, and policy development.
How do you make learning engaging?
Learning is engaging only if students and teachers come at it jointly, taking risks together, sharing openly and honestly. Learning is not a spectator sport. I am eager to extend an invitation to engage in learning and to create a safe space in which it can occur. I see it as my responsibility to work from the questions, needs, and experiences of students as much as possible using multiple learning platforms and large group, small group, and one-on-one discussions. Together I want us to share an insatiable appetite for discovery while simultaneously I want to build up the expertise and confidence of students for the next steps in their individual journeys of education and service.
What should students know about you?
I am absolutely convinced that together there is nothing that we cannot overcome or find our way through, that there is no fatal flaw or dumb question, and that we can all succeed. I believe deeply in the goodness of life and humanity and that we need to be good stewards of our relationships and our health. I am easily inspired by those with whom I have the privilege of sharing this journey through life