Dr. Carla Edwards is a Sports Psychiatrist whose practice focuses on the treatment of mental illness and psychological struggles in athletes. Her early years in competitive sport primed her for a career supporting athletes and culminated with induction into the Newfoundland and Labrador Sport Hall of Fame in 2015. She has been an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at McMaster University since 2005. Her early career focused on crisis stabilization for children and adults balanced with leadership roles in areas of advocacy, collaboration, development, and management. In 2012 she cultivated her passion for sport and built her Sport Psychiatry practice. Dr. Edwards provides consultation and support for high performance, elite, and professional athletes with focus on diagnosis and treatment recommendations pertaining to struggles with mental illness. Performance enhancement strategies are interwoven in the overall approach to wellness. She has treated Olympians and athletes from 10 Canadian National Sport Organizations and is the High Performance Mental Health Advisor for Swimming Canada and Cycling Canada. She has authored several book chapters about Sports in the Covid-19 Era, Psychiatric Emergencies in Athletes, and Depression in Athletes.
