She was assistant director of a large metropolitan pain management center and was the director of the Behavioral Medicine Program at a Veterans' Affairs Medical Center. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and is past director of the pain center at Buffalo General Hospital. She earned her doctorate in clinical psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo and is a diplomate in behavioral medicine.Carolyn DeRoo is a freelance writer currently promoting writing classes for a community writing center in Oakland, CA.