We were lucky to catch up with Claudia Rodriguez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Claudia, appreciate you joining us today. Is there a heartwarming story from your career that you look back on?

The stories that come to mind when I think of what has “warmed my heart” are stories of individuals who have found themselves again after being lost to the disease of addiction. I remember my first patient as an addiction fellow that I treated with buprenorphine for opioid addiction, a medication that is taken daily with the goal of reducing the risk of return to use, and mitigate the risk of harm, including overdose and death. At the time he and I met, he was injecting substances into his neck because none of his veins in his extremities could take any more needles. He was a shell of a person he could not remember existed. Once he got through the pain of withdrawal, he was able to begin understanding and validating his pain, acknowledging the role that post traumatic stress disorder and grief played in his life, and connecting with me and others, and little by little his dimmed light began to shine again. He would walk into my office with a huge smile on his face, always high energy, speaking in a thick Boston accent. His honesty and vulnerability strengthened him. He deepened his love for the family he had left. He grew a thousand times in how he filled his body with his spirit. In so many ways, he came back to life. I recall clearly the day he described hope again – not knowing that was what he was feeling – until we thought it through and felt it together. At that moment, I was able to finally give him the torch of hope that I had carried for him, unknowingly, since the day we started working together. This was my first experience witnessing the beauty of recovery.

Claudia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My story in the field of addiction psychiatry began during my medical training at Boston University School of Medicine. Psychiatry was one of the fields where I felt most able to be myself and connect deeply with my patients, while practicing medicine. It felt natural and familiar to me. In my last year prior to obtaining my medical degree, I was mentored by Dr. John Renner, one of the greats in the world of addiction medicine. It was during a shadowing experience that I witnessed the depth of connection that he shared with many of his patients. The power of connecting to individuals and being a part of their stories of triumph drew me to this field.
I created Reclaim Sunshine Psychiatry, a solo practice, after working in an academic setting for almost a decade. The name comes from what I have witnessed when people do not give up on themselves – gradually, they reclaim their sunshine after what they thought was a never ending storm. Prior to moving back home to South Florida, I worked for a decade in an academic medical center in Boston. During my early career, I developed so many important aspects of who I am today. I learned how to be a leader, educator, doctor, team member, and how to practice individualized, compassionate, evidence based medicine. I made connections with people in the field who helped me grow and who I will always be grateful for. I was a part of an amazing team of clinicians who taught me something every day, and worked with thousands of patients that helped me believe and value the work that I do.
At Reclaim Sunshine Psychiatry, I offer a mix of general psychiatry and dual diagnosis treatment. Dual diagnosis is the existence of both a substance or behavioral addiction and a psychiatric illness – including things like depression or anxiety. I take pride in my intentional approach which includes taking my time to get to know the person I work with, to learn their story, and to appreciate what symptoms are getting in the way of the person showing up as the person they want to be. I respect that we are all individuals and that what we value or how we live our experiences is different. I take pride in breaking the long standing bias and stigma about mental health illness and treatment in our black and brown communities by holding space for these topics and connecting, when possible, or acknowledging, with the fact that culture is a part of who we are. I am also honored to continue to provide teaching for future medical professionals and the public – which not only is fulfilling but also holds me accountable to being up to date and knowledgable on important topics relevant to the work that I do. Finally, I am inspired by my patients, and believe in their ability to succeed.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

About a year and a half ago, I was faced with the difficult decision of staying in Boston in a job that I loved or move back to South Florida, my childhood home. In Boston, opportunities presented for bigger leadership roles, collaborations with people I admired and looked up to – essentially I knew I would continue to grow professionally. At the same time, my own family was growing, and the distance from my parents and siblings felt a million times greater after going an entire year not being able to see them during the COVID pandemic. It was a difficult decision to make. The world of academia is vastly different from private practice. There are many things I miss, especially my team, as well as the constant learning, research, exciting and never ending challenges that come with that setting. Still, creating something that is my own, where I can see patients for as little or as long as I feel is right, and where I am the boss, is also really special. The moment came when I had to make a decision that allowed me to value all parts of my identity – a leader, doctor, mother, daughter, sister, friend, wife. I realized I could dedicate more time to all of those by moving back home, to South Florida, and start my practice. Good decisions were made, and here I am, enjoying the summer storms, beautiful beaches, and lizards running around serenading my walks again.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

Mentorship has been crucial for my career growth. I do not think I would have made it far if I did not have someone, at various points of my life, directly or indirectly mentoring me. My recent boss and mentor, Dr. Joji Suzuki, saw aspects of me that I did not see in myself, and thanks to him I took on several leadership positions, successfully, and found that I have a great capacity to lead teams, to mentor and educate others, and to be a part of successful projects and clinical innovations. What was most helpful for me was to take risks, to see big shoes and do my best to fill them, and to avoid the natural instinct to fall prey to impostor syndrome and instead believe in myself and see myself the way others saw me to begin with. This lesson began early on, when my mom told me that I could be the first doctor of my family when I was heading to college. I had never considered it as a career, but I believed her and did it! Now, if opportunity knocks, I open the door, welcome it into my life, and offer it a “cafecito”.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.reclaimsunshine.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reclaimsunshinepsychiatry/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/5Bnw8F73YXj4mWBy/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-rodriguez-md-0a3414250/