She served for 15 years as consulting psychologist to The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford Connecticut. Dr. Carlson co-edited a volume dedicated to summer camps of The Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America in 2007 and also authored an article addressing mental health issues in Camp Magazine in 2008. Dr. Carlson presents often on mental health issues in community settings and adventure based counseling with special populations. She is currently Assistant Director of Camp Good News in Forestdale Massachusetts, and is a lecturer at Lesley University in Cambridge Massachusetts.