Community Highlights: Meet Carol Hartford of Ann Arbor DBT Center, PLLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carol Hartford.

Hi carol, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The Ann Arbor DBT Center was established in 2000 by myself and 2 colleagues all from Washtenaw County Community Mental Health. DBT as a treatment became available post research and publication as of 1993 therefore relatively new as a model of treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder. My colleagues and I started out very humbly as an after work from CMH out patient practice. It was a slow start and eventually my 2 colleagues moved on to be replaced by 2 therapists from CMH in Ann Arbor. We continued to offer service on a limited basis until approximately 2010. At that time the treatment has received more attention and was established as a best practice model for BPD and mood disturbance coupled with high risk behavior. We had relocated to our current location and had become established. I was the remaining member of the original team and had become a full time worker at the Center. The practice has remained small and specialized because we offer a comprehensive model of DBT which means all of the modes of treatment as originally researched. The modes for the program consist of Skills Training Group, Individual DBT Therapy, weekly team consultation meetings and 24 hour consult to the client. We follow the targets of DBT: Primary target is life threatening behavior, followed by therapy interfering behavior and last but not least quality of life interfering behavior. We have continued with the original commitment to model adherent DBT and the treatment of potentially high risk behaviors and other targets as mentioned.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Originally I think it started as an idea with a treatment that was new in the field. This fact was a problem when starting. We have grown as the model of DBT has been continually researched and developed to additional behavioral problems. Some examples are adolescents and families, Substance use Disorder and Eating Disorders. We have remained small in terms of client numbers are fortunate to be known by resources in Ann Arbor Michigan and surrounding area because of the commitment to model adherent DBT.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Ann Arbor DBT Center, PLLC?
We are a private mental health outpatient practice. We are able to bill for major medical insurances. We are known for our commitment to difficult to individuals with potential high risk and or therapy interfering behaviors. We are also committed to ongoing training and development to promote competent treatment to our clients. Our primary resource for virtual training is the DBT Institute of Portland. We also have studied relevant publications to enhance our commitment.

What were you like growing up?
My Mom was a role model to me as a working woman which was not a typical female role when I was a child. She progressed in her field as a health care provider and stated that her interest was the patient. She was inspirational.

Pricing:

• Please look at our webiste and consult your insurance company about reimbersementt.
• Ann Arbor DBT Center PLLC

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.annarbordbt.citymax.com/therapy.html