DTC Mental Skills Team

Barbara graduated from the American Conservatory of Music with a Bachelor’s Degree in Piano, but when her diabetes doctor commented she should have been a doctor, she took pre-med courses and attended medical school at Case Western Reserve University. Board certified in General Psychiatry & Neurology, she completed a fellowship in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, and she devoted herself to college and university mental health. She now directs Harvard’s student Counseling & Mental Health Services. In her private practice work, she works with children and teens with T1D, and the parents of the youngest children (age 3-6).
Barbara was diagnosed with T1D in 1972, when there were no blood glucose meters, pumps or CGMs. When the first blood glucose monitor came out, it was a huge step forward in helping manage this complicated disease. She has been on a pump for 40 years. After her son began college, Barbara found the time to play tennis, take Pilates and strength train – all to stay healthy and remain active. She plays the piano on weekends and many evenings, which she finds to be a big stress-reliever. DTC seemed a stretch when Barbara first heard about it, but after attending camp for the first-time in 2023, she was ‘pumped’ to come back and more importantly, to give back to the teens and parents who are learning to navigate T1D. She thinks it’s great to have ‘a village’ to share tips and experiences.