Ariga Psychological and Forensic Services, LLC
Munchausen by Proxy and Medical Child Abuse
Consultation. Education. Evaluation.
Ari Gartin, PhD
National Board Certified Mental Health Evaluator
Dr. Ari Gartin holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from Walden University and has been a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) for over 15 years. She is a clinical and forensic mental health consultant and evaluator specializing in Munchausen by Proxy and Medical Child Abuse. Her work focuses on forensic assessment, expert consultation, professional education, and improving diagnostic accuracy in clinical and legal settings.
Dr. Gartin authored Munchausen by Proxy: Clinical and Forensic Case Analyses and publishes investigative and educational articles on her Substack, Investigation with Dr. Ari. She provides specialized training and consultation to mental health professionals, medical providers, attorneys, and child protection organizations nationally and internationally.
In 2021, she founded Ariga Psychological and Forensic Services, based in Seattle, Washington.
Marc D. Feldman, MD
Head of Consultation
Dr. Marc D. Feldman is an internationally recognized psychiatrist, author, and expert consultant specializing in Munchausen Syndrome, Munchausen by Proxy, Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another, and Medical Child Abuse. He is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Adjunct Professor of Psychology at the University of Alabama and a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. With more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and five books, Dr. Feldman has provided expert consultation and testimony nationally and internationally, helping advance clinical understanding, professional education, and forensic assessment of medical deception.
Website: www.munchausen.com
https://www.routledge.com/search?kw=Dying+to+Be+Ill&utm_source=chatgpt.com
Consultation
A one-hour consultation with Dr. Gartin provides individualized, professional guidance regarding Munchausen by Proxy, Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another, and Medical Child Abuse. During this confidential meeting, Dr. Gartin will discuss your concerns, review the information you provide, help identify potential clinical or forensic considerations, and recommend appropriate next steps.
Consultations are available to attorneys, healthcare professionals, mental health clinicians, child protection professionals, and individuals seeking specialized guidance.
A nonrefundable engagement fee is required before initiating expert witness services and secures Dr. Gartin’s availability and commitment to your case. This fee and its application toward services will be outlined in the written engagement agreement.
Evaluation
Forensic and clinical evaluations with Dr. Gartin provide comprehensive, evidence-based assessments involving Munchausen by Proxy and Medical Child Abuse. Through detailed medical record reviews, clinical interviews, psychological assessment when appropriate, and analysis of documented evidence, Dr. Gartin evaluates diagnostic concerns, identifies inconsistencies, and develops objective findings to support clinical and legal decision-making.
Evaluation services are available in Washington State. If you are outside Washington State, we will work with your state to obtain a possible exception so I can assess your jurisdiction. This excludes medical reviews or expert witness work, as there are no nationwide guidelines for conducting these services.
Education and Training
Training fees and compensation are flexible and can be tailored to each organization's specific needs, size, budget, and objectives.
Supervision
Dr. Gartin offers clinical supervision, professional mentoring, and specialized consultation for mental health professionals, with a focus on complex clinical cases, forensic mental health, differential diagnosis, ethical decision-making, Munchausen by Proxy, Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another, and Medical Child Abuse. Formal clinical supervision toward licensure is available in Washington State, subject to applicable licensing requirements. Professionals seeking supervision in other states may also inquire about services, provided they obtain any necessary authorization or permit, and the arrangement meets their state's licensing board requirements. Specialized professional consultation and mentoring are also available nationwide
Professional training with Dr. Gartin provides specialized, evidence-based education regarding Munchausen by Proxy and Medical Child Abuse. Through case analyses and practical applications, Dr. Gartin helps professionals recognize warning signs, understand diagnostic complexities, distinguish legitimate medical conditions from suspected abuse, and strengthen clinical and forensic decision-making.
Training is available nationally and internationally to attorneys, healthcare professionals, mental health clinicians, child protection agencies, universities, and multidisciplinary organizations.
Munchausen by Proxy
Munchausen by Proxy, formally diagnosed as Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another (FDIA) in the DSM-5-TR, is characterized by:
Falsification of physical or psychological signs or symptoms, or induction of injury or disease in another person, associated with identified deception.
Presentation of another individual to others as ill, impaired, or injured.
Deceptive behavior occurring even in the absence of obvious external rewards.
Behavior that is not better explained by another mental disorder, such as delusional disorder or another psychotic disorder.
The diagnosis is assigned to the perpetrator, not the victim.
American Psychiatric Association (2022). DSM-5-TR, Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another, 300.19 (F68.A). Paraphrased.
Medical Child Abuse
Medical Child Abuse (MCA) is a form of child maltreatment in which a caregiver's actions or misrepresentations result in a child receiving unnecessary or potentially harmful medical care.
Key characteristics include:
Unnecessary medical evaluations, treatments, or procedures.
Fabricated, exaggerated, or misleading reports of a child's symptoms or medical history.
Discrepancies between caregiver reports and objective medical findings.
Physical or psychological harm, or risk of harm, resulting from inappropriate medical care.
Caregiver behavior that contributes to harmful medical interventions.
Medical Child Abuse focuses on the harm or risk of harm to the child and does not require a psychiatric diagnosis of the caregiver.
Alam, S., Snyder, H., Artis, A. R., & Hinds, T. (2025). Medical child abuse: Clinicians as healers, abusers, and expert witnesses. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 72(3), 485–496.
Submit an Inquiry
Whether you are seeking professional consultation, forensic expertise, clinical guidance, or specialized training, I welcome the opportunity to connect. Every case and professional inquiry deserves thoughtful consideration, so please reach out to discuss your needs, ask questions, and explore how my expertise can help. I look forward to hearing from you.