Living with Diabetes

Living with Diabetes

Do you live with diabetes? Want to talk with someone who gets it?

I am a health psychologist who works with people with diabetes and I live with the disease. I understand that managing the daily physical and emotional demands of diabetes can be challenging, to say the least.

The mind-body connection is complex. Numerous factors require attention and sometimes life and death decisions are made on a daily basis. If you’re insulin dependent, you have to worry about low blood sugars. There is also the fear of complications. Managing one’s diabetes is often a struggle for many individuals. This added stress can get in the way of living the life you envision and engaging in activities that are meaningful to you.

Managing diabetes can be frustrating and even overwhelming at times. There are situations that can be embarrassing, where you are stigmatized, or when you are blamed for your condition. With all of these factors, sometimes people can experience depression, anxiety, grief, and eating disorders. Not only is there a strain on general well-being, but also with relationships. So we often need coping skills to manage the disease, the emotions, and our relationships.

In some ways, therapy is like chicken soup. It nurtures and nourishes while supporting western therapy’s focus on symptom management. Therapy is a place and time in your busy life where you talk about your difficulties without judgment or fear of being a burden. We look at patterns and habits, with the aim of problem solving and fine tuning more satisfying ways of meeting the unique strains that diabetic health-management brings into your life.

Working together, we can form a part of your team to address the emotions and behaviors which impact diabetes, and the rest of your life. Let’s discuss your issues and collaborate on your goals to help you feel better.

Medicare is accepted.