Why do I have a particular interest in working with people with diabetes?

As a person with Type 1 diabetes for 49 years, I am well-acquainted with the distress a diagnosis can bring.  The attitudes of the people around us at the time we are diagnosed is important, because it can have an impact on how we think about not only the condition, but also ourselves.  I also know how the ongoing struggles with managing diabetes in the longer term can have a profound impact on life – even if it’s well-managed and you are physically very well.  The sometimes overwhelming nature of coping with the illness and the feelings of powerlessness, worry, frustration and sometimes feeling emotionally low or out of control of our diabetes can be very hard to manage.   

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People with diabetes are at higher risk for depression and anxiety than people without.  Even if you are not clinically depressed or diagnosed with anxiety, there is a particular sort of emotional upset known as diabetes distress that affects the majority of those with diabetes, on and off throughout their lifetimes with the disease.  Sometimes talking it over with someone who understands what is happening for you in a very real way, can help.

 

Generally, I use the same therapeutic interventions for working with diabetes as I do for working with people without it.  The issues we can work on, however, can be solely diabetes-related.

 

If you are curious and would like to know more, please phone me on 07960 586798