LiveFree with T1D

Remember being a teen, when all you wanted was to fit in? Living with T1D, or loving someone who does, can make feeling "normal" a real challenge. Emotions, friendships, and how we see ourselves can all get mixed up in it! I won't pretend it's easy to be a teen with T1D. But, have you ever thought that the way you see things can make it harder? What if we could change how we see things? I recently...

On this week's episode of the LiveFree with T1D podcast, I coach Catherine to pay attention to the words she uses when talking about T1D. It seems she has developed a habit of using certain words that, upon closer examination, aren't actually accurate. These words have shaped how she thinks about her diabetes. By focusing on the sails of her diabetes stress management sailboat, I help Catherine tr...

The numbers on the scale can be a big source of stress for people with T1D. It just adds to the mental and emotional load that diabetes already brings. But what can we do about it? Meet Jeff. He's a former pro athlete. But since he retired and got a little older, he's been struggling to lose weight. Like many of us, when Jeff goes low, he tends to binge eat. And this cancels out any progress...

Each month, I reflect on my biggest wins, learnings, and challenges over the past 30 days with type 1 diabetes. Come along for the ride as I give you a recap of the highs and lows of my diabetes management in June 2023! Sign up now to get your FREE daily T1D + Mental Health tip!  www.thediabetespsychologist.com /tip Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It can now be purchased on my website,...

Ever had folks ask you if you can eat certain foods because you have T1D? Or if eating too much sugar is the reason you have T1D? Yeah, we all have. Having to educate people all the time about T1D, especially when it's people who should already know, like those insurance company reps is frustrating! This week on the LiveFree with T1D podcast, I coach Rob. He's spent loads of time trying to get his...

Becoming more independent while managing diabetes is no small feat. Suddenly, you're the one in charge of ordering your own supplies, remembering to bolus, and dealing with your lows. With freedom comes responsibility, right? For parents of young adults with T1D, the struggle is real too. Letting go is not easy, and if you're nodding along, you'll definitely resonate with Leslie's story. Leslie's...

Have you ever found yourself chasing after perfection in your diabetes management, only to be met with the humbling reality that your blood sugars don't always go according to plan?  For someone with an analytic mind, this realization can be a harsh reality. In other areas of your life, things behave in a predictable manner. But T1D doesn't always play fair. In this week's episode of the Live...

The hard truth is that you cannot control how others behave or think about you, no matter how hard you try. However, you have complete control over how you respond. That's why having a mission in your life with T1D is crucial. By setting a clear intention for what you want to achieve and what you want your life to be about, you can keep moving forward, even when others attempt to hold you back. In...

Each month, I reflect on my biggest wins, learnings, and challenges over the past 30 days with type 1 diabetes. Come along for the ride as I give you a recap of the highs and lows of my diabetes management in May 2023! Sign up now to get your FREE daily T1D + Mental Health tip!  www.thediabetespsychologist.com /tip Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It can now be purchased on my website, ...

I've heard countless stories from folks who try to explain what life with T1D is really like to their endocrinologists. They nod along, but sometimes you can't help but wonder if they truly "get it." And let's be real, when your care team doesn't take the rest of your diabetes squad seriously, that's a whole new level of scary.  Janice is a dietician and a Certified Diabetes Care and Educatio...

In week's episode of the LiveFree with T1D podcast, I'm talking to Jamie, another warrior in our T1D community. The convoluted pre-approval process required by her insurance company to cover her diabetes supplies has become a relentless source of stress. In this episode, we tackle the challenge head-on. I coach Jamie on how to manage her stress while continuing her battle with her insurance c...

A lot of people tell me they feel out of control in their life with T1D. They feel like diabetes has taken control of their life and they are just along for the ride. They also tell me they do things to try to take back control, but it feels like it's never enough. Can you relate? Sarah definitely absolutely feels this way. As the mother to a 7-year-old with T1D, Sarah wants her daughter to be a n...

As with so many other things in the world of type 1 diabetes, the experience of a low is impossible to understand unless you've actually had one. To top it off, some people have low symptoms that are not listed in a textbook or on any website. Edwin is one of those people. In addition to all of the "normal" low symptoms, Edwin also experiences some dark thoughts when he is low and his mind takes h...

For some people with T1D, the thought of international travel is terrifying. The good news is, there are lots of people who have gone on exciting international adventures with T1D and had no issues. We can learn a lot from each other about how to navigate international travel + T1D safely and with ease. Melissa has a teenage son with T1D and he is going on a school trip to Europe this summer....

Do you ever put off changing your pump site or CGM because it's "too much of a hassle"? The truth is, changing your site or your sensor just takes a couple of minutes, and most of the time it's completely painless. However, you've told yourself a story that makes changing your site a lot more challenging than it is in reality. Then this story becomes a habit that is hard to break. In this episode,...

The stories we tell ourselves about what having T1D means about us, and what others think of us are powerful. However, there's a problem.  Most of the time, these stories are not completely (or even close to being) accurate.  That's why it's critical to test and, if necessary, adjust these stories. That's the guidance I gave to Lauren as she tries to support her son with T1D who is in mi...

In this episode of the LiveFree with T1D podcast, I talk about why building a support crew is an essential part of managing the stress and exhaustion of T1D. You'll learn about the different types of support that others can offer you, as well as some best practices for getting the right support, from the right person, when you need it. Access to LiveFree with T1D is now open! To join, go...

My guess is, there are a lot of things you want to be able to do in your life T1D, but you don't do them because your fear gets in the way. Maybe you want to go hiking, or go camping, or travel to a foreign country. But... You've convinced yourself that these activities are too scary or dangerous. And because you have T1D, they're off-limits.  What if, just maybe, this isn't true? The only wa...

  In this episode, I discuss the importance of your T1D mindset. By identifying the stories you tell yourself about T1D and understanding their impact, you can start rewriting them and even transform them into helpful narratives. You'll learn about the anatomy of a story and how to use it to reframe your perspective, reduce stress, and better handle the challenges of life with T1D. Access to...

Learning what T1D, and how to manage YOUR diabetes is a critical part of emotional health. Because once you start feeling steady on your feet, life with T1D gets a lot easier... AND... You are going to have an easier time managing the inevitable stress that comes along with T1D. So where do you start??? You need a T1D Management Playbook!   In this episode, I talk about why diabetes education...

The definition of being stuck is not moving toward something. Your mission is what you want to work toward in your life. I know it sounds simple, but in order to move toward something, you have to know what you are moving toward! In this episode, I talk about why it's so important to have a mission in your life, and how having a mission can impact your emotional health with T1D. Once you have a mi...

For too long, I focused on treating the stress of T1D reactively. Feeling burned out? My approach was to help you feel less burned out . Feeling anxious about lows? My approach was to try and make that anxiety go away. However, I realized that there's a better way. Instead of dealing with the stress of T1D reactively, we need to manage it proactively. We need to make sure you have the tools, resou...

Do you want to be a guest and get coaching on a future episode of this podcast? Click  HERE   to apply! Does taking insulin ever scare you? Do you ever find yourself second-guessing how much insulin to take? Insulin is the only way to manage T1D. Without insulin, your blood sugar will go high and scary things will start to happen pretty quickly. But even though insuli...

Do you want to be a guest and get coaching on a future episode of this podcast? Click HERE   to apply! Do you ever feel like the odd person out at work because you have T1D?   We all know that you can do any job with T1D, but those raised eyebrows and passive-aggressive comments still sting. And they can make going to work while managing T1D a stressful experience.   In th...

The Diabetes Psychologist Podcast is now the LiveFree with T1D Podcast! If you made a New Year's resolution around your diabetes, how is it going? For most of us, those grand resolutions flew out the window more than three weeks ago! Stephanie has high hopes for starting an exercise routine. She knows how much just a little exercise can help to stabilize her blood sugars. But every time she t...