As a diabetic, one of my biggest disappointments used to be going for an office visit.  No matter how hard I tried or how well I thought I was doing, they always seemed to find some area for improvement.  In their defense, their job is to diagnose and treat medical problems but every once in a while, I needed a “good job” or “keep up the good work”.  I felt judged that I didn’t eat perfectly, work out perfectly, bolus perfectly or play diabetes perfectly.  And from my nursing career, I know there is the sentiment of “why can’t they just do what they need to?”.  But there is little help to learn how to think and believe differently.

Over the years I have learned by trial and error to have thicker skin, to make better choices, to understand my value as a human is not how well I “diabetes” and to care A LOT less about what my doctor thinks of me and more about the quality of my life.    Wouldn’t it be nice if coping skills and emotional support were included in the cornerstone of the diabetes treatment like meds, carbs, and testing?  I think people would find it easier to adjust, adapt and make permanent lifestyle changes that benefit them.  Coaching is my contribution to that effort and my mission is to make it a foundational part of any treatment plan.

Does this resonate with you?  Time to learn some new skills?  Let’s get started!