LiveFree with T1D

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 mission, you'll know exactly where you want to go, and can take steps to move closer to that place every day. Yes, T1D will still be there, but you'll have a clear path to follow. With a clearly defined mission, you'll be able to make sure that diabetes doesn't stop you from getting there.

Access to LiveFree with T1D is now open! To join, go to www.thediabetespsychologist.com.

Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It can now be purchased on Amazon or on my website, www.thediabetespsychologist.com/book. Follow The Diabetes Psychologist on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist and join The Diabetes Psychologist Community on Facebook.

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, resources, and support to deal with whatever stress you might deal with it, and it's best if you have these tools before the stress of T1D starts holding you back.

In this episode, I give you an overview of the proactive framework that I developed and have been using to help people just like you manage the stress of T1D. I'll describe the five parts of the framework, and you'll see how you can use it to become more resilient with the emotional burden of T1D. You will still experience stress because of T1D, there is no way around it. But with this framework, you'll be prepared to deal with the stress, and not let it hold you back.

Access to LiveFree with T1D is now open! To join, go to www.thediabetespsychologist.com.

Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It can now be purchased on Amazon or on my website, www.thediabetespsychologist.com/book. Follow The Diabetes Psychologist on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist and join The Diabetes Psychologist Community on Facebook.

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 insulin is a life-saving hormone for people with T1D, for some people, taking the correct amount of insulin can be terrifying.

In this episode, I coach Rachel around taking her insulin as prescribed. After having a scary low a while back, she has had a difficult time trusting that she can make good diabetes-management decisions. Listen as Dr. Mark coaches Rachel on how to get new evidence that she can trust herself and open herself up to the possibility that she'll be be able to take insulin and manage her blood sugars without constantly feeling like she is walking on egg shells.

Access to LiveFree with T1D is now open! To join, go to www.thediabetespsychologist.com.

Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It can now be purchased on Amazon or on my website, www.thediabetespsychologist.com/book. Follow The Diabetes Psychologist on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist and join The Diabetes Psychologist Community on Facebook.

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 this episode, I coach Natasha about how to set boundaries with her co-workers around her diabetes management. As she is finishing school and applying for residency, Natasha is worried about having the support she needs with T1D, at work, and in a new, unfamiliar city. Listen as Dr. Mark coaches Natasha to make a plan to get support, while also shifting her mindset away from defeat, to one of empowerment as she thinks about doing her job AND managing her diabetes.

To join the waitlist for LiveFree with T1D, go to www.thediabetespsychologist.com/livefreewitht1d

Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It can now be purchased on Amazon or on my website, www.thediabetespsychologist.com/book. Follow The Diabetes Psychologist on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist and join The Diabetes Psychologist Community on Facebook.

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 tries to get started, she finds some reason why this isn't the right time, and she talks herself out of even giving it a shot.

In this episode, I coach Stephanie on how she can actually get started with an exercise routine, and how it will be much easier than she thinks. I give her a new way of thinking about what success looks like, which I know will help her get started and stick with her new exercise habit.

To join the waitlist for LiveFree with T1D, go to www.thediabetespsychologist.com/livefreewitht1d

Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It can now be purchased on Amazon or on my website, www.thediabetespsychologist.com/book. Follow The Diabetes Psychologist on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist and join The Diabetes Psychologist Community on Facebook.

The Diabetes Psychologist Podcast is now the Live Free with T1D Podcast! 

Do you have a love-hate relationship with your CGM?

That's been Jessica's experience. Jessica relies on her CGM to keep her blood sugars in range. And lately, Jessica finds that she has been paying a little too much attention to her CGM. In fact, she obsesses over it, causing her to make micro-corrections that send her low. Instead of improving her diabetes management, her CGM is making it even more challenging.

In this episode, I coach Jessica on how she can change how she thinks about her CGM and the data it gives her, and turn it (back into) a helpful tool. I give her some tips for getting out of her CGM's way, so it can do its job and help her keep her blood sugar in range, along with her sanity.

To join the waitlist for Live Free with T1D, go to www.thediabetespsychologist.com/livefreewitht1d

Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It can now be purchased on Amazon or on my website, www.thediabetespsychologist.com/book. Follow The Diabetes Psychologist on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist and join The Diabetes Psychologist Community on Facebook.

The Diabetes Psychologist Podcast is changing it's name to Live Free with T1D! 

Is going to work uncomfortable because your coworkers don't know anything about T1D? Or worse, do your coworkers think they know about diabetes, so they want to "help" you manage your blood sugars? With more people returning to the office, work has become a landmine for some people with type 1 diabetes.

In this episode, Dr. Mark coaches Tarra on how she can deal with a coworker who thinks he knows it all about T1D. After returning to the office, this coworker is constantly asking her about her diabetes and it is starting to make Tarra uncomfortable. This situation is making her hesitant to tell others at work that she has T1D because she doesn't want to deal with the questions and/or (bad) advice that might follow. Listen as Dr. Mark coaches Tarra on some simple steps she can take to set boundaries with coworkers, so she can do her job, without interference with her diabetes management from her colleagues.

To join the waitlist for Live Free with T1D, go to www.thediabetespsychologist.com/livefreewitht1d

Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It can now be purchased on Amazon or on my website, www.thediabetespsychologist.com/book. Follow The Diabetes Psychologist on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist and join The Diabetes Psychologist Community on Facebook.

How is your sleep with T1D? Do you wake up in the middle of the night to your CGM alerts and have trouble going back to sleep? Are you having trouble falling asleep because of anxiety about low blood sugar? Sleep is the bane of the existence for many folks with T1D, and it's something we don't talk enough about.

In this episode, Dr. Mark coaches Nikki about how she can get better sleep with T1D. Nikki says that she has not gotten a full night's sleep in more than 30 years and T1D is to blame. She sees herself as an "anxious person" and it may be that view of herself is to blame for some of her challenges with sleep. Listen as Dr. Mark coaches Nikki to see that with a mindset shift and some improved sleep hygiene, she can get a good night's rest, even with type 1 diabetes!

To join the waitlist for Live Free with T1D, go to www.thediabetespsychologist.com/livefreewitht1d

Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It can now be purchased on Amazon or on my website, www.thediabetespsychologist.com/book. Follow The Diabetes Psychologist on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist and join The Diabetes Psychologist Community on Facebook.

Are you frustrated with your T1D management? Do you ever feel like your blood sugars are never in range enough? I know how frustrating it can be when you are working hard to manage T1D, but the results don't show your effort. It's like you are climbing a mountain and no matter what you do, you just can't get to the top. When you can meet your own expectations, diabetes burnout is never far behind.

It this episode, Dr. Mark coaches Ernie about how setting reasonable expectations for himself around his blood sugars can help reduce his stress. Ernie feels down on himself because his blood sugar is "never in range." A former high school teacher, he compares his time in range with a grade in school, and Ernie wants an "A". Listen as Dr. Mark helps him see that the metrics for success are very different T1D than they are for school. Ernie is able to see that, with some small adjustments to the hull of his sailboat (the hull = his diabetes knowledge and management), that he can regain the confidence he is looking for in his life with T1D.

To join the waitlist for Live Free with T1D, go to www.thediabetespsychologist.com/livefreewitht1d

Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It can now be purchased on Amazon or on my website, www.thediabetespsychologist.com/book. Follow The Diabetes Psychologist on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist and join The Diabetes Psychologist Community on Facebook.

The format of this podcast is changing!

When you listen to this episode it will sound a little different from what you have heard before—but not to worry! You'll still be getting the same high quality content around T1D + mental health.

This episode of the podcast is an introduction to the new name and format! You'll get an overview of how to build your T1D stress management plan like a like a sailboat, where:

You'll find out how, if you build the five parts of your sailboat correctly, you’ll have smooth sailing in your life with T1D.

To join the waitlist for Live Free with T1D, go to www.thediabetespsychologist.com/livefreewitht1d

Diabetes Sucks and You Can Handle It can now be purchased on Amazon or on my website, www.thediabetespsychologist.com/book. Follow The Diabetes Psychologist on Instagram @thediabetespsychologist and join The Diabetes Psychologist Community on Facebook.