Diabetes is a chronic condition and can affect your mental and physical health. When someone is told they have diabetes, they often feel a lot of different emotions, such as shock, fear, disbelief, anger, guilt, and an overall sense of overwhelm. This is where your Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) comes in.
They are diabetes specialists who work with those diagnosed with diabetes at all different phases of their diagnosis and work with them to provide not only medical guidance but emotional and psychological support as well.
CDE’s play a key role in helping people with diabetes manage their condition by offering both medical advice and emotional support. They guide individuals through challenges, helping them build resilience, which benefits both their physical and mental health.
The main goal is to improve the quality of life for those with diabetes by ensuring they can manage their health effectively while maintaining emotional well-being.
Getting psychological and emotional support is very important for people with diabetes because it affects every sphere of their life: physical health, lifestyle and emotional wellbeing .
Let’s explore the key strategies that diabetes educators use to offer emotional support.
CDE Diabetes Specialists Build a Supportive Relationship
As a CDE I approach those living with diabetes with empathy and practice active listening. When providing emotional support, it is imperative that the patient feels listened to without judgement, which leads to feelings of being truly heard and understood.
A good CDE Diabetes Specialist will foster a much needed nonjudgmental space.
In order to be truly effective in providing emotional support, I work to create a safe, open, non judgemental environment where the person living with diabetes may feel comfortable in sharing their concerns.
I see and work with those suffering from diabetes distress a lot. This can happen at any time during the course of the diagnosis and it is processed and worked through much more effectively if they have proper support.
If the fear, frustration, guilt (or any of the other difficult feelings that often accompany a diagnosis of diabetes) is not addressed and properly processed and worked through, it can wreak havoc on the diabetic's health.
It is important for it to be acknowledged and addressed. Many times, people living with diabetes are met with judgement and they don’t feel heard. When unreasonable demands are made for their current situation, they often shut down and feel alone in their journey.
I meet my clients where they are, listen, show empathy and kindness, and create an actionable plan that works for their individual needs and desires.
The CDE Diabetes Specialist Encourages Positive Behavioral Changes
Goal setting is very important in the relationship between a diabetes educator and their diabetic client. As a CDE, I collaborate with my clients to set small, achievable goals that promote a sense of control and accomplishment.
I work to show them the achievements and make them measurable in order to effectively track their progress.
Motivational interviewing is another strategy I use. It is a powerful tool in diabetes education because it fosters a supportive, client-centered environment.
By helping them identify their motivations, build confidence, and set manageable goals, this method enables them to take active steps toward improving their health and managing their diabetes effectively.
I place a great deal of importance on positive reinforcement and making an effort to always celebrate even small successes with my clients. This helps in building confidence and motivation for ongoing management needed with this chronic condition.
In addition, building self-reliance is empowering and helps them to believe in their ability to make choices and manage their condition.
With the right tools to manage diabetes and the emotional support provided, I work with my clients to have a deep understanding of our implemented strategies. This helps them become reliant on themselves and have confidence in implementing what they have learned.
CDE diabetes specialist help teach effective coping strategies with the emotional burden of diabetes
It is very important, as a CDE, to help people with diabetes deal with the emotional stress that comes with having the disease. One important part is teaching people how to deal with stress with strategies like deep breathing, journaling, healthy sleep practices, mindfulness, getting out into nature, and relaxation exercises.
These techniques help lower the stress that people feel every day, which can hurt their ability to control their blood sugar and overall health. Cognitive behavioral techniques are also used to help my clients deal with and change negative thought patterns that might get in the way of self-care.
These thought patterns can be formed because people with diabetes can sometimes hold on to feelings of guilt or helplessness. Developing self-compassion is another important part of the method I use when coaching my clients.
CDEs help patients learn to be nicer and more forgiving to themselves, especially when they mess up or have trouble managing their diabetes. This method makes it easier to stick to healthy habits over time and lessens feelings of failure.
We are also taught to spot the signs of depression, which is common in people with diabetes, and to help people find professional help when they need it.
By teaching these ways to deal with stress as part of diabetes education, I not only help patients better handle their condition, but it also helps make them stronger mentally and emotionally, which improves their overall health.
To effectively manage diabetes, you need both medical and emotional support.
Controlling blood sugar levels and following treatment plans are very important for people with diabetes, but the emotional stress of having the disease can make it much harder to handle. So, it's just as important to deal with stress, negative thought patterns, self-compassion, and mental health.
Speaking with a diabetes educator is an active strategy that people with diabetes can do to get complete care, which includes medical advice and mental and emotional support.
This is essential for those living with diabetes as it is a chronic condition and there are transitions in many peoples lives that are not always predictable but can majorly impact the management of their diabetes.
Diabetes educators know how to help people deal with problems, transitions, and complications that may arise and become more resilient, which is good for their physical and mental health.
The ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life for people with diabetes by helping them take care of their condition and keep their mental and emotional health in good shape.
By getting care in a balanced way, people can feel more in charge of their health and live full lives even though they have a chronic illness.Do you or someone you know need the support of a Certified Diabetes Educator? Book a free consultation here to understand if we’re a good match.
Hi! I’m Beth, a Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Educator. I provide diabetes coaching for newly diagnosed people with diabetes and also work with people who have been living with diabetes for some time.
With 1:1 coaching, you will feel Empowered and supported to confidently manage your diabetes effectively - without it controlling your life! I can help you make sure that you feel good, stay in optimal health and take care of your well-being at all times.
First call is on me! Let’s talk.
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