Ep 35 - Uncover Hope: Breaking Free from Forever Lies, Shame, and Isolation with Erika Forsyth, LMFT
01/08/24 • 57 min
In this episode, we explore Erika Forsyth's 33-year journey with type 1 diabetes. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, she combines personal experience and professional insight to share valuable lessons on managing this chronic condition.
Discover Erika's extensive experience living with type 1 diabetes and her unique perspective as a therapist. Raised in Southern California, she also has a brother with T1D.
Erika recounts her unexpected diagnosis at age 12, experiencing symptoms during a volleyball tournament that led to passing out episodes and trips to a hospital.
Topics covered:
· Daily Life Impact: Erika reflects on childhood experiences, societal perceptions, and the influence of family and culture in managing diabetes. Her journey showcases resilience and hope found through support.
· Mental Load and Diabetes: Delve into the constant decision-making and anticipation in chronic illness management. Erika emphasizes consistency, a task-driven approach, and the vital role of community support.
· Living with Diabetes Openly: Discover the value of in-person connections and sharing experiences. Erika shares her personal struggles, including hiding insulin injections and the associated feelings of shame.
· Challenges and Emotional Well-being: Addressing the difficulty of sharing one's diabetes experience, Erika emphasizes the importance of validation and cultivating a supportive community. Insights into managing emotions after 33 years highlight the role of self-compassion.
· Identity and Long-Term Management: Explore the challenges of integrating diabetes into one's identity. Erika encourages choosing positive truths about oneself to navigate long-term management successfully.
Erika Forsyth Counseling / www.erikaforsyth.com
On IG @erika_forsyth_lmft
Hit the subscribe button and rate and review to help this podcast reach more people. Be sure to share this episode.
What to do now:
*Follow me @bloodsugarboss on Instagram to stay in the loop on upcoming episodes. DM me with any feedback or suggestions on topics you'd like us to cover.
*Join our Type 1 In Midlife community on the free Honey Health App to chat about podcast topics and more
*Free Download - How to Thrive with Type 1 Diabetes After 40
In this episode, we explore Erika Forsyth's 33-year journey with type 1 diabetes. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, she combines personal experience and professional insight to share valuable lessons on managing this chronic condition.
Discover Erika's extensive experience living with type 1 diabetes and her unique perspective as a therapist. Raised in Southern California, she also has a brother with T1D.
Erika recounts her unexpected diagnosis at age 12, experiencing symptoms during a volleyball tournament that led to passing out episodes and trips to a hospital.
Topics covered:
· Daily Life Impact: Erika reflects on childhood experiences, societal perceptions, and the influence of family and culture in managing diabetes. Her journey showcases resilience and hope found through support.
· Mental Load and Diabetes: Delve into the constant decision-making and anticipation in chronic illness management. Erika emphasizes consistency, a task-driven approach, and the vital role of community support.
· Living with Diabetes Openly: Discover the value of in-person connections and sharing experiences. Erika shares her personal struggles, including hiding insulin injections and the associated feelings of shame.
· Challenges and Emotional Well-being: Addressing the difficulty of sharing one's diabetes experience, Erika emphasizes the importance of validation and cultivating a supportive community. Insights into managing emotions after 33 years highlight the role of self-compassion.
· Identity and Long-Term Management: Explore the challenges of integrating diabetes into one's identity. Erika encourages choosing positive truths about oneself to navigate long-term management successfully.
Erika Forsyth Counseling / www.erikaforsyth.com
On IG @erika_forsyth_lmft
Hit the subscribe button and rate and review to help this podcast reach more people. Be sure to share this episode.
What to do now:
*Follow me @bloodsugarboss on Instagram to stay in the loop on upcoming episodes. DM me with any feedback or suggestions on topics you'd like us to cover.
*Join our Type 1 In Midlife community on the free Honey Health App to chat about podcast topics and more
*Free Download - How to Thrive with Type 1 Diabetes After 40
Previous Episode
Ep 34 - Insulin Pumps & Automated Delivery with Stormie Baxter, Certified Pump Trainer & CDCES
Stormie Baxter is Program Director and a Diabetes Educator for My Diabetes Tutor and a CDCES. She is instrumental in providing program oversight and direction in her leadership role and is passionate about leveraging technology to improve health outcomes for people with diabetes. Stormie is also a Certified Pump Trainer, dedicated to supporting patients who are interested in insulin pump therapy. On a personal note, Stormie has been a person with Type 1 Diabetes for 33 years, and her daughter is also a person with Type 1 Diabetes for 16 years.
Topics we discussed include:
· Stormie Baxter shares her personal journey with diabetes, including her diagnosis story and experiences with insulin pump therapy.
· Discusses the benefits of insulin pumps and their potential to improve glycemic control, highlighting the importance of individual choices in diabetes management.
· The conversation delves into the world of automated insulin delivery systems, including products like Medtronic's MiniMed 780G, Omnipod 5, and the Tandem T-Slim, along with the new iLet Bionic Pancreas.
· The benefits and drawbacks of insulin pumps are explored, with a focus on user-friendliness and proper education.
· Hormonal changes and their impact on insulin therapy are touched upon.
· The importance of support systems, research, and consulting with healthcare professionals is emphasized throughout the conversation.
· Stormie shares her experiences with the new islet bionic pancreas, highlighting the potential of new technologies in diabetes management.
· The podcast offers support and advice for fellow diabetics and encourages listeners to reach out to Stormie for more information.
Contact Stormie Baxter at [email protected]
Or visit her at MY DIABETES TUTOR | Helping Patients Take Back Control of Their Diabetes
Hit the subscribe button and rate and review to help this podcast reach more people. Be sure to share this episode.
What to do now:
*Follow me @bloodsugarboss on Instagram to stay in the loop on upcoming episodes. DM me with any feedback or suggestions on topics you'd like us to cover.
*Join our Type 1 In Midlife community on the free Honey Health App to chat about podcast topics and more
*Free Download - How to Thrive with Type 1 Diabetes After 40
Next Episode
Ep 36 - Meet Hannah Gilkey, A Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplant Recipient
Join us for a remarkable episode featuring Hannah Gilkey, who, 15 years ago, faced a life-changing diagnosis of type 1 diabetes at the age of 19. Her story is one of resilience, driven by her experiences with dedicated nurses and care teams during her treatment.
As an ER nurse, Hannah's journey has come full circle. We explore the transformative impact of islet cell transplants, including her own experience with a transplant in September 2022, currently in clinical trials in the US.
Dive into the emotional aspects of managing type 1 diabetes, the challenges faced, and the hope brought by islet cell transplantation. Despite a recent setback due to an unrelated infection, Hannah's determination shines as she shares her plans for another beta cell transplant soon.
This episode also sheds light on the advocacy efforts to make Pancreatic Islet Cell Transplants a standard treatment for type 1 diabetics. Learn how you can get involved in supporting this important cause, with all the details in our show notes. Join us in discovering the incredible possibilities of islet cell transplants with Hannah's empowering story.
Patient stories, including Hannah's
Connect with Hannah Gilkey on IG
Hit the subscribe button and rate and review to help this podcast reach more people. Be sure to share this episode.
What to do now:
*Follow me @bloodsugarboss on Instagram to stay in the loop on upcoming episodes. DM me with any feedback or suggestions on topics you'd like us to cover.
*Join our Type 1 In Midlife community on the free Honey Health App to chat about podcast topics and more
*Free Download - How to Thrive with Type 1 Diabetes After 40
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