During a recent Breakthrough T1D Facebook Live event, Mallory Striesfeld, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), discussed how to cope with T1D during stressful and uncertain times.
“In a lot of ways, a lot of this with COVID has gotten a lot harder, so there’s a lot of uncertainty” said Striesfeld, who also has T1D. “Just like with all of you, there’s been a lot of changes with mental health…. With diabetes, we are already living with a lot of uncertainty…. We are already living with a lot of chaos.”
Striesfeld addressed a variety of topics, including:
- Understanding the difference between things people can control and things they cannot.
- The idea that it’s ok to not be ok right now.
- Why practicing self-care isn’t selfish.
- How to handle the idea that there may be a cure for COVID-19 before there is one for T1D.
Watch the full, recorded live stream below:
During a recent Breakthrough T1D Facebook Live event, Becky Lois, Ph.D., discussed how parents can help children—or themselves—cope with the psychosocial challenges of living with T1D during quarantine.
Dr. Lois is the Pediatric Psychology Director, Integrated Behavioral Health Programs, as well as an Associate Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone.
“There are so many aspects [to living with type 1 diabetes] that are behavioral, and family, and friend, and school and work-related” said Dr. Lois. “I’m really just looking forward to being able to discuss with you all how kids and their parents living with diabetes during this incredibly challenging time are managing.”
Dr. Lois addressed a variety of topics in response to audience questions, including:
- Tips for parents of newly diagnosed children
- Helping pre-teens and teens suffering from a lack of in-person interaction with peers and friends
- Giving teens with T1D more space and empowering them to more independently manage their T1D
- Recognizing burnout in children
- Identifying diabetes fatigue and maintaining motivation for diabetes care during this time of social isolation
- Helping ease children’s anxiety about parents returning to work in an office (outside the home)
- How parents of T1D children should view blood glucose numbers
- Assessing at what age children with T1D should start therapy
NYU Langone Health has compiled additional resources to help parents navigate psychosocial challenges associated with COVID-19.
Watch the full, recorded live stream below:
