Being diagnosed when I was three years old, Type 1 diabetes has always been a part of my life. I have grown up alongside the routines, responsibilities and uncertainty of the condition, while also witnessing enormous changes in how Type 1 is understood and managed. For most of my life, I understood diabetes from the perspective of the person living with it. That changed when my younger sister was also diagnosed with Type 1 as a teenager.

Supporting her gave me a new understanding of what it means to live alongside the condition: the shock of diagnosis, the divide between life “before” and “after”, the steep learning curve and the fear of getting something wrong. For the first time, I fully understood the responsibility carried by parents, partners, siblings and other family members, often without their own experiences being fully recognised.

Having experienced Type 1 through changing technologies, I also understand that new technology does not automatically remove the emotional burden. Even when things appear to be going well, there can still be vigilance, disrupted sleep, uncertainty and the pressure to remain constantly prepared.

Living both with Type 1 and alongside someone else with it has given me insight into many of the challenges families quietly manage, including:

• constantly scanning for possible risks

• sleep disruption and anxiety around hypoglycaemia

• the emotional impact of readings, alarms and routines

• knowing when to step in and when to step back

• balancing safety with independence

• supporting someone without becoming overwhelmed yourself

These experiences have shown me that diabetes is never only a collection of numbers and medical appointments. It can shape relationships, communication, identity, family roles, education, work and the way people imagine the future. And as it affects the person with Type 1, it also reaches everyone who loves and supports them. I will never claim living alongside Type 1 diabetes is easy, but with the right support, it can be less overwhelming and more like your own life again.

My professional and academic work has been guided by the belief that the emotional realities of chronic illness deserve the same thoughtful attention as the physical ones. During my MSc in Psychology, I focused on chronic health conditions and explored the relationship between long-term illness, stress and mental health, while investigating family-based approaches within the current research field.

My sessions are informed by psychological research and behaviour change principles, but they are not therapy or medical care. My training in behaviour change with the Royal Society for Public Health supports a structured, non-clinical approach that remains collaborative and grounded within clear professional boundaries.

Alongside my research background, I have worked in the third sector and in financial services, supporting teachers and education professionals through communications and engagement work, as well as providing financial consultancy to people experiencing complex and high-risk circumstances. Working with people during stressful and emotionally demanding periods taught me the value of calm communication and realistic planning, but most importantly, it taught me that people do not need judgement or another impossible standard to meet. They need space to think, language for what they are experiencing and practical ways to move forward.

I understand how difficult it can be to navigate healthcare, education, workplaces and family life when Type 1 is always present in the background. My aim is to provide a space where your experience is taken seriously and where we can work together to make life alongside diabetes feel clearer and less overwhelming.

• MSc Psychology, University of Kent

• The Royal Society of Public Health, Theory and Principles of Behaviour Change (Level 3)

• The British Psychological Society, Graduate Member (GMBPsS)

• European Mentoring and Coaching Council, Member (EMCC)