Welcome to Pineapple Therapy

Your Partner in Type 1 Diabetes Support in Edmonton

Hi! I’m Kayla Chorley, Your Canadian Certified Counsellor & Edmonton Counselling Therapist

Living with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) can sometimes feel like a full-time job, can’t it? Whether you’re a young person managing your own T1D, or a caregiver supporting a loved one, I understand the unique struggles you face.

As someone who has lived with T1D for 23 years, I know what it’s like to always have diabetes on the back of your mind, to constantly worry about blood glucose levels, and to feel like no one else understands how hard it is to live with T1D.

I’ve been there, and I’ve used my personal experience and professional training to help others navigate these challenges.

kayla sitting on sofa

How We Can Work Together

At Pineapple Therapy, I'm here to help you build a plan to live freely with T1D.

Here’s how we can do it together:

  • Integrating Diabetes Management into Your Life: Together, we’ll find ways to incorporate diabetes management into your daily routines, making it feel less like a chore and more like a part of your life.
  • Changing Your Relationship with Hypoanxiety: I’ll provide strategies to understand and manage hypoanxiety, helping you to reduce the fear and anxiety associated with low blood sugars.
  • Reconnecting with the T1D Community: I’ll help you connect with others who are living with T1D, reducing feelings of isolation and creating a supportive network of individuals who understand your experiences.
  • Establishing Healthy Boundaries: We’ll work together to establish and maintain healthy boundaries with family, friends, and medical professionals, fostering a sense of self-efficacy and self-advocacy.
  • Advocating for Yourself in Medical Settings: I’ll empower you to voice your needs and concerns in medical settings, ensuring that you feel heard and understood by your healthcare providers.
  • Looking at Blood Glucose Numbers from a Neutral Stance: I’ll guide you to view blood glucose numbers as neutral information that can guide your actions, rather than as a reflection of your worth or success in managing diabetes.
  • Developing Routines and Systems for Diabetes Management: We’ll develop routines and systems that make diabetes management a seamless part of your life, reducing stress and improving overall control.
  • Exploring Feelings/Emotions Around Diagnosis and Stage of Living with T1D: I’ll provide a safe space for you to explore and process the emotions associated with your diagnosis and the ongoing challenges of living with T1D.
  • Supporting Caregivers to Reduce Burnout: I’ll offer support and resources for caregivers, helping you to manage the stress and emotional toll of caring for a loved one with T1D, and ensuring you have the tools you need to provide effective support.

What Does Success Look Like?

Success at Pineapple Therapy means living a full, vibrant life while managing T1D.

It means feeling empowered and confident in your ability to handle the daily challenges of diabetes management. It means not letting T1D define you, but integrating it into your life in a way that feels manageable and sustainable.

For you, success might look like:

  • Feeling Empowered: You feel confident in your ability to manage T1D, make decisions that are right for you, and advocate for your needs in medical settings.
  • Reduced Anxiety: You experience less anxiety around blood glucose levels and have strategies to manage hypoanxiety when it arises.
  • Connection with the T1D Community: You feel connected to others who are living with T1D, reducing feelings of isolation and creating a supportive network.
  • Healthy Boundaries: You have established healthy boundaries with family, friends, and medical professionals, and feel a sense of self-efficacy and self-advocacy.
  • Neutral View of Blood Glucose Numbers: You view blood glucose numbers as neutral information that guides your actions, rather than as a reflection of your worth or success in managing diabetes.
  • Effective Routines and Systems: You have routines and systems in place that make diabetes management a seamless part of your life, reducing stress and improving overall control.
  • Emotional Wellness: You have processed the emotions associated with your diagnosis and the ongoing challenges of living with T1D, leading to improved emotional health and wellbeing.
  • Caregiver Support: For caregivers, success means feeling confident in your ability to support your loved one with T1D, managing the stress and emotional toll of caregiving, and having the tools you need to provide effective support.

At Pineapple Therapy, I’m committed to helping you achieve these successes. I’m here to support you every step of the way on your journey towards living freely with T1D.

Ready to start your journey towards a more confident, balanced life with T1D?

 Here's how:

  1. Schedule a Free Consultation: Contact me to schedule your free consultation. This is a no-obligation opportunity for us to understand your needs and for you to see if we’re the right fit.
  2. Discuss Your Goals for Therapy: In our first session, we’ll discuss your goals for therapy and how we can help you achieve them.
  3. Begin Therapy & Start Living Freely with T1D: Start your therapy sessions and embark on the journey towards living freely with T1D. I’ll be there to support you every step of the way.

 

Contact me today to take the first step.