Do you or someone you love live with type 1 diabetes and find yourself struggling with the emotional toll it takes?
Are you an endocrinologist, Certified Diabetes Educator, or someone looking to provide your patients with more emotional support in their healthcare?
Are you a healthcare provider, school nurse or mental health professional looking to learn more about the connection between mental health and type 1 diabetes?
Meet Allison, the Diabetic Therapist
We are more than a pancreas.
Life with diabetes is more than just carb counting and basal rates. It’s more than every 3 month doctor’s appointments and A1cs. And it’s more than your gadgets and gear.
One of the reasons I became a therapist is because I felt like the conversation about mental health was missing from the diabetes experience. If we neglect our mental health, our physical health can never really be at peak efficiency.
I work with clients as a therapist who are struggling with depression and anxiety or conflict in their relationships as it relates to type 1 diabetes, and I work with clients as a diabetic health coach who need an extra boost of clarity, accountability, and a place to brainstorm what they really need to be successful and empowered to manage their diabetes.
I work with healthcare professionals in a variety of capacities, from coordinating care to training staff on the relationship between mental health and diabetes management to help improve their patients’ health outcomes.
I also speak nationally on issues ranging from diabetes distress and burnout, to family conflict and transitioning care.
I have lived with type 1 diabetes for 25 years and I currently work in private practice as a therapist and coach. I have my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy and I specialize in the impact that chronic illness has on our mental and emotional well-being.
I live in Minneapolis with my husband and todder son. When I’m not working, I enjoy going to OrangeTheory, learning the piano, trying new brunch places, and spending time with family.
social media
Phone
(952) 595-5967
Location
1935 County Road B2 Ste. 240
Roseville, MN 55113
allison@greaterthancc.com
Work with me
I offer the following services:
Individual and family counseling (through my private practice, Greater Than Counseling and Coaching)
Diabetes health coaching (also through GTCC)
Training healthcare providers on the connection between mental health and diabetes
Speaking at patient education events (see list of topics below)
Consultation with therapists working with clients with diabetes
Media appearances or interviews discussing mental health and diabetes
Rates based on the service. Please contact for details and availability.
Speaking
Available for keynotes, breakout sessions and professional trainings.
Topics
“The Emotional Toll of Diabetes” — Adults with T1D & Parents : This presentation covers what is distress and burnout, how and why it shows up, common misconceptions, and best practices in working through burnout. This presentation can be tailored to patients or healthcare providers.
“A New Normal: Adjusting to Life with Diabetes” Adults with T1D & Parents, Newly Diagnosed : This presentation walks attendees through common experiences of a newly diagnosed life, including grief and loss, family conflict, and issues with peers, teachers/employers, and anxiety about the future.
“I Love You, I Need You, Please Leave Me Alone: Communication 101 For Relationships Impacted by Diabetes.” — Adults with T1D and Loved Ones : This presentation discuss the challenges that PWDs and their loved ones can face when living with diabetes, how to develop stronger communication skills, and how to become more attuned and loving to one another.
“Transitioning to Independent Management” — Parents : This presentation discusses brain development of teenagers, common issues that parents face (including burnout), and practical strategies for initiating self-managed care.
“Everything You Need to Know About Your Kid with Diabetes” — Parents : This “readers digest” session covers the most importance issues facing parents of kids and adolescents with diabetes, including developmental norms, communication challenges, delegating responsibilities, and managing their own frustrations.
“What I Want My Parents to Know” — Teens : This interactive activity helps teens express their thoughts and feeling about living with diabetes to their parents and caregivers, opening the lines to productive communication and empathy.
Upcoming Appearances
May 2: Virtual JDRF Type One Nation for Omaha, NE
May 29-31: Virtual Connected in Motion
August 2020: JDRF Type One Nation in Portland, OR
Now booking for 2021!
Testimonials
“Allison was a great addition to our Educational event. She was able to speak to and relate to many different groups that attended the event; adults, parents, and teenagers. The survey results on her presentations were all very positive and everyone really seemed to get something out of listening to her expertise. We would definitely want to have her back to speak to our attendees at future event.”
Marlo Martin, Outreach Manager, JDRF Kansas City
“Anyone with type 1 diabetes (T1D), or who has a loved one with T1D, knows managing the disease is an around-the-clock job. The emotional toll, or distress, of the disease affects not just the overall health of the person with T1D, but also the health of his or her family. To help address this important topic of the psychosocial impact of T1D, we were privileged to have Allison speak about ‘Diabetes Distress and Burnout’ at the JDRF New England Chapter’s TypeOneNation Summit Boston in March 2019. The feedback on her presentation was extremely positive and our attendees walked away feeling less alone, more informed, and empowered. Allison was able to establish a great rapport in a short time period and was viewed as a wonderful role model for both the newly diagnosed in the room and those more established with T1D. She was amazing to work with—responsive, listened to our needs, and had a genuine interest in connecting with our attendees—and we would love to have her present in Boston again soon!”
Lauren Shields, Associate Executive Director, JDRF New England
Allison was a wonderful addition to our Summit this past year. Mental health and well-being is a very popular topic for our attendees year after year. We were thrilled to be able to offer Allison’s breakout sessions on Adjusting to a Life with Diabetes and Diabetes Distress & Burnout. She was incredibly well-versed on both topics, giving our guests helpful information and tangible tools to assist them in their daily life with T1D. She also wowed the children in our Kid’s Zone with a thoughtful and engaging activity that helped them creatively articulate what it’s like to live with type one diabetes or be a sibling of someone living with T1D. We’d highly recommend Allison for future Summits!
Michelle Pape, Outreach Manager, JDRF Wisconsin
Contact Allison about presenting at your next event!
Contact ME
In session with the diabetic therapist
In Session with The Diabetic Therapist is a "live podcast" style webinar focused entirely on mental health and the psychosocial impact of diabetes. Allison Nimlos, the Diabetic Therapist, interviews the special guest on the topic of the evening for 30-40 minutes. Audience members will then have the opportunity to ask their own questions during the last 30 minutes, giving it an interactive element similar to other webinars. In Session recordings are posted on YouTube (coming soon).
Monday, June 2 — A Complicated Relationship: Food & Diabetes with Lauren Newman, RD, LD