Episode 353 - The Hidden Mental Load: A T1D Pshycotherapist on Burnout, Grief, and Letting Go

What happens in the room when a therapist with Type 1 diabetes hears the same fear over and over, that everyone else has their numbers under control, and you’re the only one who doesn’t? Rob sits down with Christine Keown, a registered psychotherapist and T1D since age four, to have the conversation that doesn’t get nearly enough airtime. Recorded right in the middle of the Diabetes and Mental Health Conference, this one covers a lot of ground and goes places most diabetes content never does. Christine shares what she calls her “meta-analysis” of her clients: the common threads she sees across every person with diabetes who walks through her door. The fear of judgment around numbers. A fractured sense of identity after diagnosis. The compounding spiral of healthcare avoidance. And high-functioning burnout, the kind that looks completely fine at work and only shows up at home. Rob opens up, sharing what a recent diabetes meditation retreat revealed to him about conditional joy, self-compassion, and why he’s been sitting with the uncomfortable truth that he’s not nearly as in control as he’d like to be. One of the standout moments is Christine’s live demonstration of an ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) exercise using a literal piece of paper. The idea: we exhaust ourselves pushing our fears away. What if we just put them down instead? Rob couldn’t stop laughing, and neither could we. This episode is for anyone who has ever felt like they’re failing at diabetes, quietly avoided the endocrinologist, or thought everyone else has it figured out except them. You’re not alone. Not even a little bit. As Christine and Rob both land on: we’re all just doing our best, every single day. Chapters: 00:00: Rob introduces Christine Keown, registered psychotherapist 01:46: Recording live at the Diabetes and Mental Health Conference 02:26: Why people seek out a therapist who also has diabetes 04:01: Fear of judgment keeps people away from community 05:45: When the endocrinologist becomes the threat 06:44: Diabetes distress and physician-related avoidance 07:58: The compounding loop: wanting care, avoiding it anyway 08:58: The therapist’s privilege: normalizing what everyone feels 10:27: The meta-analysis: what every T1D client shares 11:11: Fear of comparison and the myth of perfect control 12:36: Conditional joy: happiness gated behind blood sugar 13:37: Christine’s pre-podcast low and the reality of T1D 15:13: The messenger matters more than the message 16:23: A joy shared is a joy multiplied 17:42: Identity shifts after a chronic illness diagnosis 18:15: Christine’s story: leg muscles, mountains, and Costco 21:07: Rob on learning to ‘be’ instead of always ‘do’ 21:31: Grief, anxiety, and diabetes pulling us from the present 23:51: ACT therapy: the paper exercise for carrying fear 28:03: Naming the fear instead of making it the main character 30:18: Chronic illness and the desperate need for control 31:08: High-functioning burnout: invisible to everyone around you 32:43: Signs at home no one at work will ever see 34:49: Distraction through overwork and the “next thing” trap 35:30: A call to curiosity, self-compassion, and getting help Resources: * Christine Keown on Instagram: @your_health_therapist * Diabetes & Mental Health Conference: Session recordings still available at dmhconference.com