Lessons Learned from Designing and Leading Multidisciplinary Diabetes Educational Groups
Diabetes is a serious health condition that significantly impacts physical and emotional well-being. Working with primary care providers, clinical mental health counselors have an opportunity to contribute to its efficacious treatments. Researchers and clinicians have suggested a multidisciplinary approach to diabetes care may be useful. To increase knowledge and awareness about the use of collaborative care models for diabetes care, the authors—a licensed professional counselor and a family physician—share lessons learned from their experiences designing and cofacilitating a series of multidisciplinary-led diabetes groups in 2007, 2008, and 2009. The series covered education, support, and self-management techniques related to diabetes care. All 57 participants were asked to complete a program evaluation survey. All 29 participants who did so (100%) reported having a better understanding of diabetes, and 21 (71%) reported applying what they had learned (e.g., increasing exercise and making better nutritional choices). Implications for counselors in practice and research are discussed.