Hendri Viljoen

PSYCHOLOGIST

PRACTICE NR: 8645019

021 863 0101 | hendri@viljoen.co.za

Diabetes and Psychotherapy

• Diabetes-focused psychotherapy (DFP) takes a holistic approach to diabetes management, combining client-centered psychotherapy with diabetes education, emotional support, and increased accountability. 

• It utilizes techniques from (1) motivational interviewing, (2) cognitive behavioral therapy and (3) psychodynamic therapy to address both the physical and emotional aspects of living life with diabetes. 

• DFP takes non-diabetes life-related problems into consideration as well, to create a unique holistic approach to help people with diabetes live a healthier and happier life.

• DFP was created to support diabetes self-management while reducing the emotional issues that negatively impact effective diabetes management.

• Research shows that depression is 2-3 times more prevalent for people living with diabetes.

• Poor diabetes management leads to symptoms of depression and will exacerbate pre-existing psychiatric disorders consequently negatively affecting cognitive functioning resulting in impaired ability to manage diabetes.