The diabetes psychology service offers the opportunity to talk with someone who is trained in emotional wellbeing.
Some examples of problems that we can help with include:
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Adjusting to diabetes management or diagnosis
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Diabetes burnout
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Medical phobias related to diabetes (e.g., needle phobia)
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Eating disorders (e.g., concerns about food and eating in relation to diabetes)
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Distress due to facing upcoming life-altering intervention (e.g., surgery) or the possibility of it
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Dissatisfaction and discouragement around diabetes care
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Trauma in relation to diabetes or traumatic experiences from diabetes care / management
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Other mental health issues that are affecting diabetic management / engagement.
General information on what psychology can help with and how psychology can help can be found back on the main page.
Dr Anna McIvor, counselling psychologist
I joined Northumbria Healthcare in October 2022 and I work as a counselling psychologist in both the diabetes and pain service. I was born and raised in Sweden and completed my counselling psychology doctorate at Glasgow Caledonian University.
I am passionate about helping those with chronic conditions to live the best quality of life. To achieve this, I believe a person-centred approach is important and therefore is what lies at the heart of my practice.
My therapy takes an integrative approach, drawing upon models such as CBT, ACT and CFT (more information here).
Outside of work I enjoy singing, playing piano, and doing yoga.
Dr Joanne Clarkin, clinical psychologist 
I joined Northumbria Healthcare in October 2023 as a clinical psychologist working within the Living Well with Pain service and the diabetes service. I moved to the North East in 2017 to complete my Master’s degree in clinical and health psychology and stayed here to complete my clinical psychology training in 2020.
During my training, I had the opportunity to work with several different health psychology services and discovered my interest in understanding the relationship between our physical health and mental health / wellbeing. I draw upon CBT, ACT and CFT (more information here) within my practice.
You can be referred by a member of your diabetes care team. If you feel that you would benefit from psychological support, please discuss this with your care team.
Following your referral, we will contact you to carry out a telephone screening. This is to find out more information and decide what support is most suitable. If further input from our service is appropriate, we will arrange this with you.
We can offer appointments either face to face or by telephone or video consultation. We offer individual or group-based interventions.
We aim to contact you within 4 weeks of your referral.
Appointments will be arranged directly with you or by telephone or letter. If, for any reason, you cannot attend, please let us know as soon as possible. If we don’t hear from you, we may presume that you no longer want psychological support and may discharge you from the service.