New Beginnings: A Discussion Guide for Living Well with Diabetes
New Beginnings: A Discussion Guide for Living Well with Diabetes helps diabetes support group leaders facilitate discussions about the emotional aspects of living with diabetes. It uses stories about African Americans with diabetes to help identify family and social support needs and develop skills to address them. New Beginnings can be used to supplement diabetes self-management education sessions and in diabetes support groups.
The discussion guide contains tools and questions to lead a small group discussion with people who have diabetes and their family members. It has eight modules and tips and a session plan template.
Emergency Preparedness
Adapted from “Module 6—Problem Solving and Emergency Preparedness,” of the New Beginnings Guide, this mini-lesson focuses on helping people with diabetes prepare for a disaster or emergency.
Emergency Preparedness Discussion Guide Cdc-pdf[PDF – 800 KB]
Getting Ready for Your Health Care Visit
Adapted from “Module 8—Working with Your Doctor,” of the New Beginnings Guide, this mini-lesson focuses on helping people with diabetes get ready for visits with their health care team. It includes a short video, discussion, and activity.
Getting Ready for Your Health Care Visit Discussion Guide Cdc-pdf[PDF – 1M]
Use the New Beginnings worksheets with group participants, and use the forms to keep track of administrative tasks.
- New Beginnings Session Plan Template Cdc-word[WORD-30.9KB]
- Making a Plan Worksheet Cdc-pdf[PDF-40.7KB]
- Healthy Coping Strategies Worksheet Cdc-pdf[PDF-20.7KB]
- Be Your Own Best Friend Worksheet Cdc-pdf[PDF-31.3KB]
- Problem-Solving Plan Worksheet Cdc-pdf[PDF-21.5KB]
- How Can I Help Worksheet Cdc-pdf[PDF-18.1KB]
- Learn About Diabetes Together Cdc-pdf[PDF-25.8KB]
- Team Roster Worksheet Cdc-pdf[PDF-23KB]
- New Beginnings Session Tracking Form Cdc-word[WORD-38.4KB]
- New Beginnings Participant Satisfaction Form Cdc-word[WORD-27.5KB]
The New Beginnings handouts are great for giving participants information they can use outside of group sessions.
- Tips to Help You Stay Healthy With Diabetes: English Cdc-pdf[PDF – 161 KB] Spanish Cdc-pdf[PDF – 156K]
- Taking Care of Yourself When You are Sick Cdc-pdf[PDF-71.3KB]
- Record for Sick Days Cdc-pdf[PDF-42.5KB]
- Managing Your Diabetes at Work, School, and During Travel Cdc-pdf[PDF-87.5KB]
- Having Problems with Low Blood Glucose Cdc-pdf[PDF-100KB]
- Having Problems with High Blood Glucose Cdc-pdf[PDF-164KB]
- When There’s an Emergency or Natural Disaster Cdc-pdf[PDF-36.3KB]
- Stressful Situations Activities 1 & 2 Cdc-pdf[PDF-169KB]
Use these downloadable tools to promote New Beginnings in your community for people with diabetes and their families.
Integrate the emotional aspects of diabetes into diabetes clinical care. This approach can reduce confusion between depression and distress so that appropriate and targeted patient-centered interventions can occur.
This audio program includes three introductory modules for group leaders using New Beginnings:A Discussion Guide for Living Well With Diabetes including:
- The emotional impact of diabetesCdc-media (TranscriptCdc-pdf[PDF-283KB])
- The role of family and social support in diabetes self-managementCdc-media (Transcript Cdc-pdf[PDF-355KB])
- Cultural considerations when addressing psychosocial and family support issues among people with diabetesCdc-media (Transcript Cdc-pdf[PDF-342KB])
This program has been approved for CNE, CEU, and CECH credit through CDC Training Finder Real-time Affiliate Integrated Network (TRAIN). Visit the TRAIN registration page for more information about continuing education.