Reclaim Your Rise: Type 1 Diabetes with Lauren Bongiorno

In this episode, Abby Cooper (Risely’s Director of Coaching and a parent of a child with type 1 diabetes) sits down with Jessie Bennett, a mom of two in California whose 13-year-old son, Samuel, was diagnosed with T1D two years ago. Jessie opens up about what the first year really felt like: survival mode, numbness, and the constant, invisible fear of low blood sugar that can hijack your body and your mind.
Together, Abby and Jessie talk about why this episode is intentionally different, because the goal is not to wait until everything feels “fixed” before you get support. Jessie shares what shifted through coaching: building a simple “order of operations” toolkit, learning to slow down the spiral, and redefining progress as being able to live even when fear still shows up.

WHAT WE COVER:
What the first 6 to 12 months after a child’s diagnosis can feel like, and why it’s normal
How fear of low blood sugar shows up physically, emotionally, and in decision-making
The “invisible” anxiety parents carry, even when they look calm on the outside
Why coaching is not about erasing fear, but changing how you live alongside it
A practical toolkit for making decisions: insulin on board, trend, and “I have what I need to handle this”
Redefining progress when you’re still in the middle, without rushing yourself to a finish line

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
1️⃣ Fear is protective, but it comes with a cost. The goal is not to shame it away. It is to stop letting it run the whole day (or night).
2️⃣ Real change comes from experience, not explanation. Tools, repetition, and safety-building moments are what rewire confidence.
3️⃣ Progress you can’t measure still matters. Letting your child go play at 110, trusting the plan, and staying regulated, those wins change your whole family.

WHAT’S NEXT:
💻Learn more about our T1D parent coaching.
📧Join thousands of T1Ds reading our newsletter every Tuesday: T1D tips and encouragement, straight to your inbox.
Stay connected with us: Email us at [email protected]   

IG: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
TikTok: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
YT: Reclaim Your Rise 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW:
If Jessie’s story helped you feel seen, especially if you’re making progress but still feel fear hanging around, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find these conversations.

Dating with Type 1 Diabetes can stir up questions about worth, vulnerability, and whether you are asking for too much or are too much. In this solo episode, Lauren shows up as your T1D older sister, sharing real-life insight, personal stories from her own relationship, and the conversations most people avoid when it comes to dating with diabetes.
You will hear why Type 1 Diabetes does not actually make dating harder. It simply reveals compatibility faster. Lauren explains how your relationship with yourself and your diabetes shapes what you tolerate, attract, and believe you deserve. This episode breaks down the red flags to pay attention to, the green flags that truly matter, and how releasing shame can completely change your dating experience.

WHAT WE COVER:
Why Type 1 Diabetes acts as a stress test for emotional maturity
Red flags in dating that often show up early when you live with T1D
How shame around diabetes quietly impacts relationships
The difference between concern, control, and true partnership
Green flags that signal emotional safety and long-term compatibility
Why your relationship with diabetes sets the tone for how others show up

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
1️⃣ Type 1 Diabetes does not make you “too much.” It filters out the wrong people faster.
 It brings clarity to compatibility and emotional readiness early on.
2️⃣ The way someone responds to your diabetes often reflects how you relate to it.
 Confidence and self-trust naturally attract healthier dynamics.
3️⃣ Healthy relationships are built on communication, respect, and safety, not perfection.
 You do not need a caretaker. You deserve a partner who can meet you with empathy and maturity.

WHAT’S NEXT:

💻Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve with T1D.

📧Join thousands of T1Ds reading our newsletter every Tuesday: T1D tips and encouragement, straight to your inbox.
🧴Check out Healthy Sites: Post-site recovery patches designed to calm irritation, reduce visible marks, and support site recovery after pump and CGM removal.

Stay connected with us: 
Email us at: [email protected]   

IG: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
TikTok: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
YT: Reclaim Your Rise 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If this episode helped you feel seen, especially if you have ever worried about being “too much” while dating with T1D, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find these conversations and stop struggling alone.

Rachel Smith is an OB-GYN, lifelong mountain-lover, and person with type 1 diabetes who set out to summit Mount Vinson, Antarctica’s tallest peak, in some of the harshest conditions on the planet. After climbs like Kilimanjaro and Aconcagua, she realized the biggest curiosity was not just the summit itself, but the diabetes strategy behind it: insulin safety, altitude, tech failures, and what it takes to navigate unpredictable blood sugars when you are far from help.
In this episode, Rachel takes us into a 13-day Antarctica expedition (8 days on the mountain), where the sun never sets, the cold hits -50°C, and even treating a low can become complicated. You will hear what surprised her most, what she would do differently next time, and the message she wants every person with diabetes to carry with them: progress over perfection, and your goals do not have to shrink because you have T1D.

WHAT WE COVER:
Why Rachel chose Mount Vinson and why she decided to share the diabetes side publicly this time
The realities of climbing in Antarctica: 24-hour daylight, extreme cold, and carrying everything yourself
Managing T1D on Kilimanjaro (manual testing) vs. Aconcagua and Vinson (pump + CGM)
What happens when diabetes tech fails at altitude and in the cold (pump alarms, sensors cutting out)
How Rachel kept insulin from freezing and built in backups (including guide support)
Fueling strategy on long climb days: lower-carb mornings, steady carbs during breaks, and why it mattered
Safety conversations with guides: how hypoglycemia symptoms can mimic altitude sickness

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
1️⃣ Your plan needs redundancy. Remote climbs demand extra supplies, backup delivery methods, and contingency plans for freezing, loss, and tech failure.
2️⃣ The environment changes everything. Altitude, cold, disrupted routine, stress hormones, and long-duration exertion can make blood sugars feel unlike your norm. That is not failure, it is data.
3️⃣ Zoom out to rebuild trust. Rachel’s CGM graphs looked more stable in hindsight than they felt in the moment, which is a reminder not to let one chaotic window define your confidence.

WHAT’S NEXT:

💻Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve with T1D.

📧Join thousands of T1Ds reading our newsletter every Tuesday: T1D tips and encouragement, straight to your inbox.

Stay connected with us: 
Email us at: [email protected]   

IG: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
TikTok: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
YT: Reclaim Your Rise 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If Rachel’s story helped you feel more capable, especially if you have been telling yourself “I cannot” because of diabetes, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find these conversations.

This bonus episode takes you behind the scenes of a moment that made many people with Type 1 diabetes feel truly seen. Lauren visits Breakthrough T1D headquarters in New York City to sit down with Pam Morrisroe and uncover how the T1D Barbie went from an idea to a global symbol of representation. Pam shares her role in bringing community voices into the process and why getting the details right was not just important, it was everything.
What unfolds is a powerful conversation about visibility, confidence, and the emotional weight of representation for kids and adults living with an often invisible condition. This episode is not about perfection or optics. It is about normalizing devices, embracing difference, and shifting the narrative from hiding diabetes to owning it with pride.

WHAT WE COVER:
How Mattel and Breakthrough T1D partnered to create the T1D Barbie
Why community input was essential in the doll’s design
The intentional choices behind the CGM graph, pump number, and devices
Navigating criticism and misconceptions around representation
What visibility means for kids growing up with Type 1 diabetes

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
1️⃣ Representation matters, especially for an invisible condition like Type 1 diabetes
2️⃣ Getting it perfect is not the goal. Getting it real is what builds confidence
3️⃣ Embracing what makes you different can change your entire relationship with T1D

WHAT’S NEXT:

💻Apply for coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve with T1D.

📧Join thousands of T1Ds reading our newsletter every Tuesday: T1D tips and encouragement, straight to your inbox.

Stay connected with us: 
Email us at: [email protected]   

IG: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
TikTok: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
YT: Reclaim Your Rise 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If this episode made you feel seen or reminded you that you do not have to hide your diabetes, subscribe and leave a review so more people with T1D can find these conversations.

In this solo episode, Lauren breaks down one of the most important skills for navigating Type 1 Diabetes with more confidence: spotting blood sugar patterns without getting trapped in constant data analysis. She speaks to two common experiences, the person who’s already deep in the charts but still feels stuck, and the person who feels overwhelmed and convinced they “don’t have patterns.”
Lauren shares a simple, human approach to pattern recognition that prioritizes curiosity over judgment. You’ll learn how to slow down, identify what’s actually driving your out-of-range numbers, and build awareness in a way that supports your life (instead of taking it over). If you’ve ever felt like diabetes is running the show, this episode will help you shift from reacting in the moment to making decisions with more clarity and calm.

WHAT WE COVER:
How to identify which “group” you fall into: over-analyzing vs. overwhelmed and unsure where to start
Why changing ratios isn’t always the answer and what the graphs don’t show
How to start with awareness first, before trying to “fix” everything
Four practical ways to find patterns without living inside your CGM data
How to build a weekly review habit using curiosity over judgment

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
1️⃣ The goal isn’t perfect numbers. It’s clarity and confidence that you can repeat consistently.
2️⃣ Patterns aren’t always in the graphs. Often, the real drivers are beneath the surface: fear of lows, stress, sleep, routines, and habits.
3️⃣ You don’t need to find every pattern. Pick one frustrating context, slow down, and build awareness one bite-sized step at a time.

WHAT’S NEXT:

💻Apply for 1:1 or group coaching and talk to our team so you can reclaim the life you deserve with T1D.
📔Get the Diabetic Health Journal: A mindful approach to achieving your best A1C.

📧Join thousands of T1Ds reading our newsletter every Tuesday: T1D tips and encouragement, straight to your inbox.

Stay connected with us: 
Email us at: [email protected]   

IG: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
TikTok: @lauren_bongiorno | @riselyhealth
YT: Reclaim Your Rise 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW
If this episode helped you feel less overwhelmed by your data, or gave you a clearer starting point for spotting patterns without burnout, subscribe and leave a review so more people with T1D can find this support.