Emotional Eating & Diabetes: Understanding the “Why” and Building Compassionate Coping Skills

Emotional eating isn’t a lack of willpower—it’s a coping response. This interactive DiabetesSisters workshop supports women with diabetes, prediabetes, or insulin resistance in understanding why food becomes comfort and how to respond with insight, self-compassion, and practical tools.

Led by Gretchen Holmes, PhD, with lived experience from Karen Graffeo, the session explores emotional drivers of eating, the role of emotional health in long-term diabetes care, and how tools like GLP-1s fit into a sustainable, whole-person approach.

Participants will leave with these key takeaways:

• A clearer understanding of why they turn to food for comfort
• Greater confidence and less shame around emotional eating patterns
• Insight into the difference between treating symptoms and addressing root emotional causes
• A realistic view of GLP-1s as one tool in a broader self-care toolbox
• Actionable strategies to pause, reflect, and choose more supportive coping responses