It’s been a few weeks since I posted. I’ve been in Europe both working and relaxing. I was invited to present the Flourishing Approach to practitioners at, and related to, Steno Diabetes Center in Copenhagen. Steno is a leading research institute and clinic in Denmark. The interaction was extremely successful, including a meeting with the CEO of Steno, Allan Flyvbjerg, who is looking for innovative ways to progress diabetes care and sees the value of the Flourishing Approach.

That morning I and the husband presented the Flourishing Approach to health psychology students at the University of Copenhagen. It was enormously rewarding relaying ideas of a different way of seeing and working with people who have a condition to such young, curious and fertile minds. And not one was on their iPhone during our talk! Instead they were surprised, fascinated and curious what diabetes really is and is like to live with. I am grateful to psychologist Timothy Skinner who invited us to take over his class.

It’s both fun and rewarding that Copenhagen is one of the world’s cities where the Flourishing Approach is connecting since I lived there for a semester during my junior year of college. How well I remember sleeping under the hugely warm white, white duvet and bicycling in the dark from house to train station to go into the city for classes. As I told the students, I could never have envisioned I would be back teaching at the university one day.

All to say it’s been rewarding work and a wonderful trip. Now back in the Netherlands, the husband’s home country, there’s a week left to wander down these beautiful cobblestoned streets and admire the centuries old buildings and canals.

A smattering of the trip in photos:

Painting: The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp. Painted in 1632 I use this in my presentation to show how focused we are in health care on the body alone. I took this photo in the Mauritshuis museum here in Holland.

Totally insulin-worthy Appel Cake at a bookstore in Amsterdam

A popular bridge in the center of Copenhagen. The locks represents couple’s love.

Lecturing health psychology students at the University of Copenhagen

Presenting at Steno Diabetes Institute in Copenhagen

A new T1D friend, Helle. We were LinkedIN until she reached out and showed us her Copenhagen. I am indebted.

Leaving Copenhagen. They don’t let you forget smoking is not good for your health.

KLM snack on the flight back to Holland. A teaspoon of egg in a wrap. Putting profit before health. Sad to see.