Meet Lissie Poyner | Diabetes Health Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lissie Poyner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lissie, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
When I was 19 years old, I was diagnosed with type one diabetes. As a young adult transitioning to college and living on my own for the first time, this diagnosis felt earth shattering. What didn’t make it any easier was the diabetes care system. Don’t get me wrong, I had a wonderful medical team – but the current system is not set up for self sufficiency. From the beginning, I was given overgeneralized advice – count your carbs, take your insulin and do the best you can to keep your blood sugars in range.

After about four years of staying complacent with that advice, I was also diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in the midst of starting my career post graduation. Another diagnosis, another chronic condition. I couldn’t help but think “there has to be more to it than this”.

I feel it’s important to note that my career-move led me to relocate from New Jersey to Miami, where I fell into a toxic relationship and living environment. In September 2019 I decided to leave the relationship and move home, for my own health and happiness. Moving home felt like a fresh start and an opportunity to focus on my health and truly take a root-cause approach. I started focusing on the health of not only my body, but my environment, my relationships, my career and everything in between.

After less than six months, my A1C went from 7.1 to 5.7 and my Crohn’s went into remission (where it’s remained for the last four years!). In a world where we’re given solutions based on restriction, I had found ways to care for my body without sacrificing the things that I love. I felt like this was such a huge component missing from our current care system, so I set out to become a Certified Health Coach, Personal Trainer and Neurolinguistic Programming Practitioner, so I could teach others how to care for their blood sugars from a holistic lens.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Needles and Spoons Health & Wellness was created after I was diagnosed with both type one diabetes and crohns disease in my young adulthood. “Needles” represents the insulin that keeps me alive every single day, and “spoons” comes from the spoon theory – a metaphor created by Christine Miserandino that signifies how people living with chronic illnesses use their energy each and every day.

When creating our company, I knew there was such a large gap in our healthcare system that needed to be filled. When diagnosed with an around-the-clock condition like diabetes, you need an extra leg of support that helps you live with it, not just survive. So we created Keeping it 100, our signature hybrid coaching program.

I’ll never be more proud of something than I am Keeping it 100. This program was born to provide all of the support I wish I had, whether it was one day into my diagnosis or four years. And it proves to be what others need too. We’ve had over a hundred members join us and not only are they able to lower their A1C sustainably, but their entire relationship with diabetes and their body improves as a result.

Not only do we work with those who need health coaching, but earlier in 2022 we created the first certification for those who coach or want to be a coach. The Ethical Coaching in Diabetes Care was created after years of frustration in the online space. Scroll after scroll, I was seeing coaches in the diabetes space teaching outside of their scope and marketing empty-promises. I knew that I wanted to build a coaching practice that honored ethics and integrity, so my clients could have full confidence in their investment.

I create ECDC so other coaches could build an ethical coaching practice that will empower the community and actually fill the education gap that is so prevalent in our community. Since it’s creation, the program has been recognized by the National Board of Health & Wellness Coaching for continuing education credit, so the fact that they recognize the importance of this program is huge!

At the end of the day, our company is here to help make the diabetes community stronger & better, with the most reliable resources possible.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m a Jersey girl, we might get a lot of hate but Jersey gives you the best of everything! The shore, great hikes, amazing food, and you’re directly between two cities – NYC and Philadelphia. If you’re in Jersey, you can’t miss Asbury Park. It’s mostly known for the beach, original music and great food.

And without a doubt, the best food we offer are pork roll, egg & cheese on a bagel (a breakfast sandwhich that is WELL worth the bolus) and our pizza.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I love this question – I think there’s a few!

Firstly, I’d have to say my dad. Now, keep in mind I went to undergrad for Energy Engineering, so I didn’t think my dad would be too thrilled when I told him I wanted to leave my Fortune 500 corporate career to become an health coach. His response instead? “If you’re feeling a pull to do this, you have to do it”.

Next, I have to give a shout out to my friend, co-coach and T1D soul sister, Valeria Garcia. Val actually started out as my client in 2019 and I immediately knew she offered something so special to the diabetes community. Now, three years later she’s our women’s wellness coach inside of our signature program, Keeping it 100 and one of my closest friends!

Lastly, Jenna Knapp, the founder of the Mental Wealth Method. Jenna was my mindset mentor in a business coaching program I went through in 2020 and I quickly raised my hand to study neurolinguistic programming under her in 2021. She taught me so much about being an effective coach and leader and our programs would not be the same without her. She now teaches our clients all about breakthrough questioning in our certification, The Ethical Coaching in Diabetes Care Certification for those who also want to become coaches for diabetics!

Website: www.needlesandspoons.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/needlesandspoons_

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/t1djudgementfree

Image Credits
Bri Ellis Photography Lauren Ashley Photography