The purpose of this grounded theory study was to investigate the experience of living with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Data were collected from interviews with four participants, and from their diabetes papers and journals. This article summarizes the results of the data collection and presents implications for diabetes educators. The results challenge the traditional compliance/adherence paradigm within which current diabetes education programs operate and provide evidence of the need to move to a new integration paradigm. The new paradigm would replace adherence relationships with collaborative alliances between clients and educators and encourage educators to practice empathy as a way of knowing.