After my diagnosis with Type 1 Diabetes, I quickly saw how cold, detached, and clinical our healthcare system can feel. I have so many memories leaving a doctor’s office not feeling seen, heard, empowered, or comforted on my journey.
My own journey with diabetes burnout and anxiety led me to realize the importance of tending to the emotional side of the journey. I embarked on a decade-long exploration of mindfulness, psychology, and nature-based healing to develop an inner toolkit for navigating the emotional ups and downs of diabetes.
Through this space, this community, I’m building what I wished I’d had. Somewhere soft to land. Somewhere that nourishes the spiritual and the emotional, because those live right alongside us in our journeys with blood sugar. Somewhere that challenges the dominant culture of shaming, perfectionism, and machine-like productivity and instead fosters organic, compassionate, and heart-based care.
Some Places I’ve Contributed
My Story
I’ve always been a kid who thrived in nature. Climbing trees, planting strawberries with my Grandma, and crying to my mom not to kill a spider. I chose to study Environmental Science during my time at U.C. Berkeley, and while I managed to finish my thesis and graduate, my last year was overshadowed by my diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes.
I coped by throwing myself into a quest for a scientific understanding of my diagnosis, and mathematical calculations of insulin. A year later, I was facing a constant soup of burnout, anxiety and depression. Something had to change. This kicked off a radical shift to tending to the emotional side of my journey, and a decade-long exploration into self and healing.
After feeling how out-of-touch the healthcare system was, I switched my career into the diabetes space. I’ve had the chance to work on some amazing projects with non-profits, universities, clinical centers, start-ups, and biotechnology companies. You can read more about my professional experience on my LinkedIn. The common thread in all of my work has been improving the patient experience using a balance of strategic program development and heart-centered design. Through that work, I was able to work with 100’s of patients, and learn so much about the behind-the-scenes workings of doctor’s offices and insurance plans.
My own journey with diabetes has led me to understand the importance of holistic, heart-centered support. Making sure we are tending to our hearts and speaking to ourselves with kindness is essential to surviving the marathon of chronic illness. Over the years, I’ve studied meditation & mindfulness, yoga, Non-Violent Communication, Internal Family Systems, healthcare literacy, boundary-setting, and somatic body-based healing that have helped me weather the storms on my journey. It motivated me to pursue a Master’s degree in Psychology to bring even more knowledge into my toolkit. I often walked those paths alone, and I want to help others do so in community.
Sage Diabetes is a space for heart-centered, holistic diabetes care, so we can collectively build our capacities for navigating the ups and downs of diabetes (and life)!
Mandy Jones
Education
Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science, UC Berkeley.
Master’s Degree in Psychology, Meridian University. This program emphasized holistic, trauma-informed, and transformational approaches to healing—blending depth psychology, systems thinking, and embodied practices. My studies included:
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- The arc of human development—from inner child to collective consciousness
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Trauma-informed care for individuals, families, couples, and groups
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Integration of psychedelic and spiritual experiences
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Cultural and systemic perspectives on power, privilege, and identity
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The neurobiology of healing and holistic well-being
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Transformative learning and systems change
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Ethical foundations for healing professions
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Additional Trainings + Practices
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- Decolonizing Nonviolent Communication – 3-month course with Meenadchi
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400+ Hours of Meditation – Mindfulness retreats at Deer Park Monastery & SF Zen Center
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Abundant Creativity – 3-month course with Chetna Mehta
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15+ Years of Yoga – Vinyasa & Bikram traditions
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10+ Years of Somatic Therapy – Including parts work and trauma healing
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Workshops in – Conflict resolution, consent, and boundary setting
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Participation in – Rituals, ceremonies, and inner work retreats
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Song Circles & Retreats – With Joana Ayala, Woodsong, Ahlay Blakely
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Transformative Learning Lab – 3-day training at Meridian
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The Neurobiology of Connection – 5-day training with Restorative Practices Alliance
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I’m on a mission to regenerate the future of health-care and earth-care.
Won’t you join me?
Ways to Work Together
Offerings
If you’d like to check out our offerings at Sage Diabetes, you’ll find different options to engage with.
- You’ll find downloadable materials to explore at your own pace.
- We also have courses to help you build a self-care toolkit.
- If you’re finding yourself looking for more depth and continuity, I also offer 1:1 Support Sessions.
Collaborations
If our mission speaks to you and you have a collaboration in mind, please reach out using the form below. This is a collective movement and I am always looking for co-creators and dream-weavers!
If you are a healer or teacher and would like to offer a workshop at Sage Diabetes, please get in touch!
Let’s Stay Connected!
Get the Sage Diabetes newsletter for updates, events, and diabetes-attuned brain cuddles.
I’d love to hear from you!
Thank you in advance for allowing 3-5 days for my response. I look forward to connecting!
