About Higher Self Foundation
With Marianne Jones
At Higher Self Foundation you will find public speaking, readings, coaching, and mentoring. I (Marianne Jones), an accomplished author and holistic health counselor, am dedicated to guiding individuals through their spiritual journeys.
About Marianne
I hold a master's degree in social work from the University of Denver and practiced psychotherapy specializing in addictions and trauma. I was one of the pioneers of the Victim Assistance Program in Englewood, Colorado, and was featured on NBC's Today Show for my work in cluster suicide postvention. I also appeared on InvestigateTV to discuss my experience as a woman who struggled with transfer addictions following weight loss surgery.
Throughout my career, I worked with homeless women and children, adolescent sex offenders, individuals battling addiction, and victims of narcissistic and sociopathic abuse. These experiences gave me a deep understanding of trauma, resilience, recovery, and the remarkable ability of people to heal and transform their lives.
After moving to Hawaii and publishing my memoir, Expect A Miracle: A Refusal to Give Up, in 2012, I retired from clinical practice and surrendered my social work license following a personal battle that included relapse into addiction, additional trauma, and periods of homelessness across four Hawaiian islands and two mainland states.
My life has been a journey of challenge, growth, and transformation. I have experienced years of institutionalization, obesity, single motherhood, breast cancer, addiction, divorce, homelessness, identity theft, gang stalking, narcissistic and sociopathic abuse, gaslighting, smear campaigns, and multiple attempts on my life. Part of my journey included a felony conviction , a chapter of my story that taught me some of life's most difficult lessons about accountability, resilience, and redemption.
What was intended to be a vacation to Hawaii in 2011 became a life-changing journey. Because I was on probation, I was unable to leave and spent years rebuilding my life while facing some of my greatest personal challenges. On May 18, I successfully completed my probation, a milestone made possible in part by the support and encouragement of my probation officer, Donnie Sakamoto, in Honolulu. That chapter of my life officially came to a close, allowing me to begin a new one.
Through it all, I have refused to give up. Each challenge became an opportunity to learn, heal, and grow stronger. As a dynamic survivor, my mission is to help others recover from trauma, reconnect with their authentic selves, and create lives filled with purpose, joy, and possibility. Through teaching, speaking, intuitive readings, coaching, and spiritual guidance, I help people move beyond survival and into a life they truly love.
Today, I call Glenwood, Arkansas home, where I live with my two beloved fur babies, Bee and Honey Boo Boo. Surrounded by crystal-rich mountains, beautiful rivers, hiking trails, and endless opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, I have found a community that feels like home. The people here have embraced me with kindness and warmth, and I am grateful to live and serve in a place that reflects the healing, connection, and authenticity I encourage in others every day.
BOOKS BY MARIANNE JONES
BOOK BY MARIANNE JONES:
You Can't Make This Shit Up
Or Fix What Isn't Broken
You Weren't Broken, You Were Surviving.
For too long, survival has been mistaken for failure. This powerful, trauma-informed book challenges the systems, labels, and beliefs that pathologize your adaptations, and offers a new way forward rooted in science, compassion, and truth.
Blending lived experience with clinical expertise and the latest neuroscience, Marianne Jones, MSW, introduces the life-changing lens of polyvagal theory to help you understand your nervous system, break free from survival mode, and create a life that finally feels safe, regulated, and truly your own.
Discover:
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Why survival strategies aren't the problem - systems are.
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How trauma and addiction are responses, not character flaws.
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The polyvagal path to regulation, resilience, and real healing.
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Tools for boundaries, relationships, self-trust, and lasting change.
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Hope, humor, and hard-earned wisdom from someone who's been there.
BOOK BY MARIANNE JONES:
Expect A Miracle
A Refusal To Give Up
Expect A Miracle is the compelling story of a young girl growing up in the deep south during the 1950’s The Arkansas Delta is fertile for plants, not so much for young girls. Marianne shares provocative memories of her upbringing in a middle class family caught up in the racist and sexist attitudes of the place and time. Ironically, the person who matters most in Marianne’s young life is her black nanny. With unpretentious candor, Marianne readily admits, “I came from a family that looked good but felt bad.” This is the story of a fighting spirit: a young girl institutionalized for most of her adolescent life, a survivor of physical, sexual, and psychological violence. Everybody knew that she would never become anything worthwhile in life. They knew she would waste away sooner or later. She fools them all. You will meet a resilient Southern girl driven to find her place in the world-a process that almost claims her life. She does not always say or do what is expected of her and she has the audacity to be herself. You will find Marianne’s journey and experience to be a source of enthusiasm, hope, and inspiration.
