World Diabetes Day: VMHPAA Highlights the Essential Link Between Diabetes Care and Mental Health
- Shane Warren
- Nov 14
- 2 min read
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
14th November 2025
Today, on World Diabetes Day, the Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) draws attention to a critical yet often overlooked reality: effective diabetes management must include mental health support.
Living with diabetes, whether Type 1, Type 2, or gestational, requires daily self-monitoring, lifestyle adjustments, medical appointments, and long-term vigilance. For many Australians, the emotional load can be as heavy as the physical one. Stress, anxiety, burnout, and depression frequently accompany chronic health conditions, making integrated care essential.
VMHPAA Chair Shane Warren emphasised the importance of recognising the psychological dimension of diabetes care:
“Managing diabetes isn’t just a medical journey, it’s an emotional one. People living with diabetes deserve holistic support that recognises the impact on their mental wellbeing. When we address both the physical and emotional load, we create conditions where individuals can thrive rather than simply cope.”
VMHPAA Secretary and wellbeing educator Susan Sandy added:
“Mental health is central to self-care. Supporting people with diabetes means listening, encouraging, and understanding the daily pressures they face not just measuring glucose levels. When we see the whole person, we strengthen their resilience.”
The VMHPAA also acknowledges the vital role that vocationally trained counsellors, community workers, and lived-experience practitioners play in supporting people managing chronic conditions. Their grass-roots presence and relational approach help individuals navigate stress, adjustment, identity changes, and long-term self-care challenges.
On World Diabetes Day, VMHPAA calls for:
Integrated mental health support to be embedded in diabetes services
Recognition of vocationally trained practitioners as essential contributors to chronic care teams
Greater awareness of the emotional realities faced by Australians living with diabetes
Diabetes is a lifelong condition and no one should have to manage it alone.
Media Contact:
Shane Warren, Chair
Susan Sandy, Secretary
Philip Armstrong, CEO
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