Weight Loss Professionals

Research suggests that many health care professionals feel inadequate in treating weight issues with their patients. A personal and professional goal of mine is to educate health care providers about the criticality of referring weight loss patients for psychological care.

Most weight loss programs, whether medical (to include GLP-1 and other medications) or surgical, emphasize only diet (to include nutrition education) and exercise (which is often included under the “behavior modification” aspect of the program). Some medical/surgical weight loss programs provide resources (primarily in the way of referral services) for anyone in need of mental health or psychological assistance as part of their weight loss process. This is not, however, often the case as most medical and surgical weight loss programs only minimally or completely ignore the emotional/psychological aspects associated with weight. Conversely, most people working to lose or maintain weight loss will adamantly admit there is a tremendous amount of “head work” to be done in the process of losing and maintaining weight loss.

Many surgical weight loss programs offer a “monthly support group.” In my 20+ years working with surgical weight loss programs, these support groups: have low attendance, are most often attended by those who have recently had bariatric surgery (with regular attendance fading rapidly), focus primarily on nutrition, and lack the consistent emotional support noted by researchers as being an essential part of success for individuals.

Many people in the process of working to lose weight or maintain weight loss are at a loss where/how to get help to deal with the myriad of emotional and psychological issues that surface as one loses weight and learns to adjust to a healthier weight and lifestyle. These issues include (but are most definitely not limited to):

• Emotional eating and how to overcome it.

• Food addiction, which may be an issue for the person.

• Body image and “loose skin, “ which may be emotionally distressing as a person loses weight.

• Fears about failing in the process or about regaining weight.

• Fears related to success and the responsibility that entails moving forward.

• (Unexpected) emotional responses that arise as one loses weight.

• Self-esteem issues related to stigmas of weight issues.

• Shame associated with weight stigma or unresolved traumas that can interfere with long-term follow-through of healthy behaviors.

• Lack of healthy coping skills when dealing with stress that often results in turning to food, which may have been a prior coping skill.

While “behavior modification” is a necessary part of weight loss, weight management, and the development of a healthy lifestyle, behavior modification alone is insufficient in helping a person address the emotional and psychological issues that often arise throughout the process of creating a healthy, full-person lifestyle. Research again, particularly in the surgical weight loss literature, indicates that patients know they need additional psychological assistance in the process of losing weight and in working to maintain a healthy weight. 

That’s what I do. In individual therapy, in the online, self-directed courses I provide, in my public speaking, and in my books, I affirm to people that the struggle with emotional and psychological issues related to losing weight and keeping it off are indeed, real. Help to work through these issues is available in all of my work.

As previously stated, medical and “behavior modification” strategies are necessary, but not sufficient in the battle to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. To this end, I offer a wide variety of services to assist professionals in treating patients dealing with weight-related issues.

For more information or to schedule a presentation, continuing education program, or support group appearance, please contact my office.

Professional Services and Programs

• Online pre-surgical evaluations for your patients

• BariAftercare and Support Community

• Weight Loss Winformation (online self-directed program for non-surgical weight loss patients) (Coming soon)

• Podcast: Weight Loss Winformation

Program/Public Speaking Topics

• Obstacles to Maintaining Healthy Lifestyle Habits

• Eliminate Emotional Eating

• Understanding and Treating Food Addiction

• Heal Your Relationship with Food

• Multiply and Maintain Motivation

• Say It Like You Mean It

• Focusing on the PROCESS

• Become a Boundary Pro

• Eradicate Excuses

• Identify and Overcome Obstacles

• Shelving Shame

• Improving Your Relationship with Self

• Increasing Self-Worth

• Improving Communication (on the job, at home, with family, with friends, etc.)

• Healthy Coping Skills

• Stress Management

• Improving Confidence

• Self-Care: Critical for Life

• The Mind/Body Connection and Your Health