Behavioral Health

Iowa Weight Loss Specialists has a team of mental health clinicians to help provide supportive care to our patients pursuing medical or surgical weight loss. We offer individual and group therapy, as well as a support group to all of our patients.

Therapy Services

The Iowa Weight Loss Specialists Team is here to help guide, listen, and give recommendations regarding the hard work and potential challenges that can arise throughout one’s weight loss journey. While many of our patients see significant weight loss and improvements to their overall health conditions, some patients may need additional support in the area of behavioral changes, emotional support, self-esteem, or other factors that may impede long-term success.

Many patients seek individual therapy to discuss triggers, emotional set-backs, and potential challenges faced with weight loss and management. Some patients may find new challenges such as:

• A change in social supports (family concerns with eating, social situations with eating)
• Binge eating or disordered eating
• Negative body image
• Substance abuse
• Relationship and work stress
• Anxiety and/or depression
• Lack of coping skills
• Other issues
   

These factors can hinder a patient’s ability to meet their weight loss goals, or may lead to the patient to revert back to unhealthy coping skills. Our team of licensed mental health providers can collaborate with you to create treatment goals to help you achieve long term success with either medical weight loss or surgical weight loss. Some ways that our mental health team can help:

• Managing emotional eating
• Mindful eating
• Increasing self-esteem
• Implementing new lifestyle
• Adjusting to life post-op
• Awareness of triggers
• Long-term weight management
   

Pre-surgical Psychosocial Evaluation

Insurance companies, as well as our program, require each patient who is pursuing surgery to complete a psychosocial evaluation.  Our licensed clinical mental health provider will assess psychosocial factors that can affect the long-term outcomes of bariatric surgery. Our team will assess factors regarding emotional adjustment and compliance with surgical recommendations to help identify potential challenges and barriers to optimal surgical outcomes. The pre-surgical psychosocial evaluation provides an opportunity for every patient to establish a relationship with the licensed mental health clinician, who can serve as an ongoing resource if needed.

Support Groups

One of the best ways to support yourself and your weight loss journey is to join a supportive and collaborative group environment. Click our link below to sign up for our Iowa Weight Loss support groups.

Support Groups

Our Team

Our team uses evidence-based practices, collaboration, and compassion to help you maintain long-term success. Interested in meeting our mental health team? Please click below to find the provider who is right for you.

Our Team