Behavioral Health: Bariatric Therapy & Support

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

Weight Therapy Services

Iowa Weight Loss Center 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 your weight loss journey. Therapy for weight loss can be an extremely valuable tool in both medical weight loss and surgical weight loss.

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 setbacks, and potential challenges faced with weight loss and weight management. Some patients may find new challenges when it comes to mental health and weight loss 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 a patient to revert back to unhealthy coping skills. Our licensed mental health clinicians work closely with our bariatric surgeon and weight loss team to create and implement a unique weight loss program specially tailored to each patient. Some ways that our mental health team can help:

Preparing for and adjusting to medical weight loss programs (weight loss medications, weight loss surgery, etc.)
Developing healthy eating habits and mindfulness
Resolving emotional barriers to weight loss and weight management
Increasing motivation to make lifestyle changes that help patients keep weight off and live healthy lives
Fostering long-term change with weight loss counseling designed to identify and address your unique challenges associated with weight loss

Pre-Surgical Psychosocial Evaluation

Insurance companies, as well as our gastric sleeve surgery program, require each patient who is pursuing gastric sleeve surgery in Iowa 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 behavioral therapist 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 our licensed mental health clinician, who can serve as an ongoing resource as needed. Psychotherapy, and more specifically behavior therapy, can help patients achieve better outcomes by addressing not only physical barriers to weight loss but mental barriers as well.

Support Groups

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

Weight Loss Surgery Iowa Support Group

Comprehensive Support From Our Weight Loss Clinic 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 at our Iowa weight loss clinic who is right for you.

Our Team

As an experienced clinic for bariatric surgery in Iowa, we’re here to provide the weight loss services and support you need to make your weight loss goals a reality. We strive to be more than just your average Iowa clinic for weight loss, we’re here to empower you to lead a healthier life, both physically and mentally!