Mental and Behavioral Health Support
VHC Health is proud to provide mental and behavioral health and wellness services for many of the major challenges that accompany lifestyle changes. Many are commonly anticipated, however, there may often be those, which are not so commonly expected. The Bariatric and Metabolic Health Center includes a dedicated Bariatric Psychologist who will support you throughout your health and wellness journey, whether you are working toward your goals with our MBSAQIP-verified surgeons or our Bariatrician certified in Obesity Medicine.
Our Bariatric Psychologist provides one-on-one appointments as part of your personalized treatment plan developed by the Bariatrician and/or Bariatric Surgeons. The Bariatric Psychologist holds over a decade of expert knowledge, training, and skill, which can support you throughout the course of your wellness journey.
Visits with the Bariatric Psychologist are comprehensive in nature and include a biopsychosocial clinical interview, a review of your medical and mental health history, as well as screening of cognition. At these appointments you can also expect to identify your personal strengths, as well as strategies to overcome potential obstacles. Additional sources of support from the Bariatric Psychologist may include, but are not limited to:
- Strategies for addressing disordered eating behaviors and eating disorders
- Solutions for addressing food related trauma
- Methods for building your personal support systems
- Mental wellness optimization: emotional distress, adjustment, or mental health disorder
- Support and treatment for body image dissatisfaction and self-esteem challenges
- Skills for managing social and occupational weight-related stigma
The Preoperative Psychological Evaluation
The psychological interview is sometimes a misunderstood portion of the bariatric pre-surgical process. It is very common for patients to minimize the psychosocial difficulties they may be experiencing due to fears of “not passing” the evaluation and, thus, being denied surgery. The purpose of the psychological assessment is not to deny surgery to individuals with psychiatric diagnoses or who are experiencing emotional distress, but rather to (1) ensure that patients possess a clear and strong understanding of the process, steps, and detailed commitments necessary to achieve long-term success with medical weight loss surgery, (2) to identify possible areas of challenge that may interfere with patient safety and adjustment to the surgical procedure, and (3) to make recommendations aimed at facilitating the best possible outcomes for the patient both from a medical, dietary, and biopsychosocial perspective.
In addition to psychological functioning, the pre-surgical assessment identifies strengths and challenges within the patient’s psychosocial functioning so that necessary pre-surgical and post-surgical interventions might be proactively implemented to optimize success. The pre-surgical psychological evaluation also serves as an opportunity to further educate the patient about the surgical process, recovery, and the potential lifestyle changes that may follow.
Appointments with the Bariatric Psychologist are scheduled after your visit with the Bariatrician or Bariatric Surgeon. Surgical patients can also expect post-operative visits with the Bariatric Psychologist at key touch points focusing on emotional, social and physical post-surgical adjustment.
