Weight Management
As an adjunct to your physican superviced or dietician managed weight loss program
Sometimes there are psychological factors that create barriers to compliance with the diet and exercise program, you already know you need to achieve your goal.
Psychotherapy can often be of help in uncovering these barriers or developing more effective ways to overcome them. In addition, there are techniques of Applied Behavior Analysis that have been developed to assist individuals with gaining more self-control. Self-control is defined in a different way here, which is not the same as "will power", "discipline" or "insight". Self-control is based on the concept that there are controlling responses and controlled responses. A Functional Analysis can help determine what behaviors set the occasion for or make other behaviors more likely. Often if these behaviors can be changed then the target behavior can be changed more effectively. These techniques always involve figuring out what one can DO to make the desired change, in addition to working on how one thinks about the desired change. Techniques that rely on will power, discipline, or insight - only work with part of the equation. The other parts are learning what to do, learning how to make these positive behaviors more likely, and learning how to make self-destructive behaviors less likely. Then the final step is developing a self-management system that makes these behavior changes actually happen.
Prior to Bariatric Surgery
Most Bariatric Sergery programs require that you demonstrate the ability to comply with a diet before your are approved for the surgery. This is because no matter how positive your psychological profile, no matter how sincere you are that this time you will succeed; it is necessary that you show it as well as tell it before approval. If you are having any problems in this phase of your preparation for surgery, it may be helpful to learn the techniques of Applied Behavior Analysis that have been developed to assist individuals with achieving goals like weight loss.
Self-control is defined in a different way here, which is not the same as "will power", "discipline" or "insight". Self-control is based on the concept that there are controlling responses and controlled responses. A Functional Analysis can help determine what behaviors set the occasion for or make other behaviors more likely. Often if these behaviors can be changed then the target behavior can be changed more effectively. These techniques always involve figuring out what one can DO to make the desired change, in addition to working on how one thinks about the desired change. Techniques that rely on will power, discipline, or insight - only work with part of the equation. The other parts are learning what to do, learning how to make these positive behaviors more likely, and learning how to make self-destructive behaviors less likely. Then the final step is developing a self-management system that makes these behavior changes actually happen.
After Bariatric Surgery
Sometimes people run into unexpected plateaus or other barriers that make achieving the goals that would ordinarily be available to them slow in coming. You may even get discouraged about achieving the goal you have put some much time, energy, and resources into achieving. Before giving up it is sometimes possible to get back on track by finding out if there are psychological factors that are getting in your way. Sometimes stressful life events and life changes come at an inopportune time for your weight loss goals. If this is the case, it may be possible to deal with these issues in brief psychotherapy so you can return to the success you know is there for you.