Making the Decision

Evaluating all the pros and cons of having bariatric surgery is difficult. Deciding whether the surgery is right for you is even more challenging. In the end you are the only one who can make the decision but My Self Design would like to help you if we can. We offer a special 3 session coaching package designed to assist people who are struggling with their decision to have, or not have, lap band or gastric bypass surgery. While we are enthusiastic about supporting anyone who elects to have bariatric surgery we do not believe that it is necessarily suited to everyone. We want to help you make the decision which feels right for you.The skills you learn in these 3 sessions are applicable to all types of decision making problems so we believe you will gain useful information regardless of which way you decide about the surgery. Participants who complete the 3 decision making sessions and later go on to have surgery may elect to complete My Self Design’s formal program in 16 (instead of 18) session

Brief Individual Help

There are times during every weight loss surgery patient’s recovery period when additional individual support or consultation may be helpful. My Self Design providers are always available to discuss the special needs that may arise for any recovering person, even those who have not chosen to enter the formal 18 week program. If we cannot provide assistance we will make every effort to provide referrals to area professionals who are familiar with weight loss surgery and sympathetic to the many issues surrounding it.  My Self Design providers understand the need for, and benefit of, a long term therapeutic connection for bariatric surgery patients. Research has shown that good coaching and supportive relationships are highly predictive of long term success in attempts to change a variety of addictive behaviors.( *Peri, M.G. (1992). Treatment Of The Seriously Obese Patient. Improving maintenance of weight loss. In T.A.Wadden & T.B. VanItallie (Eds.),

A high frequency of patient-provider contact (whether by telephone or in person) following surgery also appears essential to long term maintenance. Increasing numbers of relapsing bariatric patients are wisely seeking such care.

Family or Partner Consultation

Questions and concerns sometimes arise within the families of people undergoing bariatric surgery. This operation triggers dramatic life changes that reverberate throughout a person’s life and may be particularly problematic for partner, family or other close relationships.

Sometimes severely overweight people have maintained destructive relationships due to problems with low self-esteem and associated obesity issues. Sometimes significant others feel threatened by less dependent partners. These relationship issues are challenging to all concerned.

My Self Design providers want to see bariatric patients arrive “on the other side” of recovery with all their friends and loved ones close by if possible. For this reason My Self Design offers additional consultation when necessary, to partners and families of people undergoing weight loss surgery.

Relapse Prevention

My Self Design offers 4 and 6 session treatment packages to address relapse prevention. The 4 meeting series is designed for My Self Design full program graduates, while the 6 meeting series is tailored to new patients. Even the most successful weight loss surgery recovery will be tested occasionally, especially during stressful periods of life. At those times recovering compulsive overeater’s will feel drawn to old behaviors and threatened anew by loss of control.

The following goals are emphasized in Relapse prevention consultation:

1. Turn high-risk situations into powerful learning opportunities where critical coping skills can be practiced.
2. Increase patient confidence in handling risk.
3. Regain solid control over long term maintenance.