If you have been required to have therapy...

I've been required to have therapy but the details seem pretty unclear.  How long?  What are the goals supposed to be?  Can the therapist just hold you hostage until he decides he has sucked enough money out of you and your insurance?

If you've had this requirement please let me know how it went for you.

Thanks!!

Hi. 

I wasn't required to be in therapy but, I am sure that if I wasn't already in therapy when I went they may have required it.  I won't get into the why's but lets just say it would have been for my own good.  Food is a big issue for me and therefore, I need to address why I ate.  I know why and now I am working on it.  I don't think there is a set time for therapy.  It is a work at your own pace kind of thing.  Take it easy on yourself.  Therapy isn't a bad thing and you can ask them the questions you asked here.  They will be upfront with you.

Lisa

Hi Beemer,

I (like Lisa) wasn't "forced" into therapy, but CHOSE it for several months before surgery and have continued with it since. A friend (also an addict) said to me, "you had surgery on your stomach NOT on your brain". Those old bad habits won't magically disappear just because you had your stomach made smaller.....It took some time for me to grasp why I ate, why I do what I do, etc.  It's truly a liberating thing. I've had more than one shrink in my young life, and you might not hit on the best connection on your first few meetings, but it's important. People take much better care of their physical health and forget their mental health. Life is a pressure cookin' stress factory!  No wonder there's so much nastiness in the world today!

Marie

I was already in therapy for 17 years when I had my surgery.  My eating disorder, Binge Eating disorder to be exact, was the reason I began therapy in the first place.  I later learned I had other diagnoses as well.  I have also done outpatient treatment for the eating disorder twice. 

I would not have been able to make some of the progress I have made if it were not for therapy.  Therapy is not a curse.  Therapists, the ones I work with as I am one myself, and the ones that have treated me, for the most part do not want to bleed you financially.  We ascribe to a code of ethics, and most live by that code.

Some helpful books to read while you journey include:

"The Beck Diet Solution" by Judy Beck.  It is based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
"Anatomy of a Food Addiction" by Anne Katherine.  It discusses the addictiveness of food and eating behaviors and the brain's chemistry.

I am confused about who is "requiring" you to have therapy? Was this suggested after your pre-op psych eval? What did they tell you abuot why the felt you needed therapy?  Do you have a surgery date already scheduled or are you already post-op?
I know of several folks that therapy was strongly encouraged before their WLS. It was NOT to suck money out of the insurance company, instead it was about the therapist feeling uncomfortable recommending someone go ahead with WLS when there appeared to be significant issues that needed to be addressed.
I know that my being in therapy and addressing my issues as it related to food, eating, self image etc is to a huge degree what allowed me to be as successful as I have been over the past year.
I am had pressed to believe a therapist wants to hold you hostage just to get money out of you.

I am a therapist myself, and to ease your mind a little bit...you are in control of therapy. You collaborate with your therapist to decide what you want to work on. There will be very specific goals to work towards and therapist can give you an idea if the goal is a short-term or long-term goal (they can't, however, tell you how long it is going to take - that is up to you). Therapy is definitely something that can't be done to you. Your therapist is there to help you. And I will also say, fit with the therapist is key. If you don't hit it off with the first one, please say something to the therapist and he/she can recommend someone else. It does not hurt our feelings. It is less frustrating for both parties.

I think you will enjoy it. Most people are very apprehensive about it, but therapy is actually loads of fun. Just think of how much you enjoy talking over a cup of coffee with your best friend. That is the relationship you should be building with the therapist.


Good luck!!!!

Amanda