Discussion about working full-time for Psych group in September
on 7/9/13 9:23 pm
My therapist specializes in treating drug and alcohol addiction. She has been in recovery for drug and alcohol usage for many years. She also fights food addiction herself and has successfully maintained her own weight loss for more than ten years after her RNY. I could not imagine going to someone for therapy who did not have first hand knowledge of weight loss surgery.
I am not sure if a practice devoted solely to post bariatric would provide enough patrons to keep you busy full time in Cincinnati, but I am sure that you will be in demand for people who are looking for help with that challenge. The fact that you had the surgery and that they can look at you and see that you are successfully maintaining your weight loss gives you the credibility that very few people can match.
Successful maintenance after weight loss surgery was my deciding factor in choosing who to see.
The entire practice would not be devoted solely to post-WLS counseling... there would just be more of a focus on it than there is now and more encouragement by the surgeon for people to DO counseling if they are struggling
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
I've had a therapist for years. He doesn't have much experience with wls, but his whole family has different dietary needs. He has helped me in the past with that. I would say that if I wasn't already seeing a therapist, I would want to find one who did have experience with wls. I wouldn't switch my current therapist for the world, though. He's awesome :)
Having training in bariatric psych issiues (as well as your personal experience) would be a HUGE factor for me in selecting a counselor. You know firsthand the range of issues that can occur while going through this process.
Best of luck to you!
Hugs,
Pam
"B" bears' mama from Texas
Follow my journey on youtube: "bbearsmama"
SW: 210 CW: 123.6
Lora, I think it'd be a great idea! The clinician who facilitates the local bariatric group that I used to attend was busier then a one-armed-wallpaper hanger! And I don't think she even accepted insurance....
If the group is paneled with insurances, you won't need to worry about referrals as there will likely be a stream of referrals. For your current PT clients, would you consider seeing him/her one day a week in a local office? Some clinicians, especially those in bigger towns, will rent out office space per diem so that would be one way of seeing just a couple old clients without the overhead of having your own office. I have one client that I've been seeing for almost 7 years now that I visit at home because of disability/transportation issues, but that's the only exception I make.
I've found that my post-WLS clients benefit from my personal experience and my professional training in ED & addictions (even when I don't come out and say that I'm post-RNY). What most clients (generally) express as determining factors for selecting me is my location and accepting various insurances - - I can completely understand putting practical needs over any other factor! But those that stay past one session, as you know, continue on because there's a good rapport.
First ultra: Stone Mill 50 miler 11/15/14 13:44:38, First Full Marathon: Marine Corps 10/27/13 4:57:11, Half Marathon PR 2:04:43 at Shamrock VA Beach Half-Marathon, 12/2/12 First Half-Marathon 2:32:47, 5K PR Run Under the Lights 5K 27:23 on 11/23/13, 10K PR 52:53 Pike's Peek 10K 4/21/13, (1st timed run) Accumen 8K 51:09 10/14/12.
IF I were to do therapy as a post op, I would definitely consider that a plus, but I don't believe in therapy for myself.
Follow me @ www.bariatrickitchen.com My Progress, Recipes and Things I learn along the way
HW: 375 SW: 342 GW: 140 HT: 5'7"
