Registration open now for next round of Healthy New You!

[GCHDrLisa]

A very wonderful group of individuals and I are nearing completion of our first round of the Healthy New You skills training/dialectical behavioral therapy group since Dr. Sonnanstine and I joined the team here at GCH last year. Registration is now open for the next six month series, which will begin on July 29, 2010 at 5:00 PM. For more information, read the Frequently Asked Questions below.


What is the Healthy New You group?
This group is made up of a special series of twelve hour and a half long group sessions conducted in a dialectical behavioral therapy skills training group format. In a supportive, professionally lead small group (always less than 12 post-operative patients at a time) setting, group members earn important skills for: regulating mood and emotions; tolerating distress or crisis without resorting to behaviors like emotional eating; improving interpersonal effectiveness in relationships; and increasing mindfulness skills to reduce chronic worrying and increase enjoyment of day to day life after surgery.

Why should I join?
The Healthy New You group will help you learn skills to ensure that problems such as emotional eating, depression, anxiety, relationship challenges and other post-surgical issues don't interfere with your ability to be successful long term with your weight loss surgery. We know that our patients enjoy excellent weight loss, tremendous health benefits and dramatic quality of life improvements as a result of successful weight loss surgery. We also understand that even with these positive changes, most patients will have some important life adjustments to deal with as time passes in the months and years following their surgeries. Some patients experience relationship challenges, body image issues or even a fear of returning to unhealthy eating habits such as emotionally triggered eating. Chronic depression and anxiety are common issues many patients have dealt with since long before their weight loss surgery, and unfortunately, surgery itself will not automatically remove these symptoms. Although we encourage our patients to attend our popular Goal Getters Support Group meetings to discuss these important issues, the reality is that sometimes patients need more specialized care than a support group is intended to provide. The Healthy New You is a confidential, supportive, professionally lead group designed to meet those needs.

When and where does the group meet?
The Healthy New You Group meets at Georgetown Bariatrics from 5-6:30 PM two Thursday evenings per month.

How much do sessions cost?
THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR PARTICIPATION IN THIS GROUP. We do expect that when an individual registers that they will complete the series of 10-12 sessions.

How do I sign up?
Interested in learning more? Contact me at lisa.west-smith@lpnt.net or call 502.570.3717 for more information. A brief telephone or in person screening interview may be required prior to registration. Please plan to reserve your space early as group size is limited. I will be running this group again this season, and I look forward the ongoing pleasure and honor of working with our post-surgical patients.