Are You Ready to Take the Next Step to Adding Bariatric Psychological Assessments to Your Practice?

Maybe you've completed the bariatric psychological assessment course, but now you're asking, "What's next?" Or maybe you want to add bariatric psychological assessments to your therapy practice, but you're feeling unsure about how to move forward, need more accountability, or have lingering questions. The 8-week Jump Start Coaching Program is designed to help you succeed.

8-Week Jump Start Coaching Program

Whether you're looking to refine your skills, need motivation to start marketing, or require guidance on setting up your practice, this program is here to support you.

Imagine having a roadmap designed for your unique needs and challenges, with ongoing support and a clear plan to reach your goals. 

That’s what the Jump Start Coaching Program offers.

Is This Program Right for You?

This coaching program is perfect if you:

  • Are a therapist in private practice or looking to transition to private practice.

  • Want to fill your caseload with higher-paying, motivated clients who only need assessments.

  • Seek more flexibility in your schedule, reducing or eliminating night and weekend appointments.

  • Are interested in short-term, cash-paying, assessment-only clients.

  • Feel burnt out from long-term weekly clients and are curious about shifting to an assessment-focused practice.

  • Want to skip the hassle of social media marketing and rely on a consistent referral source.

  • Prefer to avoid insurance complications while attracting highly motivated, cash-paying clients.

  • Have a special interest in helping clients prepare for bariatric surgery.

If any of these resonate with you, this 8-week coaching program will provide the structure, support, and expertise you need to transition smoothly and successfully into a bariatric-focused practice.

“ Bariatric assessments have transformed my practice. I was feeling so burnt out, I was going to leave the profession. But this style of practice has helped me find myself again, while also making more money then I did seeing clients weekly.”

“I felt before I was working 24 hours a day, trying to market and find clients for my private practice. Now having a clear marketing strategy is helping me spend less time working, and more time with my family.”

What You'll Gain from the 8-Week Jump Start Coaching Program

This coaching program provides you with the tools, guidance, and support you need to create a successful bariatric-focused practice. Over the course of 8 weeks, you'll participate in 4 personalized sessions, designed to help you overcome challenges and reach your goals.

Here’s What’s Included:

Building Your Foundation

  • Gain clarity on conducting bariatric assessments with confidence.

  • Develop a solid business setup, including EMR integration and workflow optimization.

  • Understand the basics of marketing your services to bariatric surgeons.

  • Identify the key elements of a successful practice and how to implement them in your own business.

Scripting and Surgeon Meetings

  • Receive help with scripting and role-play scenarios for meetings with surgeons.

  • Learn how to present your services effectively and professionally.

  • Start building relationships with consistent referral sources.

  • Get insights into what surgeons look for in a therapist partner and how to position yourself as their go-to resource.

Business Strategy and Marketing

  • Dive deeper into business setup, pricing, and billing.

  • Create a clear marketing strategy tailored to your practice goals.

  • Explore ways to reduce your reliance on insurance-based practice.

  • Learn the nuances of setting your rates, managing finances, and maintaining a steady stream of income without feeling overwhelmed.

Expanding Your Services

  • Explore the possibility of adding bariatric intensives to your practice.

  • Learn how to structure and offer these services for maximum impact.

  • Review your progress and create a plan for continued growth.

  • Consider ways to diversify your offerings and expand your practice in a way that aligns with your passions and goals.

Additional Support

Templates and Resources: Access templates for assessments, scripting, and marketing materials, saving you time and effort. These resources are designed to streamline your workflow, so you can focus on what matters most—helping your clients and growing your practice.

Unlimited Email Communication: Get your questions answered quickly, allowing you to make the most of your one-on-one sessions. This ongoing support ensures that you're never left feeling stuck or unsure of your next step. I’m always here to help!

Accountability and Motivation: Each session ends with a clear, actionable plan to keep you on track and moving forward. You'll receive the encouragement and guidance needed to stay motivated and achieve your goals.

By the end of the program, you’ll:

  • Have a clear understanding of how to conduct bariatric psychological assessments.

  • Be equipped with the necessary templates and scripts to streamline your process.

  • Have a solid marketing strategy to attract highly motivated clients.

  • Feel confident in your ability to establish yourself as an expert in this niche.

  • Enjoy a better work-life balance with more flexibility in your schedule.

  • Know how to build and maintain relationships with bariatric surgeons to ensure a steady stream of referrals.

  • Be prepared to navigate the business aspects of your practice with confidence, from pricing to billing to managing your workload.

Why Assessment-Only Practices Are a Game Changer

Imagine having a schedule that you control, with no need to worry about insurance reimbursements or endless marketing efforts. You can work when you want, with clients who are motivated and ready to take action.

Assessment-only practices can transform the way you work, offering a refreshing alternative to the traditional therapy model. These practices allow you to focus on high-impact, short-term client interactions, freeing up your time and energy for other pursuits.

This approach enhances your professional satisfaction AND also boosts your income while allowing for a healthier work-life balance.

Ready to Jump Start Your Practice?

If you're ready to take your practice to the next level with more flexibility and higher-paying clients, the 8-week Jump Start Coaching Program is the perfect opportunity.

Frequently Asked Questions about The 8 Week Jump Start Coaching Program:

Who is this coaching for?

Bariatric psychological assessments should be completed by fully licensed mental health providers, including psychologists, clinical social workers, counseling professionals, marriage and family therapists, or mental health therapists. According to the ASMBS: It is also expected that evaluating clinicians hold a professional license that authorizes them to formulate a clinical diagnosis according to DSM-IV criteria. Additionally, their license should authorize them to conduct psychological evaluations, perform psychotherapy or counseling of adults with an Axis I or Axis II clinical diagnosis or other psychological conditions that may be a focus of clinical attention as outlined in the DSM-IV, and administer and interpret psychological tests.

ASMBS does not endorse nor require this training to be able to conduct bariatric psychological evaluations.

What is included in coaching? 

4 one one-on-one, hour-long, coaching sessions concluding with detailed step-by-step plans on what to complete in between sessions to optimize time, and get your practice launched in 8 weeks, versus months of coaching commitment. 

Unlimited email communication. Run into an issue or have a question in between coaching sessions? No problem, email me, and we’ll make a plan.

Online self-paced training for bariatric psychological assessments. Included in this training is 3-4 hours of educational content related to bariatric psychological assessments, including assessment of readiness for surgery, how to complete a biopsychosocial evaluation and a surgeon’s letter, and education for the client that includes a patient-facing PowerPoint and scripting. You will also receive templates for the surgeon’s letter, biopsychosocial evaluation, and client questionnaire. You will also receive documentation examples for the documents listed above. The goal of this training is for you to go from little knowledge of bariatric psychological assessments to being able to perform your first evaluation once you complete the training.

Marketing plan and strategies, marketing scripts and templates. 

Support (and cheerleader!) by an industry expert in the field of bariatric therapy. 

How long is the commitment for coaching?

Just 8 weeks! No long-term coaching contracts or commitments, you’ll only need 8 weeks to get your practice off the ground or add this niche to your established practice. 

Where do you get referrals from?

The majority of my referrals come straight from bariatric surgeons. It is important to find the bariatric surgeons in your area and contact them to find out if they have internal evaluators. Even if they do have someone conducting evaluations internally, they need to find someone to use for second opinions or conflict of interest cases. Some clients will find me on their own through Google searches. I have a separate website dedicated to bariatric evaluations, so I am easily found. Lastly, I get referrals from other therapists who do not conduct bariatric evaluations.

What do clients pay for evaluations?

This varies depending on the area, the number of providers who provide this service, and the wait times for those who are providing these evaluations. You will need to figure out your market tolerance. Many clients have a hard time finding providers who provide bariatric evaluations, so they are more tolerant of higher prices to get them done correctly. Some clients might have already seen a provider who stated they could do the evaluation and then submitted them without the letter, making them unusable. At the very least, it should be 2 hours of your regular therapy rate, as these evaluations can take up to 2 hours.

Can I do these evaluations if I take insurance?

Yes, though there is not a separate code for these evaluations. You would bill with a normal intake code. You can also charge a fee for the letter to secure additional funds that cover the time these evaluations take while still staying inside your insurance contractual agreements. Many clients are used to using insurance for the other aspects of the bariatric process, so they often expect to be able to use insurance for these evaluations.

Can you provide these evaluations as a self-pay-only provider?

Yes. Many clients are eager to get their evaluations done quickly and are often willing to pay to get them done quickly and correctly the first time.

Do you find any ethical concerns when providing these evaluations?

Like in all therapy, there are ethical concerns. This is why consultation is important while conducting bariatric evaluations. It ensures you are conducting yourself in a way similar to other providers who provide this service. However, know that these evaluations are only saying that you do not believe any concerns would heavily impede the client’s post-surgical success (and this knowledge is solely based on what clients tell us). You are not saying the client is a good candidate for surgery or that you believe the client should have surgery. That is for the surgeon to decide.

Are you concerned you might get sued for providing these evaluations?

Anyone can sue you for any reason at any time, so it’s best to do what you can to protect yourself. Only practice in states in which you are licensed to practice, do not allow your liability insurance to lapse, work to fulfill best practices as set by the ASMBS, seek consultation to ensure you are conducting these evaluations as others would, and work together with surgeons and their teams for high risk or concerning clients to liability share.

What are therapists saying about adding bariatric assessments to their practice?

“Bariatric assessments have transformed my practice. I was feeling so burnt out, I was going to leave the profession. But this style of practice has helped me find myself again, while also making more money then I did seeing clients weekly.”

“I felt before I was working 24 hours a day, trying to market and find clients for my private practice. Now having a clear marketing strategy is helping me spend less time working, and more time with my family.” 

Schedule Your Discovery Call Today!

Still Have Questions?

Reach out, and I’ll be happy to help you decide if this program is the right fit for your needs.

Schedule Your Discovery Call Today!