Beyond the Scale: Essential Skills for Bariatric Surgery Readiness

A Comprehensive Training for Therapists Looking to Elevate Their Bariatric Practice

Expand Your Expertise | Offer Pre-Op Intensives | Increase Your Impact and Income

Bariatric surgery is a life-changing decision, but success depends on more than just physical preparation—it requires deep psychological readiness. As a therapist, you play a critical role in helping clients navigate the mental and emotional shifts necessary for lasting change.

Beyond the Scale: Essential Skills for Bariatric Surgery Readiness is a self-paced, online training designed to equip you with a structured, 10-module framework for guiding pre-op bariatric clients. Whether you want to:

• Offer individual therapy for pre-op clients

• Lead bariatric support groups

• Facilitate pre-op intensives (less time, more revenue)

• Host bariatric retreats and workshops

This training provides essential skills, structured exercises, and journal prompts needed to help clients mentally and emotionally prepare for surgery while giving you the tools to grow and scale your practice.

What You’ll Learn: The 10 Key Pre-Op Skills

Each module includes in-depth education, therapist exercises, and guided journal prompts to use directly with clients.

1. Understanding Motivation and Readiness

• Helping clients clarify their reasons for surgery

• Addressing external pressures versus internal motivation

• Identifying roadblocks to long-term commitment

2. Emotional Eating and Coping Strategies

• Recognizing emotional triggers and patterns

• Developing sustainable, non-food coping mechanisms

• Supporting long-term behavior change

3. Setting Realistic Expectations

• Preparing clients for the mental and physical realities of surgery

• Addressing myths and misinformation

• Managing post-surgery emotional adjustments

4. Self-Compassion and Body Image

• Shifting self-worth beyond weight loss

• Addressing body dysmorphia and self-perception changes

• Teaching self-compassion tools for lifelong success

5. Nutrition and Mindful Eating Psychology

• Understanding portion control and post-op eating behaviors

• Teaching clients to listen to hunger and fullness cues

• Navigating the psychological impact of food restriction

6. Boundaries and Social Dynamics

• Preparing clients for relationship changes after surgery

• Setting boundaries around food, unsolicited comments, and social events

• Navigating unsupportive environments and peer pressure

7. Identity and Lifestyle Transformation

• Helping clients redefine their identity beyond their weight

• Addressing fears around success and change

• Developing confidence in their new lifestyle

8. Overcoming Fear of Failure and Perfectionism

• Addressing all-or-nothing thinking

• Helping clients manage setbacks without giving up

• Creating a flexible, growth-oriented mindset

9. Stress Management and Emotional Resilience

• Building tools to handle stress without turning to food

• Teaching clients emotional regulation techniques

• Supporting clients through post-op mental health challenges

10. Long-Term Success and Habit Formation

• Developing sustainable routines for post-op life

• Reinforcing new habits and self-monitoring strategies

• Creating a long-term vision for success beyond surgery

How You Can Use This Training in Your Practice

This training is designed to be practical, adaptable, and immediately usable in your work with bariatric clients.

1. Individual Therapy Sessions

• Use this structured, step-by-step framework to guide pre-op clients

• Integrate journal prompts and therapist exercises for deeper client insight

• Help clients build the mental resilience necessary for long-term success

2. Bariatric Support Groups

• Lead structured pre-op support groups with a clear weekly curriculum

• Provide a community and accountability for pre-op patients

• Run an ongoing or short-term group to fit your schedule and maximize engagement

3. Bariatric Pre-Op Intensives (Less Time, More Revenue)

• Offer a one-day or weekend intensive to cover multiple modules in a focused setting

• Provide deeper education and transformation in a shorter timeframe

• Charge premium rates for the high-impact experience

4. Retreats and Workshops

• Host immersive bariatric mental health retreats for clients preparing for surgery

• Combine education, experiential exercises, and group support for deeper transformation

• Offer retreats as a high-ticket service that expands your income and reach

Why Beyond the Scale?

• A proven, structured framework – Take the guesswork out of bariatric therapy with a clear, step-by-step approach

• Ready-to-use therapist exercises and journal prompts – Get the tools you need to immediately implement this in your practice

• Expand your services and income – Offer intensives, groups, and retreats to scale your business while making a meaningful impact

• Specialized training in a growing field – Most therapists receive little to no training in bariatric mental health—this sets you apart as an expert

• Self-paced learning with lifetime access – Train on your own schedule and revisit materials anytime

Who Is This Training For?

This course is designed for:

• Licensed therapists, counselors, and mental health professionals

• Those looking to add pre-op intensives, groups, or retreats to their practice

• Therapists wanting a structured, effective approach to bariatric therapy

• Professionals seeking a profitable, meaningful niche in a growing field

Join Beyond the Scale and Elevate Your Bariatric Practice

This is your opportunity to gain specialized training in a highly underserved area, help clients achieve lasting success, and build a profitable, rewarding niche in your practice.