My experience with weight loss surgery comes from having conducted over 2000 psychological valuations for patients preparing to undergo the procedure. For several years, I ran a patient support group both for people who had undergone the surgery and for those contemplating it.

 

While everyone’s background and experience with weight loss surgery is different, it is true for everyone that weight loss surgery means big changes. Change is stressful. People generally recognize and will say that  weight loss surgery is "only a tool" that can make lifestyle changes more effective and lasting, however, enduring change following weight loss surgery requires the development of a new set of coping tools and behaviors around eating, exercising and self-care.

 

This CD starts with general instructions for several different relaxation techniques including abdominal breathing, body scan and mindfulness. There is an extended, 25 minute long guided mindfulness exercise. Learning and regularly practicing these techniques forms a foundation upon which to build new coping strategies to deal with the surgery itself and with emotional challenges in the future that sometimes lead to problem eating.

 

Track 6, "Preparing for Surgery" assists you to be psychologically and emotionally prepared for the experience of surgery.

 

Track 7, "Recuperation" is to be used immediately following surgery as a means of promoting a speedy recovery and reducing reliance on pain medications.

 

Track 8, "Emotional Awareness" explores emotional eating and provides mindfulness-based skills as an alternate means of coping with emotional distress without resorting to problem eating.