MindPrep™ for Bariatric Centers is a video series of Comprehensive Pre- and Post-Op Psychological Education for Optimal Long-Term Success. MindPrep™ is a sequence of ten online videos to help prepare patients for the realities of life following significant weight loss. Many patients do not expect, and are not prepared for the changes in all areas of their lives, from self-esteem to relationships with other people to participation in activities they long-dreamed of doing to questioning their purpose and life goals. Each video is approximately 20 -30 minutes long. Each video includes a quiz and “homework” to give patients an opportunity to dig deeper into emotional issues that can affect their success at maintaining a healthy weight. The videos are provided as a service by your practice as part of the BariAftercare program, which shows your commitment to their long-term success. For more information about the MindPrep Video series, and to see a preview, please go to www.mindprevideo.com. The MindPrep videos and “homework” can also be used for topics of discussion for program support group meetings.

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All patients will receive a copy of Dr. Stapleton’s book, Eat It Up! The Complete Mind/Body/Spirit Guide to a Full Life After Weight Loss Surgery to help them on their journey through the process of maintaining a healthy weight. Book chapters can also be used for topics of discussion for program support group meetings.

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Four daily texts will be sent to each of your patients (should they opt to receive them) throughout the day to keep them focused on healthy living. The BariAftercare Core Component includes thirty days of this service. Additional days are available either at an additional cost to the program or as a direct charge to those patients who opt to continue to participate in the MotivateMe program.

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Dr. Stapleton offers four-day retreats 3-4 times per year for 8 women at a time. Throughout this retreat, although the numerous factors that account for weight gain and regain are discussed, the focus is on those aspects a person can influence in terms of losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight. In addition, food addiction is discussed and what can be done if it applies to the patient. Your BariAftercare program includes one paid registration for a patient of the program’s choosing.

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BariAftercare Welcome Video
The BariAftercare Welcome video is a 15-minute introductory video by Dr. Stapleton that can be used strictly as part of the BariAftercare program or as a video placed on your program’s website for potential and established patients to watch at any time. In this short video, patients will be introduced to Dr. Connie as the “fair and firm” psychologist who will provide them with numerous BariAftercare tools that will assist them throughout their weight loss journey. In this video, patients will be informed that the weight loss journey will be filled with many wonderful and exciting moments, as well as changes in their lives that may be confusing, frustrating and life-changing. Patients will be reassured that Dr. Stapleton will be part of their ongoing journey and will celebrate the joyous changes in their lives and will help them navigate unexpected or challenging aspects they may encounter along the way. In addition, Dr. Stapleton will cheer them on, provide them with lots of tips and useful skills, and will even help educate their friends and family members from time to time.

BariAftercare Myth Buster Video
The BariAftercare Myth Buster video is a 45-minute video that can be placed directly on the program’s website for anyone to view or it can be utilized strictly as part of the BariAftercare program. This video addresses topics about which the program personnel do not want to hear patients say, “No one ever told me that before.” In this video myths such as “It’s impossible to regain,” “I won’t be able to eat sugar,” and “I won’t ever be hungry again” are addressed. Patients who are opting to have bariatric surgery are reminded a surgical procedure does not treat emotional eating, does not keep “life” or stress from happening and that making healthy eating decisions will always be a part of their lives. Excuses related to “not having enough time” for self-care will be addressed and patients will “firmly and fairly” be told that parents will continue to age, illness will affect families, kids will be involved in many activities at one time, and it will always be difficult to create time for meal prep and exercise. Therefore, each person needs to learn and develop as many healthy skills as they can from day one of the weight loss journey. They will be encouraged to to participate in the numerous options for ongoing support your program has provided for them to include BariAftercare.

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All patients are provided a downloadable link for the Gotta Do ‘Em and the My Day worksheets, which can be customized with your program’s logo and contact information.

• The Gotta Do ‘Em worksheet is a checklist of eleven things that every patient can do daily in order to optimize and maintain a healthy weight.

• The My Day form is for daily preparation and reflection and can truly help change a person’s direction in life in many positive ways. The form includes a reminder of the Gotta Do ‘Ems along with specific food and exercise goals for the day, a place to note areas in which they feel proud of themselves that day, and a place to list things for which they are grateful.

  • The My Day form also includes the following:

    • ARISE (morning preparation)

      • Affirmation (positive self-statements)

      • Read (prayer, inspiration, self-help)

      • Intention (goal, visualization)

      • Stillness (mindfulness, meditation)

      • Exercise (stretching, yoga, walk, etc.)

    • RECAP (evening reflection)

      • Reflect (quiet time of stillness)

      • Evaluate goals

      • Chronicle (journal)

      • Appreciate (gratitude)

      • Plan (for overcoming obstacles)

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These educational talks will take place LIVE on a private online forum. The talks will cover a variety of subjects (delineated below). NOTE: Patients do not need to be present when the program is presented live, as the talks will remain on the private BariAftercare Facebook page AND will be archived on the private BariAftercare YouTube page.

Topics for Monthly Live Talks

BariAftercare LIVE Worksheet

The worksheet will correspond to the live talks presented for the month. Patients will not be required to turn them in. These worksheets could also be used as discussion topics with other multidisciplinary providers who meet with patients individually or at a general support group as a topic of discussion. If patients are in individual therapy, they can use the worksheets in their therapy sessions, should they choose to do so.

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BariAftercare wants to include family members, friends and any support persons that have been part of your patient's weight loss journey. Every one of their loved ones has been affected in some ways by their struggles with weight and are similarly affected as they go through numerous changes in the weight loss process. Their support people may feel left out at times as they change and develop as they lose weight. It’s important that they both have a time and place to ask questions about the changes in interpersonal relationships, the roles different people play in the journey and the feelings each person experiences throughout this process. Family and Friend Time is where patients and loved ones are able to ask questions, learn and grow together in this sometimes confusing journey of weight loss.

Monthly discussions between Dr. Stapleton and Tabitha Johnson, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) who is also a certified health coach specializing in bariatric medicine (and is a post-op patient herself), will be archived for patients to watch at any time.

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Posted on closed BariAftercare Facebook page throughout the day to help keep patients motivated and often entertained!

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GAIN While You LOSE (GWYL)

Gain While You Lose is an intensive, evidence-based online psychoeducational course for bariatric patients working to lose weight, prevent regain, and live at a healthy weight for their body in order to achieve the following goals:

1. Lose weight/Maintain healthy weight

2. Improved physical and emotional health, and

3. Develop a better quality of life

In the Gain While You Lose program, patients will observe a LIVE 60-minute presentation (or watch it later in the week), complete personalized homework and are welcome to participate in a private Facebook Group for others taking the course. In the program, patients will GAIN Awareness, Insight and Knowledge related to:

• Why it’s so difficult to lose weight and keep it off

• How to heal one’s relationship with food

• How to improve one’s relationship with others

• How to improve one’s relationship with self

• How to live fully without obsessing about food, weight, diets

• How to address emotional eating and/or food addiction

More information

Additional Books by Connie Stapleton, Ph.D.

(discounted price for bulk sales to practices)

• Eat It Up! The Complete Mind/Body/Spirit Guide to a Full Life After Weight Loss Surgery

• Eat It Up: The Workbook

• Weight Loss Surgery Does NOT Treat Food Addiction

• MindPrep: The Book

Available on conniestapletonphd.com and Amazon.com

Professional Bariatric Program Consulting and CEUs for your staff

Topics include:

• Implementing Simple Evidence-based Behavior Management Techniques Throughout the Practice

• MindPrep for Your Patients

• Utilizing Evidence-Based Therapy Skills in Communicating with Patients to Improve Adherence to Program Goals and Outcomes

• Incorporating Behavior Management/Emotional Health throughout the Bariatric Multidisciplinary Team with the goals of:

  • improving consistent patient interaction by all of the multidisciplinary team

  • increasing staff satisfaction with continuity of care for patients

  • improving patient satisfaction with program and care by all multidisciplinary team members

  • improving patient outcomes

  • improving patient referrals for program growth

Live Patient Presentations

• Annual Bariatric Program Patient Celebrations

• Half-Day, One and Two-day Patient Presentations/Workshops

Sample Topics:

• Reversing Regain

• Weight Loss: The Critical Missing Element

• Weight Loss Surgery Does NOT Treat Food Addiction

• Living Fully as a Post-Op

• Body Image and the 4 ACES

• Healing the Relationships with Self, Food and Others

• Individualized topics based on program needs

Regain/Revision Course

The Gain While You Lose is an excellent regain program for patients who are “off-track” behaviorally and/or are experiencing weight regain. However, a shorter, 4-week online program is available for patients. In addition, Dr. Stapleton can do a one-day live program onsite to address regain issues, which would be especially appropriate for patients as a required aspect of being approved for a revisional surgery that is specifically related to regain due to unhealthy eating.

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Fair and Firm Retreats

Dr. Stapleton offers four-day retreats 3-4 times per year for 8 women at a time. Throughout this retreat, although the numerous factors that account for weight gain and regain are discussed, the focus is on those aspects a person can influence in terms of losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight. In addition, food addiction is discussed and what can be done if it applies to the patient. Your BariAftercare program includes one paid registration for a patient of the program’s choosing.

www.fairandfirmretreats.com

Facebook Live Bariatric 12-Step Recovery by Connie Stapleton, Ph.D.

The Bariatric 12-Step Recovery page is a Facebook page Dr. Stapleton started after a powerful presentation at the 2018 Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America conference. Dr. Stapleton spoke and moderated the presentation with Carnie Wilson and two other panelists. The presentation was focused on the struggle many bariatric patients face with some form of addition(s), either before and/or after bariatric surgery or when they lose a lot of weight through a medical weight loss program.

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