Pre-Surgical Psychological Evaluation

We’d like to introduce ourselves and welcome you. Most patients who are considering a surgical treatment for their weight loss are asked to speak with a psychologist or counselor prior to surgery. Our office has specialized in this field for over 15 years and during that time, we have helped tens of thousands of patients like yourself as part of their weight loss surgery journey.

Many patients have never spoken to a psychologist or counselor before and are understandably, but needlessly, apprehensive.

Our approach to evaluation combines a clinical interview and assessment, with psychometric screening measures. Therefore, you should expect to meet with one of us personally to discuss your situation, your future/post-surgical plans and to complete several assessments. The assessments measure body dissatisfaction, anxiety, depression, alcohol dependence and the possible presence of eating disorders.

During the interview, you should expect to discuss the severity and duration of your obesity, past attempts to lose weight, your understanding of the potential complications of surgery and your understanding of the behavioral and dietary changes needed for success. You will be asked about your health, current medical concerns, your family medical history and your concerns about future complications of your obesity. You will also be asked about alcohol and drug usage which might complicate your success. Finally, we will explore your emotional readiness for surgery.

All of the assessments must be complete prior to your appointment and will be reviewed by the psychologists. The interview portion of the assessment is usually accomplished within a 15-20 minute appointment. Your surgeon can expect to receive our report the following day. If Spanish is your principal language, you have several options. You can be interviewed by a clinician who speaks Spanish, use our online interpreter service, or you can bring a friend or family member to help with interpretation. If you are interviewed in Spanish, please allow additional time for our report to reach your surgeon.

We are in network with most insurance policies, so the cost of evaluation is usually limited to your regular co-payment. If you have a deductible or we are out of network, you will be asked to pay our courtesy rate of $185. Many patients receive part or all of this back once we settle the claim with your insurance company.

It has been our experience that most patients leave the consultation glad that they had the opportunity to explore their choice, feeling supported, and having learned something new. We sincerely hope that your experience is positive as well.

We offer appointments in one of our offices as well as HIPAA compliant online evaluations.

For more information or to schedule an appointment please call.