Bariatric Psychology

Psychological support and consultation pre-surgery is recommended in clinical excellence guidelines. The Psychology team will help you to identify how your thoughts and feelings may be affecting your weight. They will work with you to develop coping strategies for emotional eating behaviours and help you with making lifestyle changes.

All patients are asked to complete a Psychology Questionnaire following their first appointment with the Bariatric team nurse, and you will be asked to complete another questionnaire after your surgery. You will be advised about common psychological challenges as you go through the bariatric surgery pathway and will be signposted to helpful resources.

Following discussion with the wider Bariatric Surgery team, you may be invited to a Psychology appointment. Here, we will discuss the impact that your weight is having on you and your life, the lifestyle changes you have already made, how you hope surgery will change your life, your understanding of what the surgical procedure involves (including risk), how you intend to manage your recovery from surgery, and the relationship you have with food and your body.

Following this initial session, you may be invited to use our online resources and invited for pre-surgical appointments or post-surgical appointments to help you to continue to make these lifestyle changes.

Who we are

• Dr Stephanie Dugdale (Health Psychologist)
• Dr Heather Boland (Clinical Psychologist)

We are members of the Clinical Health Psychology service and work across Whiston and St. Helens hospitals.