The medication changed your appetite.The rest can take more time.
I work with people before, during, and after GLP-1 medication or bariatric surgery. Therapy can help with the parts of the experience that medication or surgery may not fully address, including body image, eating patterns, identity, expectations, and adjustment.
GLP-1 & bariatric support
Medication and surgery can help, and they can also bring psychological questions that deserve attention. I do not take a position for or against them; my role is to provide the psychological layer around them.
This may include eating-disorder screening before treatment, therapy while appetite and eating patterns shift, and support with body image, identity, grief, or fear of regain after change.
Book a free consultFor many years, I provided Enhanced Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT-E) to post-operative bariatric surgery patients, including many people using GLP-1 medications. That experience informs how I understand the overlap among eating-disorder symptoms, changing appetite, food noise, body image, identity, and fear of regain.
Questions you may have
Will you try to talk me out of taking medication?
No. Decisions about medication belong to you and your prescriber. My role is to support the psychological parts of the experience, including body image, eating patterns, identity, expectations, and concerns about weight regain.
Should I seek support before starting a GLP-1 or having bariatric surgery?
Before treatment can be a useful time to explore your relationship with food, screen for eating-disorder concerns, and develop realistic expectations for the changes ahead. Support can still be valuable if you have already started treatment or had surgery.
What is food noise?
Food noise describes persistent thoughts about eating, such as planning, bargaining, cravings, or guilt. Medication may quiet these thoughts, which can feel relieving but also unfamiliar. Therapy can help you adjust to that change and understand what emerges in the space it leaves behind.
I lost weight but do not feel better. Is that unusual?
No. Physical changes do not automatically resolve longstanding beliefs about your body, self-worth, or identity. Some people also experience grief, disorientation, or fear of regaining weight.
What if I stop taking the medication?
Changes in appetite, food thoughts, or weight can occur after medication ends. Therapy offers space to prepare for that possibility and strengthen ways of relating to food and your body that are not dependent on the medication alone.
Can I take a GLP-1 if I have an eating disorder?
Some people use GLP-1 medication while also experiencing an eating disorder or a history of disordered eating. This requires careful assessment and ongoing attention, because appetite suppression and weight loss can interact with restrictive patterns, binge eating, body image, and nutritional needs. Eating-disorder treatment is a central part of my practice.
Will you collaborate with my medical team?
Yes, with your consent. I can coordinate with your prescriber, surgeon, physician, dietitian, or other providers so that your psychological, nutritional, and medical care remain connected.
Appetite changed fast. Support should keep up.
Contact me for a free, 15-minute consultation call.