Are you seeking an obesity support group in Connecticut? We believe that post-operative nutritional and psychological support as well as post-operative exercise support are essential elements to the success of our bariatric program. Counseling in these areas contribute to our patients' success in achieving and maintaining their goals.
Our patients are provided with multiple monthly support groups and preoperative and postoperative nutritional assistance by a registered dietician, specializing in helping bariatric surgery patients achieve desired weight loss results and optimal health.
We offer psychological support groups for our bariatric patients in Norwalk and Bridgeport CT. They are run by a Licensed Care Social Worker, a Psychotherapist and an Exercise Physiologist. Each one is accomplished in their field and experienced in helping the postoperative bariatric patient achieve continued weight loss.
Support groups are also offered to help in managing an exercise program that contributes to long-term weight loss.
We are committed to the long-term success of each patient and our support groups enable them to achieve it.
Through St. Vincent's Medical Center we provide preoperative educational meetings as well as postoperative educational classes.
We also offer nutritional and pschological support in New London and the surrounding area.
Bariatric support groups led by psychotherapist,
Anne Gaetano are free sessions intended only for post-operative bariatric patients. Attention is geared toward patients in early transition (6 months postoperative or less). There is a transitional period between 6 months and a year in which patients can make the decision to leave the group if they feel they are ready and change over to Mary Ziller's 6 Months And Up Group. They have the opportunity to remain in both groups for the 6 month transitional period if they choose to do so. Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at Norwalk Hospital and the last Wednesday of each month at St. Vincent's Medical Center. Groups are therapeutic in nature as Anne Gaetano takes on a cognitive behavioral approach.
These groups consist mainly of open group discussions in which a topic for discussion is usually prepared. Topics may include: adaptation to your chosen surgery, coping skills, change, awareness, taking care of yourself, social situations, fears, or other topics relating to your early postoperative bariatric journey in preparation towards long term success. On occasion, a group may involve a presentation by a guest professional on a topic relating to early postoperative care/support. All patients are given the opportunity to voice their obstacles or progress in relation to their postoperative bariatric journey. Participation is encouraged, not forced. The focus is on providing a caring environment, supporting each other toward a smooth transition, making positive change, and giving feedback in relation to your own experiences.
Anne Gaetano is licensed in the state of CT for counseling. She is also a certified clinical mental health counselor (CCMHC) and national certified counselor (NCC). Education also includes a Bachelor Degree in Psychology (with a minor in Art) and a Master of Science degree in Community Agency Counseling. She has been working in the mental health and addictions field for over 13 years. She is a member of American Mental Health Counselors Association and currently provides group and individual counseling.
All post-operative bariatric patients at different stages of their weight loss journey are welcome to attend this interactive 90-minute bariatric support group. Support groups are conducted twice monthly by skilled Eating Disorders Specialist, Mary P. Ziller, L.C.S.W. who inspires thought-provoking sessions to keep bariatric patients on track with the physical and emotional changes that occur.
The purpose of the group is for patients to learn how to effectively utilize their chosen bariatric surgery for continued weight loss and eventual maintenance and to achieve peace and emotional clarity regarding eating patterns and body image issues. In a trusting environment, Ms. Ziller's focus is to guide patients to identify and release psychosocial stressors that block them from feeling good about themselves and contribute to emotional eating and weight struggles. Positive methods for self-care are highlighted and a series of individual skill-sets are reinforced at each support group. A few topics covered include: managing the medical and technical challenges of lap-band/ bypass surgery; differences between physical and emotional hunger; mindless/intuitive eating; cognitive eating belief levels; managing stressful events; pivoting off of negative thoughts; the tyranny of the "Shoulds;" 12-Step Principles and body confidence.
Mary P. Ziller is a Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist and Life Skill Coach specializing in treating specific anxiety, compulsive and addictive disorders.
Ms. Ziller is invested in working with Eating Disorders and morbidly obese clients, having successfully maintained an 80-pound weight loss for over 18 years. She fully understands the dynamics that come into play with emotional eating, body image issues and anxiety levels. Ms. Ziller is a dynamic presentation speaker having conducted many workshops the past 15 years on mindfulness stress reduction training, brain neurobiology/ addictions, anxiety management, emotional eating/negative body image, value clarification, dating/coaching skills and support groups for post-op bariatric patients.
Led by Registered Dietitian Tamara Swett, Bariatric Nutrition Support Group Meetings are held every other month at Norwalk Hospital in the Nutrition Conference Room on the 5th floor. Various topics are covered related to staying on your meal plan after surgery, including getting enough protein and fluid, coping strategies, recipe exchanges and discussions on the importance of specialized bariatric supplements to long term health, including brain and nerve function.
Tamara Swett RD, CD-N is a registered dietitian and has been an Out-Patient Dietitian at Norwalk Hospital since June of 2006. She received her first degree in Community Health at Western Connecticut State University and then followed her passion for nutrition by continuing her education at Saint Joseph's College where she received her degree in Nutrition.
Tamara Swett is also involved in the childhood and adult weight loss programs offered by Norwalk Hospital. Ms. Swett provides nutrition counseling for individuals preparing for weight loss surgery. She runs one of the bariatric support groups at Norwalk Hospital, which is a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence®.
This group is led by Nancy Murphy, MS, RD, CDE, CD-N, who has been a registered dietitian for 20 years and a Certified Diabetes Educator for more than ten years. Nancy Murphy's nutrition groups are currently limited to a 1 hour group every three months so she tries to pack as much useful and useable information into them as possible. Hopefully, everyone leaves having learned at least one new & helpful tip to bring long-tern success one step closer.
Most patients embarking on bariatric surgery are going into it for the very first time. They may or may not have family or friends to guide them through much of the confusing and (at times) conflicting nutrition and behavioral information they have read on the internet, etc. and may feel quite overwhelmed after their surgeries. The main purpose of this post-op nutrition support groups is to provide our patients with reliable, accurate and understandable information about their post-op dietary needs and lifestyle challenges so long-term success will be the anticipated outcome. Some of the topics discussed in our groups include dietary/macronutrient requirements, supplements, caloric needs, appropriate portions, food preparation, meal structure, fluid requirements, relapse prevention and behavior modification
The topics presented must be relevant to our entire post-op bariatric population. Since Nancy Murphy feels strongly that it is willingness to make long-term changes and not a particular surgery that leads to long term success, it is usually not difficult to find a topic that all our patients can embrace. The lifestyle goals that are often discussed & reinforced at post-op meetings are 1) healthy vs. rapid/excessive weight loss,
2) adequate daily protein & supplementation (to ensure healthy weight loss), 3) adaptation of a healthy relationship with food vs. pre-op "chronic dieting" mentality and 4) structured exercise as a critical component of long-term weight management.
Nancy Murphy's M.S. in Clinical Nutrition from N.Y.U. was followed by more than ten years of clinical and research experience at Mt. Sinai Medical Center and St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in Manhattan. As an obesity research nutritionist at St. Luke's and Lifestyle Coach for the Manhattan site of the (NIH-funded) Diabetes Prevention Program, Nancy had the unique opportunity to be involved with ground-breaking research in the areas of obesity, diabetes, metabolism, body composition and eating disorders. Her own original research and writing reflect a particular interest in eating patterns and behaviors unique to obese individuals, most specifically the night-eating syndrome.
Nancy is an advocate for a healthy diet as part of a healthy lifestyle and
is not inclined to put her clients on diets. She strongly believes that successful weight and disease management are based on the following
1) understanding basic nutrition, 2) identifying how nutrients or nutrient combinations affect a given individual and 3) realistic goal-setting. She takes pride in her ability to raise her client's nutritional awareness by identifying and modifying particular behaviors which will provide the greatest long-term benefits.
As her family grew, Nancy's decision to work locally led her to a position as Director of Nutrition & Lifestyle Programs at Health Extenders, a wellness facility in Norwalk, CT. An overwhelming need for nutrition professionals knowledgeable in bariatrics has led Nancy to become a nutrition expert in the areas of the laparoscopic Roux-and-Y gastric bypass and Lap-Band procedures.
Nancy's professional desire to see more emphasis on lifestyle modification as the most rewarding alternative to improving ones physical and emotional well-being has prompted her decision to start her own business, Fairfield County Lifestyle Consultants (FCLC). While nutrition is her area of expertise, Nancy believes that physical fitness and emotional well-being are equally important in establishing a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Thus, she chooses to work with many experienced professionals in the complementary fields of exercise physiology and psychology.
Our exercise support group is conducted by Sarah Collins, the exercise physiologist for St. Vincent�s Medical Center, who is responsible for employee health and wellness. Exercise is an essential element to permanent weight loss, to improve skin tone, and improve energy levels both before and after bariatric surgery.The purpose of the support groups led by Exercise Physiologist,
Sarah Collins, is to provide education and instruction regarding exercise program design. Information will be provided for enhanced back health with abdominal strength and endurance exercises, proper stretching techniques, resistance training for improved muscular strength and endurance (i.e. energy and vitality) and techniques to enhance cardiovascular endurance post bariatric surgery.
The support groups are a combination of lecture, PowerPoint presentation, and handouts. Exercise demonstration and participation provide a tactile, physical approach to correct technique for participants. Participation is encouraged, but not forced. The focus is on providing an environment that is supportive, offering modifications for all individuals to help all obtain confidence in approaching a more active lifestyle. Meetings are held the third Wednesday of the month, four times a year at St. Vincent's Medical Center, Fitness Center from 7:00pm-8:00pm.
Sarah Collins is also the owner of Fit Solutions by Sarah, LLC, a personal training and pilates studio in Trumbull CT where her special focus is special populations. Sarah has her Master of Science in Gerontology with a focus in Exercise Science from the University of Southern California, is ACSM: Health Fitness Specialist certified, NASM: Certified Personal Trainer certified and STOTT Pilates certified in Reformer and Mat, AFFAA Advanced Personal Trainer and a national YMCA of USA Faculty Trainer. Contact us anytime for CT. obesity support group advice. We are always here to offer help.
FAIRFIELD COUNTY BARIATRICS & SURGICAL SPECIALISTS, P.C. has been recognized as a Center of Excellence® for Bariatric Surgery
to learn why patients should select a Center of Excellence® for their weight loss surgery
Bariatric Advantage© provides a complete line of nutritional supplements that have been specifically formulated to meet the unique demands of both the pre-operative bariatric surgical candidate, as well as the post-operative bariatric surgical patient.
Attend a free weight loss seminar to learn about bariatric surgery and determine if its right for you.
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