For individuals in New York and across the United States
Bariatric Surgery Psychological Evaluation
Wondering how you get the evaluation you need to get cleared for surgery?
Perhaps you’ve had a long, difficult journey with your weight. Maybe your body hasn’t ever felt like it’s cooperated or looked how you want to look. Sometimes it might have felt like despite your best efforts, your body is holding you back. Will my body ever look like I want it to look? Why has it been so hard for me when it hasn’t been so hard for others?
Will I ever be happy with my body my life my diet ?
If you’re in need of a psychological evaluation for bariatric surgery, you’ve come to the right place. We can get you what you need. Rely on us for reliable, comprehensive reports that are completed quickly and efficiently, minimizing stress for you.
As a practice that specializes in helping people address trauma and loss, we know exactly how important this is to you. And how stressful the process can be.
At Polaris Psychology, we specialize in providing personalized bariatric evaluations that cater to your specific needs, ensuring optimal support for your individual transformative health journey.
Here’s what I offer
What is a bariatric evaluation?
A bariatric evaluation, also referred to as a psychological evaluation for bariatric surgery, is a thorough assessment designed to understand your individual circumstances and determine your eligibility for bariatric surgery.
We employ a compassionate approach, combining warm conversations, detailed questionnaires, and a comprehensive assessment to gather in-depth information about your health journey. Our aim is to offer invaluable support by understanding the obstacles and challenges you’ve faced, guiding you towards a brighter future.
It’s important to note that while we provide thorough psychological evaluations for bariatric surgery, we cannot guarantee any specific outcome or guarantee that bariatric surgery will be recommended as a result. Our evaluations are designed to gather essential information and provide insights to support your decision-making process and overall well-being. The final decision regarding bariatric surgery will be made collaboratively between you, your healthcare team, and the bariatric surgeon based on various factors beyond the psychological evaluation.
Why do I need one?
Chances are, it was suggested that you pursue a bariatric evaluation. Often for bariatric surgery, a caring and thorough psychological evaluation is required to truly understand your unique situation and needs. A psychological evaluation is also often required by insurance or by certain bariatric surgeons in order to be cleared or approved for the surgery, as they are considered to be elective.
Many surgeons will mandate a psychological evaluation as part of their decision-making process prior to performing surgery, in order to ensure optimal post-surgical outcomes for their patients.
What if I’ve never talked to anyone about this?
Discussing your health journey can be challenging. Rest assured that we maintain the strictest confidentiality regarding everything you share with us. You have complete control over the pace of the evaluation, and you are under no obligation to answer any questions you’re uncomfortable with. Our primary focus is to document your experiences and assess their impact on your emotional and psychological well-being. With our extensive experience in supporting trauma survivors, our utmost priority is to create a safe and empathetic environment where you feel understood and accepted. You should never feel the need to explain your feelings or be embarrassed about sharing your story with us.
Bariatric evaluations to fit your unique journey
The Process
Step 1: Reach out today to book a free 15 minute consultation
We will talk about your unique needs in a bariatric assessment and whether we can provide you with the type of assessment you need. Click here to schedule some time on my calendar today.
Step 2: Meet for the assessment.
A bariatric evaluation will capture a comprehensive look at you, your current life, and your health history. This evaluation typically lasts around 4 hours in length and sometimes will require more than one meeting. This also often includes completing certain tests. These tests often look at how you think, feel, and function in everyday life. This evaluation will be virtual, unless you live in the New England area and prefer to meet in person. Dr. Mead is licensed in 37+ states (see map here) and it is likely easiest for all to meet virtually.
Step 3: Synthesized data with expert insight.
We put together the multi-faceted layers of the information we’ve collected from you throughout this process. Understanding all of this information and how it fits together takes time, training, and an investment. This step encapsulates well how important and valuable it is to have a doctoral level, highly trained testing psychologist. (See more in the FAQ Section)
Step 4: Receive your bariatric evaluation.
Receive your detailed report from the comfort of your own home. Should you wish to have a feedback session to discuss the results of your report further, we are happy to arrange this for you.
Though bariatric evaluations are not intended to serve as therapy, you may discover that the process helps you reflect on your experiences and begin your healing journey. To support your ongoing therapeutic needs, we often provide clients with recommendations for therapists in their local area, allowing you to explore therapy options should you be interested in continuing the healing process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a clinical psychologist so unique in providing psychological assessments for bariatric surgery?
Clinical psychologists specializing in psychological assessment possess unique, extensive experience, rigorous training, and ongoing supervision, making them uniquely qualified to conduct formal psychological evaluations. Unlike a cursory understanding gained from a brief workshop, these professionals have dedicated years at the highest level of psychological training to mastering the intricate nuances involved in interpreting diverse data gathered during the assessment. Their expertise enables them to analyze and synthesize complex information, draw accurate conclusions, and provide comprehensive insights into an individual’s psychological functioning. Trusting a clinical psychologist for a formal psychological evaluation ensures that the assessment is conducted with the highest level of professionalism, expertise, and ethical standards, resulting in accurate and meaningful findings that can guide treatment decisions and foster personal growth.
What is involved in a psychological evaluation for bariatric surgery?
This evaluation will examine your psychological and medical history, eating habits and behaviors, substance use, history with weight, and knowledge of the type of surgery you are seeking. By assessing your mental well-being and emotional experiences, the evaluation helps your treatment team grasp the challenges you’ve faced and your unique health journey. It provides vital information, ensuring that your hardships and strengths are recognized and considered. This evaluation process aims to make fair decisions that honor your experiences while also addressing your mental health needs throughout your health journey.
How much does a bariatric evaluation cost?
Your health journey is worth the investment
A psychological evaluation for bariatric surgery is an investment of time, energy, and money. The cost for a bariatric evaluation is $2,038, which covers the cost of the clinical interview, testing, and the written report.
Investing in a bariatric evaluation is a crucial step that can significantly impact approval for bariatric surgery. This evaluation serves as a valuable tool that can support your health journey by providing professional analysis. It also demonstrates your commitment to following the appropriate processes, showcasing your willingness to provide thorough documentation and cooperate fully, and illustrates your understanding of the changes that will be required in order to maintain therapeutic gains made after bariatric surgery.
Bariatric evaluations are also an investment on my end as a testing psychologist. I bring all of my training, experience, heart, and soul to thoroughly investigate your experience and your story, carefully documenting it all in one comprehensive report. As I wholeheartedly dedicate myself to delivering these evaluations, I kindly ask for your reciprocal commitment and investment.
Do you accept insurance for bariatric evaluations?
In order to best serve you and your unique needs for a psychological assessment, we are not currently accepting insurance. By not accepting insurance, we are able to fully invest our time, energy, training, and expertise in best serving and understanding you and your unique needs without limitation. This means we can spend however much time might be needed to best evaluate, understand, and provide for you.
Depending on your personal preferences and insurance plan, you may be able to use your insurance provider to pursue full or partial reimbursement for our services as an “out-of-network provider”. We can provide you with documentation to seek reimbursement for these assessments.
What if I have depression or anxiety? Does this mean I won’t be able to get the surgery?
Having depression and/or anxiety will not prevent you from getting the surgery. The only exception to this would be if either depression and/or anxiety are severe and untreated. Many individuals have either depression and/or anxiety related to their health journey, weight, and/or body size and symptoms often reduce after surgery.
What should I bring to the evaluation?
Whether the evaluation is in-person or online, consider bringing something to drink and eat. As testing is several hours long, we want you to be comfortable throughout this process!
Will I get a diagnosis from this?
Possibly. Psychological assessments are focused on evaluating you and finding the best ways to describe what is happening in your life. This often does involve finding a diagnosis or diagnoses that best capture your experience. However, it is important to consider that evaluations are focused on evaluating you and if fitting, giving you a diagnosis. A diagnosis is not guaranteed, but they are often a product of an evaluation.
When will the report be ready?
Typically, the report is finalized within two weeks after our final meeting.
