Bariatric Support

Course Overview
Start with Your Personal Bariatric Journey whether you are preparing for surgery, recently post-operative, several years into your journey, or returning after a setback. Continue sequentially or choose the modules most relevant to your current needs. Use the DGBB Bariatric Success Challenge as your ongoing daily practice and revisit assessments and your Bariatric Success Blueprint as your needs change.

Learn

Work through each module and lesson at your own pace.

Module 1Your Personal Bariatric Journey3 lessons planned

Understand where you are, why this matters, and what you want to build from here.

Explore why you chose or are considering bariatric surgery, what you hope will change, what surgery can and cannot do by itself, and the behavioral, emotional, relationship, and lifestyle factors that may matter most in your journey. This Foundation Journey provides meaningful value on its own while helping you choose what to explore next.

  • Clarify your personal reasons for pursuing or continuing the bariatric journey.
  • Identify realistic hopes, expectations, concerns, and questions.
  • Explore current eating patterns, coping strategies, habits, self-image, and support.
  • Recognize what surgery may change and what still requires ongoing personal development.
  • Choose a practical next focus and create an initial Bariatric Growth Plan.
Where Are You in Your Bariatric Journey?
LESSON

Identify whether you are preparing for surgery, recovering, building new habits, maintaining long-term progress, or recommitting after challenges.

  • Pre-surgery
  • Early recovery
  • Post-surgery adjustment
  • Long-term maintenance
  • Recommitment
  • Your current priorities

Planned lesson · Coming soon

Know Your Why
LESSON

Clarify the life, health, relationships, experiences, freedoms, and possibilities you hope this journey will support.

  • Personal motivation
  • Desired life
  • Health goals
  • Relationships
  • Freedom and participation
  • Meaning beyond a number on the scale

Planned lesson · Coming soon

Surgery Changes Your Body — You Still Build the Life
LESSON

Develop realistic expectations about how bariatric surgery can support change while beliefs, coping strategies, relationships, habits, and identity continue to require intentional attention.

  • Tool versus complete solution
  • Behavior change
  • Emotional adjustment
  • Habits
  • Support
  • Lifelong learning

Planned lesson · Coming soon

Module 2Prepare Your Mind for Change4 lessons planned

A changed body works best with a mind prepared for change.

Prepare psychologically and behaviorally for a major life transition by examining expectations, beliefs, fear, motivation, perfectionism, shame, and the mental patterns that influence long-term change.

  • Develop realistic expectations about bariatric surgery and life afterward.
  • Recognize unhelpful all-or-nothing thinking, perfectionism, and shame.
  • Strengthen commitment beyond temporary motivation.
  • Practice constructive self-talk and mental rehearsal.
  • Build a support and preparation plan.
Expectations Matter
LESSON

Explore hopes and assumptions about surgery, weight change, health, confidence, relationships, eating, and life after surgery.

  • Realistic expectations
  • Unrealistic expectations
  • Health versus appearance
  • Relationships
  • Emotional adjustment
  • Long-term work

Planned lesson · Coming soon

Move Beyond All-or-Nothing Thinking
LESSON

Recognize perfectionism, shame, harsh self-judgment, and the belief that one difficult choice means the entire plan has failed.

  • Perfectionism
  • All-or-nothing thinking
  • Shame
  • Self-talk
  • Progress over perfection
  • Returning quickly after a difficult choice

Planned lesson · Coming soon

Motivation Changes — Commitment Can Continue
LESSON

Learn how values, planning, routines, support, and small actions can sustain progress when motivation is low.

  • Motivation
  • Commitment
  • Values
  • Planning
  • Small actions
  • Support

Planned lesson · Coming soon

Module 8Build Better Ways to Cope4 lessons planned

If food helped you cope, lasting change requires additional ways to care for yourself.

Expand your coping toolbox so difficult emotions and life experiences do not automatically lead back to old eating patterns or other harmful behaviors.

  • Recognize emotional states that commonly trigger old coping patterns.
  • Develop multiple healthy coping options.
  • Practice emotional regulation and stress-management skills.
  • Strengthen relationships and willingness to seek support.
  • Recognize when professional behavioral-health care is needed.
What Did Food Help You Do?
LESSON

Explore whether eating has helped soothe, distract, reward, numb, celebrate, connect, avoid, or manage difficult experiences.

  • Soothing
  • Distraction
  • Reward
  • Numbing
  • Celebration
  • Connection
  • Avoidance

Planned lesson · Coming soon

Build Your Healthy Coping Menu
LESSON

Develop multiple ways to respond to stress, anxiety, loneliness, anger, boredom, grief, fatigue, and difficult emotions.

  • Emotional regulation
  • Connection
  • Mindfulness
  • Movement
  • Rest
  • Journaling
  • Meaningful activity
  • Professional support

Planned lesson · Coming soon

Ready to start? Enroll or begin your free trial above.