Patient Support

At Carolinas Weight Management & Wellness Center, we offer multiple support groups and group therapies. Some of the ongoing support groups and group therapies offered at the center include the following:

Post Operative Surgery Support Group:

The post operative surgery support group meets monthly. All post op patients are encouraged to attend. These meetings are typically on the 4th Tuesday evenings each month at 6 p.m. at CMC-Mercy hospital auditorium. The monthly surgery support group is facilitated by the surgical Physician Assistant, Anna Mantey and one of the center’s dietitians, Kerstin Keys.

The monthly surgery support group begins at 6 p.m. as a combined group. A speaker will present a short 15-20 minute talk on a topic of interest to the group. The group then splits into two sub-groups; patients who have had gastric bypass surgery and patients who have had adjustable gastric banding surgery. Patients who are pre operative and have not had surgery will attend the appropriate group for the surgery that they are considering.

These support groups are free of charge. Click here to view the 2009 dates.

The Behavioral Wellness Group:

The Behavioral Wellness Group is an educational, therapeutic, and participatory group whose purpose is to help individuals overcome emotional, behavioral and interpersonal barriers to making productive and longstanding lifestyle changes.

Danielle Carlton, R.D. will discuss a nutrition topic with the group each week and provide individual feedback on participants’ food journals. Dr. Runge, the full time center psychologist, will promote discussion on various topics including “emotional” eating, dealing with cravings, monitoring satiety, addictive aspects of eating, coping effectively with negative emotions, improving self-rewards and how interpersonal relationship dynamics affect eating behavior.

This Monday evening group is 12 weeks in length and is offered at least 3 times per year at Carolinas Weight Management & Wellness Center.

With your participation in this group, you will meet every other week with a medical physician. You will be expected to pay your physician co-pay every other week. You will not be expected to pay any other charges or fees besides your physician co-pay every other week for this group therapy.

5:00 – 5:30 One on one visits with a medical physician (every other week)

5:30 – 5:45 Confidential weigh-in for all participants

5:45 – 7:00 Therapeutic education, support and group discussion

The A S P I R E ! Group:

The A S P I R E ! Group is an ongoing support group that addresses many of the factors that influence lasting lifestyle changes. This group will provide an opportunity to connect with others who are undergoing lifestyle transformations. This group will also provide an opportunity to give and receive support from others who understand this process.

The A S P I R E ! Group typically meets on the second and fourth Tuesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. at Carolinas Weight Management & Wellness Center. This group is open to all patients of the center. The fee is $50.00 for the series of 6 sessions.

The A S P I R E ! Group is facilitated by members of our medical staff and guest speakers.