The best way to prepare is to ensure your clinical paperwork is completed fully and transparently. Because this is a supportive assessment designed to build a post-surgery safety net, you do not need to study or worry about "passing."

To help the process go as smoothly as possible, please have the following ready before your appointment:

• Your Surgeon's Contact Info: I will need your bariatric surgeon's name, clinic name, and office fax number so I can send my formal report directly to them.

• Your Medication List: A current list of any psychiatric or medical prescription medications you are taking, including dosages.

• Your Past History: A brief timeline of any past mental health treatments, therapies, and major weight loss programs you have participated in.

• A Quiet, Private Space: Since our 30-minute consultation is held via secure telehealth, please ensure you are in a private, quiet location with a reliable internet connection where you feel comfortable speaking openly.

Most individuals are able to complete their bariatric psychological evaluation and receive clearance without significant difficulty. The evaluation is not designed to look for reasons to prevent you from having surgery. Its purpose is to assess psychological and behavioral readiness and identify concerns that could affect your safety, preparation for surgery, or adjustment afterward.

You cannot “fail” the evaluation in the traditional sense, but psychological clearance can be temporarily deferred when significant clinical or safety concerns are present. Certain conditions may require treatment and a documented period of stability before psychological clearance can be reconsidered.

While requirements vary among bariatric programs and individual circumstances, examples may include:

• Active substance use or addiction: Active substance use generally requires treatment and a period of documented sobriety before surgery. Depending on the bariatric program and individual circumstances, 6–12 months of demonstrated sobriety and recovery may be required.

• Psychosis or significant psychiatric instability: Active psychosis or significant psychiatric instability generally requires stabilization before surgery. A bariatric program may require approximately 12 months of demonstrated psychiatric stability, including stability of treatment and absence of recent psychiatric hospitalization.

• Recent suicide attempt, suicidal ideation, or self-harm: Recent suicidal behavior or self-harm may require a longer period of demonstrated stability before psychological clearance can be reconsidered. The appropriate timeframe depends on the individual's history, severity and recency of symptoms, treatment progress, and the requirements of the bariatric program.

The specific timeframe is determined individually and may be influenced by your clinical history, current functioning, treatment progress, recommendations from your treating providers, and requirements established by your bariatric surgical program.

If psychological clearance is deferred, it is not necessarily a permanent denial. You will receive recommendations regarding the concerns that should be addressed before re-evaluation is considered.

Payment for the evaluation does not guarantee psychological clearance. The evaluation fee covers the independent clinical assessment and report regardless of the outcome.

A bariatric psychological evaluation is a separate consultative service and does not establish an ongoing psychiatric treatment or medication-management relationship with The Calming Edge

If you do not currently meet the ASMBS safety timelines based on your evaluation, psychological clearance may be deferred so that identified concerns can be appropriately addressed before surgery.

Because my practice operates entirely via telehealth, I do not provide intensive community-based crisis services, addiction treatment, or the specialized long-term care that may be needed for serious or unstable mental health concerns, active addiction, or recent self-harm.

If more intensive services such as those described above are recommended, you may return to your current psychiatrist, therapist, or other treating provider to address those concerns. If you do not already have a provider who offers the appropriate level of care you need, I will help you identify outside resources, which may include:

• Addiction specialists and local recovery programs.

• In-person therapists or behavioral health providers who can provide the level or type of treatment recommended.

• Community mental health resources equipped to provide local crisis and safety support when needed.

If you are in need of mental health services other than those described above and you are interested in psychiatric mental health services through my practice, a separate psychiatric intake with diagnostic evaluation, along with an additional separate intake fee is required. Provision of these services is subject to current practice availability.

Once the concerns identified during your evaluation have been appropriately addressed and you have met the recommended stability milestones with your treating provider or care team, you may return to The Calming Edge for a focused bariatric psychological re-evaluation. If the re-evaluation is completed within six months of your original evaluation, a reduced re-evaluation fee will apply. Complete re-evaluation terms are provided before you begin the evaluation process.

If you decide not to proceed with the bariatric psychological evaluation before submitting your completed intake packet, your $350 evaluation fee will be refunded in full.

Once your completed intake packet has been submitted, the evaluation process has begun. If you decide not to proceed with the clinical evaluation after submitting your completed intake packet but before completing your clinical appointment, 50% of the evaluation fee ($175) will be refunded.

Once the clinical evaluation appointment has been completed, the $350 evaluation fee is nonrefundable, regardless of the recommendation or outcome of the evaluation.

Appointment cancellations and rescheduling: At least 48 business hours' advance notice is required to cancel or reschedule the clinical appointment without a late cancellation fee. Weekends and holidays do not count toward the 48-business-hour notice period.

Late cancellations and no-shows for Bariatric clinical evaluations are subject to a $75 fee.

After two late cancellations and/or no-shows during the bariatric evaluation process, the evaluation fee will be forfeited and you will no longer be eligible to schedule another clinical appointment to complete the evaluation.