The anxiety surrounding weight recurrence and losing access to GLP-1 medications may be more familiar than we think. In this episode of the BariNation Foundation Podcast, April Williams sits down with clinical health psychologist Dr. Robyn Pashby to explore the psychological impacts of obesity, the lingering effects of diet culture, and why trauma-informed care matters. They discuss how weight stigma, fear of recurrence, and the constant excitement surrounding new treatments can affect mental health and long-term wellness. Discover why obesity care must go beyond medication and surgery, how belonging and self-compassion can change the treatment experience, and if she had a magic wand what she'd grant clinician and patients the power to do.

What You Will Learn in this Episode:

✅ Why anxiety about weight recurrence and losing GLP-1 access is connected to longstanding experiences of weight stigma and diet culture

✅ How trauma, shame, and the need for belonging influence the psychological experience of living with obesity

✅ Why focusing exclusively on weight loss and percentages overlooks important measures of metabolic and mental wellness

✅ How trauma-informed care can change the way clinicians approach patients and how individuals learn to treat themselves with compassion

This episode of the BariNation Podcast is produced by the BariNation Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) dedicated to advancing metabolic wellness for people living with obesity by providing evidence-based education, stigma-free support, and meaningful connections in the moments that shape daily life. Funding comes from generous donations to the BariNation Foundation from listeners and viewers like you, Johnson & Johnson, and the Texas Center for Bariatrics & Advanced Surgery led by Dr. Joe Cribbins and our newest sponsor, Lilly Obesity & Weight Loss Support Information | Eli Lilly and Company

TIMESTAMPS:

  • 00:00 Why diet culture is more than a program and how it shapes our thinking
  • 03:43 Meet clinical health psychologist Dr. Robyn Pashby and her approach to obesity care
  • 11:19 Why anxiety about weight recurrence and losing access to GLP-1 medications feels so familiar
  • 16:19 Understanding weight stigma, trauma, and why belonging matters in obesity treatment
  • 22:26 How diet culture influences our relationship with new obesity treatments and breaking medical news
  • 30:00 Why weight loss percentages don't tell the whole story of obesity treatment success
  • 33:11 The connection between obesity and mental health, and who is most vulnerable when care is inaccessible
  • 40:31 What trauma-informed care looks like for clinicians and why changing the way we approach patients matters
  • 42:06 Practicing trauma-informed self-care and learning to put yourself back on your own priority list

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

💎 Anxiety about weight recurrence and losing access to GLP-1 medications isn't entirely new. It's often the same fear and shame associated with diet culture showing up in a different form.

💎 Obesity treatment needs to address both physical and mental health. Medication and surgery are valuable tools, but psychological support, self-compassion, and belonging are essential parts of comprehensive care.

💎 Trauma-informed care starts by shifting the question from "What's wrong with you?" to "What's happened to you?" This simple change can transform how clinicians understand and support their patients.

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Robyn Pashby, PhD, FTOS is a Clinical and Medical Psychologist, coach, speaker, author, and the founder of Health Psychology Partners.

https://www.healthpsychologypartners.com/

https://www.instagram.com/robynpashbyphd/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynpashbyphd/

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

BariNation Community - $19 a month

BariNation Website

BariNation - Email

BariNation’s How to Find an Obesity Specialist Guide

4 Steps to Find an Obesity Provider

Finding Your Holistic Obesity Care Team

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Our sponsors J&JMedTech; Texas Center for Bariatrics & Advanced Surgery; Lilly