Dear BariatricPal Members,

We are pleased to announce a new program called BariatricPal Local Chapters! This program will be an addition to the support that BariatricPal already provides to members. BariatricPal started as an online resource for hundreds of thousands of potential and post-op weight loss surgery patients. Many of you visit the site regularly to receive and provide tips and encouragement, and just to hang out. BariatricPal Local Chapters extends our online community into the real world.

BariatricPal Local Chapters includes live, in-person meetings with local BariatricPal members. We know the significance of support group meetings before and after weight loss surgery, but not all patients are able to attend live meetings in their areas. BariatricPal Local Chapters can help fulfill this need by providing the support for regular in-person meetings in neighborhoods around the country.

BariatricPal Local Chapter Meetings

Most meetings will follow a standard format that includes introductions followed by the day’s main activity, and finally a discussion or question-and-answer session. The main activity of the day can be a lecture on essentials before and after weight loss surgery, such as nutrition, exercise, overcoming obstacles, and building a support system. Other activities might include group walks, cooking demonstrations, presentations by visiting bariatric surgeons, cosmetic surgeons, or nutritionists, and clothing exchanges.

Do You Want to Be a Group Leader?

If you are friendly, enthusiastic, and committed to fighting obesity with weight loss surgery, we want you to consider becoming a BariatricPal Local Chapter Group Leader! Energetic group leaders are key to success. Your roles as a group leader will include:

• Scheduling times and places for Local Chapter meetings.
• Planning group meeting agendas including scheduling guest speakers, reserving facilities, and arranging for supplies when necessary.
• “Hosting” group meetings by leading the introductions and leading or facilitating the main activity and question-and-answer sessions.
• Leading group discussions or lectures when they are the main activity of the meeting.
• Reaching out to members to help you in regular tasks and fill in for you when you cannot plan or attend a meeting.
• Making all participants feel welcome.

Does this sound like something you can do? BariatricPal will provide support to Local Chapter leaders, including developing guidelines for running meetings and materials for group discussions.

Here’s What to Do!

If you are interested in being a BariatricPal Local Chapter leader, please use the BariatricPal Local Chapter directory. Click NEW LOCAL CHAPTER to create a new chapter and follow the simple instructions on how to get started.

Please feel free to post questions on this thread. I am excited to begin BariatricPal Local Chapter meetings, and I hope you are, too!

Hi Alex,

Once you posted information on classes for CE Credits. It was for group leadership programs. Can you re-post that link as I thought I had kept it, but can't find it.

Thanks

Nancy

Yes please Alex thanks

Yes please Alex thanks

I am new and so this is me on my crazy phone trying to introduce myself. I have a date of June 16th in Ocala Florida, I live in Lake County and would love some same date friends, close location friends, know what were going through friends. Email me or ask me for my number, send me a friend request.. done a lot of research so now just got to do it..willing to help anyway I can..Good luck to you all

Hi Alex,

Once you posted information on classes for CE Credits. It was for group leadership programs. Can you re-post that link as I thought I had kept it, but can't find it.

Thanks

Nancy

Yes please Alex thanks

It's 23 CE's. Click here for more info on this one day course.

Hello! Peggums here...........

I'm post op RNY 5/8/2014... Just getting used to my inner newnesses...I'm also an RN who worked in outpatient surgery setting for many decades...but BEING the one having the surgery is way way different...HA! I learned a lot about the PAIN I didn't expect...I learned I was capable of getting thru it...but it got down to minutes...meaning how long it took for the pain med to help then finally ease up the pain....LOVE the little green button!(PCA)...I had more than one moment of complete anger at myself for not being able to control my weight my whole life and ending up having to have a surgery (which I really really wanted)...and also wondering...WHAT HAVE YOU DONE NOW!! Thankfully, that passed....time passed and I got home to recover without incident...but taking it easy ,too.

I really love the idea of local in-person support group. My Bariatric Facility..OHSU has a support group in Portland as well that I haven't gone to as yet.

I live about an hour north of Portland, in Silverlake,Wa and would love to know about any groups formed in the Southwest Washington area.

Thanks~P

Alex, I would love to start a chapter in the Spokane WA area. I tried to submit a form through the contact us link and kept getting an error message. I don't know how to make contact otherwise a so here I am... Let me know what to do... Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you...

Alex, I would love to start a chapter in the Spokane WA area. I tried to submit a form through the contact us link and kept getting an error message. I don't know how to make contact otherwise a so here I am... Let me know what to do... Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you...

Sending you PM.

Alex, I would love to coordinate a chapter in the Park Slope/Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens/Boerum Hill Area for Bariatric Pal. I have been organizing a similar meeting via MeetUp for about a year. We met in Manhattan. I can tell you there is a demand for face to face contact, and although they have tried, the medical community can't provide enough or the specific type of support that patient organized meetings provide. I am researching the certification you listed. Please let me know if I can help your efforts in any way.

Hi Carin,

That would be fantastic! We had our first meeting in Manhattan over the weekend. Wish you would have joined! It would be fantastic to get something started in Park slope etc. There are many many WLS patients in your neighborhood. As group leader it would be up to you to select a time, place and location. We've created flyers you can use to post at your surgeons office or any other groups you attend. Please post to the local support chapter topic and let them know that you'll be leading. I'll also provided you with access to the local chapter leader forums once you confirm you'd like to move forward.

Hi! I would love to start a support group in the Baltimore area; however, I'm not sure where to start. Also, I can't see/ find these threads on the app version. :-(

Hi! I would love to start a support group in the Baltimore area; however, I'm not sure where to start. Also, I can't see/ find these threads on the app version. :-(

We'd love to have you running a Baltimore based support group. Here's more info on how to get one going:

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/303015-were-launching-bariatricpal-local-chapters/#entry3423124

Any interest in an E CT chapter.