Behavioral Psychology Program

Lifestyle programs at the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center are designed to address the knowledge, skills, attitudes and thoughts that drive behaviors related to eating and activity.

About Behavioral Psychology

To lose and maintain weight, it’s important to establish healthy lifestyle behaviors. In today's world, there are often difficult challenges that get in the way of healthy behaviors. Our behavioral psychologists offer interventions for patients who can benefit from additional behavioral psychology support and education. At the start of your program, a one-hour initial evaluation will be scheduled with a Weight Center Psychologist.

At the initial evaluation session, the psychologist will assess for possible psychological contributors to weight and psychological factors relevant to weight loss treatment. Usually, by the end of this session, you and the psychologist will determine a behavioral psychology treatment program that best fits your needs.

The following is an outline of the services that our Weight Center psychologists offer. Please note that the number and duration of sessions listed below is approximate. Treatment is tailored to each patient’s specific needs.

• Treatment for Stress or Emotionally-triggered Eating: four 30-minute appointments
• Treatment for Binge-eating Disorder: timing is dependent on patient
• Motivational Enhancement: three sessions over three months
• Behavioral Problem-solving: three sessions over three months 
• Stress Management: four sessions, every other week
• Sleep Hygiene/Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Machines for Sleep Apnea Desensitization: four sessions, every other week

Program Cost

The sessions with the Weight Center psychologist will be billed to your insurance. Before you schedule any appointments, you must get a referral from your primary care doctor for the psychology treatment. You will be billed for any appointments that are not covered by your insurance. If you do not show for an appointment without giving 24 hours’ notice, any further behavioral psychology appointments will be cancelled.