Losing weight isn’t just about diet and exercise—mental health plays a major role in success. Emotional eating, stress, and negative self-talk can derail progress, making it essential to address both the mind and body. In this Q&A, Justin Henry, CEO of Life IV Weight Loss, speaks with Heather Frederick, MA, CAADC, CCS, CCTP, a local counselor specializing in mental health and nutrition, to discuss how therapy can support weight loss, improve motivation, and help build a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.
Last Updated on February 24, 2025 by justin@lifeivtherapy.com
The Connection Between Mental Health & Weight Loss
Justin Henry: Many people struggle with emotional eating and stress-related weight gain. Can you explain how mental health and weight loss are connected?
Heather Frederick: Thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are deeply interconnected. Anxiety, depression, trauma, or chronic stress can impact motivation, decision-making, and consistency with healthy habits. Negative self-talk and avoidance behaviors, such as delaying lifestyle changes, can also interfere with progress.
Therapy helps individuals recognize these patterns, replace them with healthier self-perceptions, and take manageable steps toward lasting change. Sustainable weight loss isn’t just about willpower—it’s about having a strong mental health foundation.
Common Mental Health Barriers to Weight Loss
Justin Henry: From your experience, what mental health barriers prevent people from successfully losing weight?
Heather Frederick: A significant barrier is the cycle of negative emotions leading to unhealthy behaviors. Shame, guilt, stress, and low self-esteem can make people feel undeserving of good health. Restrictive dieting and labeling foods as “good” or “bad” can create an unhealthy relationship with food.
Other barriers include trauma, addiction, and anxiety, which interfere with decision-making and consistency. Therapy helps identify these root causes and establish healthier coping strategies.
How Therapy Can Help with Emotional Eating
Justin Henry: How can therapy support individuals struggling with emotional eating, binge eating, or a negative relationship with food?
Heather Frederick: Therapy provides a safe space to explore the underlying causes of emotional eating and develop healthier coping strategies. It introduces mindful eating, emotional awareness, and intuitive eating, moving away from restrictive dieting toward a balanced food relationship.
Additionally, therapy helps individuals heal from shame and guilt, address co-occurring issues like anxiety and trauma, and improve self-esteem and body acceptance.
Strategies for Mental Well-Being During Weight Loss
Justin Henry: Many of our clients experience stress, anxiety, and depression related to their weight. What strategies can they use to improve their mental well-being?
Heather Frederick: There are several effective therapeutic approaches that can help:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Helps challenge distorted thoughts about food, body image, and self-worth.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): Focuses on mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Encourages goal setting, emotional acceptance, and body awareness.
- Trauma-Informed Techniques: Include somatic exercises and breathing techniques like box breathing (4-4-4-4 pattern).
Even small practices like deep breathing can significantly improve well-being during weight loss.
Breaking the Stigma Around Therapy & Weight Loss
Justin Henry: There is often stigma surrounding therapy and weight loss. What would you say to someone hesitant about seeking counseling?
Heather Frederick: I would reassure them that they’re never stuck—if they try therapy and don’t like it, they don’t have to continue. Therapy isn’t about being “broken” or “crazy.” It’s about self-improvement and gaining tools to become the best version of yourself.
Seeking help isn’t a weakness—it’s a strength. A therapist provides guidance, insight, and encouragement, helping clients uncover solutions they may not have considered on their own.
Mental Health’s Role in Lifestyle Changes
Justin Henry: We emphasize lifestyle changes, including nutrition and exercise. How does mental health impact making these changes sustainable?
Heather Frederick: Mental health plays a foundational role in making lifestyle changes stick. Stress, anxiety, or depression can lead to avoidance behaviors, lack of motivation, and inconsistency. Therapy helps build confidence, challenge negative thought patterns, and set small, achievable goals rather than overwhelming ones.
Every small step is progress, and therapy helps individuals celebrate victories instead of focusing on setbacks.
Finding the Right Mental Health Professional
Justin Henry: For someone considering therapy to support their weight loss, what should they look for in a mental health professional?
Heather Frederick: Knowledge and experience are important, but so is finding a therapist who makes you feel comfortable, supported, and understood. A good therapist should be nonjudgmental but also willing to challenge unhelpful thinking patterns in a kind way.
Progress isn’t always linear, and a great therapist will encourage growth while being patient if setbacks occur.
Connect with Heather
Justin Henry: Thank you, Heather, for sharing your expertise! Where can people learn more about you and your services?
Heather Frederick: You can find me online at:
- Facebook: Oliver Lee Consulting PLLC
- Instagram: @oliverleeconsultingpllc
- Website: www.oliverleeconsulting.org
- Call or text: 734-224-3761