Continuing Education Workshop Description:

GLP-1 agonists are transforming the landscape of weight management, but their impact on mental health and addictions and long-term physiological resilience is complex. While these "wonder drugs" offer significant benefits for some, they can be neutral or even detrimental to others. This seminar provides mental health professionals with a deep dive into the clinical literature, contrasting pharmaceutical data with real-world outcome studies.

We will specifically examine the critical role of muscle mass in sustaining both metabolic and mental health, and how to identify when these medications may be supporting or compromising a client’s well-being. Participants will leave with a framework for navigating client conversations, setting realistic expectations, and "tipping the scales" toward safety and efficacy.

• Hour 1: The Physiology of Weight Loss: Understanding the intersection of mental health and muscle mass.
• Hour 2: Data vs. Reality: Analyzing pharmaceutical research against real-world outcome studies in mental health and addiction.
• Hour 3: Clinical Application: Strategies for client goal-setting, expectation management, and monitoring outcomes.

Continuing Education Workshop Objectives:

Attendees of the continuing education workshop will:

1. Apply ethical standards and include informed consent when introducing holistic concepts and discussing somatic tools with clients.
2. Provide client care within ethical scope of practice for mental health practitioners.
3. Maintain awareness of possible implicit bias on the part of the clinician when discussing effectiveness and possible outcomes of GLP-1 medications, especially when prescribed for weight management alone.
4. Comprehend implicit and explicit biases experienced by clients in larger bodies, both in our society as a whole and our healthcare system in particular.
5. Understand the psychological and medical reasons for the use of GLP-1 medications for weight management.
6. Understand the current landscape of GLP-1 medications and mental health and addiction, including company claims and FDA research.
7. Understand the whole-life strategies (nutrition, movement, self-care) necessary for successful GLP-1 utilization.
8. Develop skills to support clients in setting realistic, sustainable goals while navigating the use of GLP-1s.