ASCH Webinar: Combined Hypnotic and Pharmacological Approaches to Weight Management
ASCH Webinar: Combined Hypnotic and Pharmacological Approaches to Weight Management
Topic: Weight Loss Management; GLP-1 & GIP mechanisms; behavioral and hypnotic approaches
Presented by Maryanna Polukhin, MD and Louis Damis, PhD, ABPP, FASCH
When: Wednesday, February 18, 2026, 7:00-9:00 PM ET
Where: Virtual – Zoom
CE: 2.0
Price: Member: $45, Non-Member $65, Grad: $35, Resident $35; includes access to both live and later on-demand viewing
Obesity prevalence is rising and is affecting the physical and psychosocial health of a large portion of our population. It is a complex, chronic condition driven by powerful biological and behavioral forces. While GLP-1/GIP agonists have transformed the treatment landscape by addressing appetite regulation and metabolic resistance, pharmacotherapy alone is insufficient to address the multifactorial nature of obesity and produce long-term weight maintenance. Moreover, intensive behavioral therapy, which yields weight-loss outcomes comparable to pharmacotherapy, has been shown to be additive to pharmacotherapy and is now considered a necessary component of effective long-term weight management.
This webinar explores how GLP-1/GIP agonist therapy and behavioral interventions augmented with hypnosis can be integrated to address both the physiological and behavioral drivers of obesity. Designed for behavioral and medical health professionals, the session reviews the neurohormonal mechanisms of GLP-1/GIP agents and practical strategies for combining these approaches to improve adherence, durability of weight loss, and whole-person-centered outcomes.
At the completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- List three mechanisms of satiety and metabolic changes of benefit to patients.
- Describe the expected weight loss changes associated with pharmacological and cognitive-behavioral interventions, as well as the impact of a combined approach.
- Describe the limitations and side effects of pharmacological and surgical weight loss interventions
- List five behavioral techniques for weight management and the three found to be most effective for long-term maintenance.
- Describe a four-stage hypnotic treatment plan and systematic approach to weight management.
Speaker Bios:
Dr. Maryanna Polukhin is a primary care doctor in Starling Physicians, Hartford, CT. She has practiced Internal Medicine for more than 20 years and is Board certified in Internal Medicine and has Board certification in Integrative Medicine. She has held teaching positions at UCONN School of Medicine and Quinnipiac University School of Medicine. Dr. Polukhin started training in hypnosis in 2011 and has been a member of ASCH since. She achieved the level of Approved Consultant and has been an active participant in ASCH eLearning educational committee. Her interest has always been to bring the medical and behavioral health providers closer through education and exposure to each other’s fields to advance patient-centered care and improve patients’ short- and long-term outcomes as well as general health and wellbeing
Dr. Damis is a Diplomate with the American Board of Professional Psychology, a Fellow of the American Academy of Clinical Health Psychology, the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance, and the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis. He is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the UCF College of Medicine and an ESTI-accredited Ego State Therapist. Dr. Damis is a licensed psychologist with ASCH Consultant Status and Certification in Clinical Hypnosis. He is a Past President of the American, Florida and Washington DC Societies of Clinical Hypnosis and is the current Treasurer of the ASCH. He has taught hypnosis for over 25 years for the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis, the Florida Society of Clinical Hypnosis, and the Society of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. Dr. Damis maintains a private practice and is an instructor, author, and consultant.
References
Hartmann-Boyce, Jamie, José M. Ordóñez-Mena, Annika Theodoulou, et al. “Impact of Program Characteristics on Weight Loss in Adult Behavioral Weight Management Interventions: Systematic Review and Component Network Meta-Analysis.” Obesity 30, no. 9 (2022): 1778–86. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.23505.
Jacob, Ariane, Gregory Moullec, Kim L. Lavoie, et al. (2018). “Impact of Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions on Weight Loss and Psychological Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis.” Health Psychology (US) 37, no. 5: 417–32. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000576.
Liu, Qiyuan Keith. (July 2024). “Mechanisms of Action and Therapeutic Applications of GLP-1 and Dual GIP/GLP-1 Receptor Agonists.” Frontiers in Endocrinology 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2024.1431292.
Minnetti, Marianna, Rocco Barazzoni, John A. Batsis, et al. (2025). “The Integration of Lifestyle Modification Advice and Diet and Physical Exercise Interventions: Cornerstones in the Management of Obesity with Incretin Mimetics.” Obesity Facts. https://doi.org/10.1159/000548370.
Müllertz, Alberte Laura Oest, Rasmus Michael Sandsdal, Simon Birk Kjær Jensen, and Signe Sørensen Torekov. (2024). “Potent Incretin-Based Therapy for Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Semaglutide and Tirzepatide on Body Weight and Waist Circumference, and Safety.” Obesity Reviews 25, no. 5: e13717. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13717.
Phelan, Suzanne, Tate Halfman, Angela Marinilli Pinto, and Gary D. Foster. (2020). “Behavioral and Psychological Strategies of Long-Term Weight Loss Maintainers in a Widely Available Weight Management Program.” Obesity 28, no. 2: 421–28. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22685.
Wadden, Thomas A., Jena Shaw Tronieri, Danny Sugimoto, et al. (2020). “Liraglutide 3.0 Mg and Intensive Behavioral Therapy (IBT) for Obesity in Primary Care: The SCALE IBT Randomized Controlled Trial.” Obesity 28, no. 3: 529–36. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22726.
Zheng, Zhikai, Yao Zong, Yiyang Ma, et al. (2024). “Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor: Mechanisms and Advances in Therapy.” Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy 9, no. 1: 234. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-024-01931-z.
Registration Instructions
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Continuing Education Hours
Online attendance, full engagement and completion of a pre-test, post-test and daily program evaluations are required for a certificate of completion.
Cancellations
Cancellations must be made in writing to info@asch.net. No cancellations will be taken by phone.
Workshop CME & ASCH Continuing Education (CE) Credits
This program has been approved by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis Standards of Training Committee to be used toward Membership and Certification requirements.
The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis-Education and Research Foundation (ASCH-ERF) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis-Education and Research Foundation (ASCH-ERF) designates this live activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
This program is Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (886386995-7390) for 2 continuing education contact hours.
This course is approved by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and as such is an approved continuing education course per Florida’s AC-Rule 64B-4-6002 American Society of Clinical Hypnosis-ERF is designated as an Approved PACE Program Provider.
The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis Education & Research Foundation Nationally Approved PACE Program Provider for FAGD/MAGD credit. Approval does not imply acceptance by any regulatory authority or AGD endorsement. 10/1/2021 to 9/30/2027. Provider ID#217022