Fran Weiss, LCSW-R, BCD, DCSW, CGP, Psychotherapist
Just because it is hard to do, does not mean it is impossible to achieve
Endorsements of Fran Weiss by Others
Dr. Fran Weiss is a distinguished psychotherapist who has been of great help to us in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition. She has seen many of our patients in consultation and for short or long-term therapy. We have found her to be an excellent therapist. Our patients have been extremely pleased with her thoughtful, supportive, and efficacious care. I recommend her highly.
Xavier Pi-Sunyer, M.D.
Co-Director, NIH-sponsored New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center (NYONRC);
Professor of Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons;
Faculty, Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC);
Chief, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center;
Director, New York Obesity Research Center, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital.
I have known Fran Weiss since 1996 when I first had the opportunity to observe her work at a conference of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. I was so impressed by her that I invited her to join the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She has proven to be an invaluable addition to our faculty. She has made solid contributions as an expert in disorders of eating and in group psychotherapy. She has distinguished herself with her innovative work in the field of body image and its application for psychotherapeutic approaches to obesity. Although her best known work is in this particular area, she also has an extensive background in clinical work in women's health issues as they impact individuals, couples and their families. She has as well an impressive history as an advocate for women's health. Finally, I want to note that she is an excellent teacher who captivates and inspires her students.
Hillel I. Swiller, MD, FAGPA, DLFAPA
Clinical Professor of Psychiatry
Director, Division of Psychotherapy, Department of Psychiatry
Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Michael Devlin, MD, past president of the Academy of Eating Disorders has said "Fran's publications on body image assessment and treatment of body image disturbances are seminal. As far back as 1986, her American Journal of Psychotherapy paper on "The evaluation and treatment of body image disturbances among obese individuals" paved new ground and served as a major inspiration for experiential body image work. As it became clear that traditional psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral approaches had limited ability to deeply impact body image, Fran and others began to mine the potential of combining traditional psychodynamically-based approaches with more powerful techniques that address the development of body self and the need for mind-body integration in order to bring about lasting change."
Michael Devlin, M.D.
Professor of Clinical Psychiatry
Associate Director, Eating Disorders Research Unit
New York State Psychiatric Institute
Dr. Fran Weiss has created a unique program for weight loss, weight regulation and body image called B.I.T.E. The Body Image Transformation Experience®. Her concept of body image and body image acceptance is critical for any individual to have a happy long-lasting relationship with weight maintenance. Dr. Weiss comes equipped with credentials, experience, and compassion. I have worked with her at the New York Obesity Research Center at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center and have collaborated with her for 26 years. Bravo Fran for your excellent contributions to the obesity field.
Dennis Gage, M.D.
Endocrinologist, Obesity Expert, Researcher
Attending Physician, Lenox Hill Hospital and Beth Israel Medical Center, NYC
Clinical Instructor in Medicine, NYU Medical School
Author of "The Thinderella Syndrome: A Practical Guide to Individualized Permanent Weight Loss" (2004, Vantage Press)
Visit Dennis Gage's website
Fran Weiss is a gifted and masterful clinician who combines professional integrity with imaginative insight in her work and writing. A national leader in the field of eating disorders, she creatively applies body image and self development to clinical work. Her professional skill and pioneering contributions in weight regulation treatment continues to benefit clients and workshop participants.
David Krueger, M.D.
Executive Coach, author, Psychoanalyst
I have known Fran Weiss for over twenty-five years and under many guises; as a fellow New Yorker, as a personal friend and as a clinical colleague. As an Urbanite, she is honest, diligent and a straight shooter. As a personal friend she is warm, attentive, sensitive, a good objective listener and, when needed, a person to rely on. As a clinician, she is astute, challenging and innovative. Her brilliant and original approach to the understanding of body image distortion is the new frontier for all those challenged by any type of weight regulation issues.
Victor Syrmis, M.D.
Chairman, Arclight Films International
"I experienced Fran Weiss's teaching as enormously helpful to me in formulating more clearly my own clinical work with overweight and character disordered patients. Her store of information, from biological, interpersonal neurobiological, to psychoanalytic, is vast, and was inspirational in helping me to inquire further about these patients. She is an outstanding, generous, and extremely well prepared teacher, which in itself is a rarity; there is no way you won't benefit from your time in a workshop or training with her."
Alan Albert, Psy.D, CGP
Private practice, Newton, MA
Former Institute and Program Committee Co-Chair, Northeastern Society for Group Psychotherapy (NSGP)
"I have recently attended one of the most interesting workshops ever in my long career. Fran Weiss' work in the integration of neurobiology and attachment theory as it applies to weight management is developing cutting edge theory that will lead to an exciting new understanding of the mind-body connection, and most likely to a new way of synthesizing medicine and psychotherapy. Her half-day workshop provoked a keen interest in learning more, and thinking about obese patients in my general practice in a new way."
Vanessa Gamble, Psy.D., CGP
Member, Northeastern Society for Group Psychotherapy (NSGP)
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