You're Worthy of Treatment: Overcoming Shame, Finding Hope, and Healing Your Relationship with Your Body With Lora Grabow

What if the biggest obstacle to getting the help you need isn't your body, but the belief that you have to earn it? Even therapists struggle with shame, self-doubt, and asking for help. In this episode of the BariNation Foundation Podcast, April sits down with longtime therapist and BariNation supporter Lora Grabow, who shares her own journey through menopause, unexpected health changes, and the difficult decision to begin GLP-1 treatment. Despite decades of helping others heal their relationship with food, Lora discovered she had been holding herself to a different standard, believing she needed to "work harder" before deserving treatment. Together, April and Lora discuss the damaging myths surrounding obesity, menopause, self-worth, and medical care while exploring why community, self-compassion, and evidence-based treatment are essential for lasting health. This conversation is a powerful reminder that you don't have to suffer in silence, you don't have to earn help, and hope begins the moment you allow yourself to receive the support you deserve. **What You Will Learn in this Episode:** Why obesity is a chronic disease, not a personal failing, and why that reframe lifts shame around GLP-1 weight loss How menopause weight gain can stall even the healthiest habits, and why biology, not effort, is often the real barrier Why self-compassion, not self-criticism, is the tool that actually leads to lasting behavior change How community support helps people move past the belief that they must earn help before accepting it This episode of the BariNation Podcast is produced by the BariNation Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) dedicated to advancing metabolic wellness for people living with obesity by providing evidence-based education, stigma-free support, and meaningful connections in the moments that shape daily life. Funding is provided by the generous donations to the BariNation Foundation from listeners and viewers like you, Johnson & Johnson, and the Texas Center for Bariatrics & Advanced Surgery, led by Dr. Joe Cribbins. **TIMESTAMPS:** 00:00 Lora Grabow discusses her two decades in weight management and therapy 06:16 April sets the stage: doing everything right without results 07:48 Lora explains obesity as a chronic disease, not a decision 08:17 Lora shares her menopause weight gain and hormone therapy story 12:17 The friend who asked why Lora wasn't starting a GLP-1 17:15 Unpacking the belief that you must earn help before treatment and the power of community 26:48 Finding safe support in virtual spaces; April shares a personal story 31:20 How are we talking to ourselves and having self-compassion 41:57 Lora reflects on hope, healing, and life after starting Zepbound 46:04 Why it took Lora so long to go on a GLP-1, the many benefits of the drug **KEY TAKEAWAYS:** Shame keeps people stuck. Self-compassion is what actually opens the door to change. Obesity is a chronic relapsing disease, and no one should have to manage it alone. GLP-1 medications, like other metabolic wellness tools, aren't something you have to "earn." **ABOUT THE GUEST:** Lora Grabow, LMSW, is an obesity medicine therapist, coach, and professional speaker with over 20 years of experience working with patients in obesity medicine. Lora helps patients discover the missing piece of their treatment plan: A piece she calls Headwork™. She is the owner of a thriving private practice serving patients affected by obesity. Her expertise includes providing individual therapy and 1:1 coaching, facilitating support groups, and engaging patients in her online course, Foundations in Headwork for Healthy Weight Loss. She is an active leader in the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. (ASMBS) She is a sought-after podcast guest and speaker at national provider and patient obesity medicine conferences. Lora Grabow Instagram Lora Grabow - Website **RESOURCES MENTIONED:** BariNation Community - $19 a month BariNation Website [BariNation - Email](hello@barination.com) BariNation’s How to Find an Obesity Specialist Guide Sign up for BariNation’s Newsletters J&JMedTech