New service aims to protect patients’ psychological health pre- and post-cosmetic surgery

Amidst a growing culture that promotes aesthetic and cosmetic procedures as the norm, psychotherapists Sara Crawshaw and Gina Easom have launched a mental health assessment service for cosmetic surgery patients, which aims to protect psychological wellbeing in the cosmetic surgery industry.

Body Image Therapy is built on the belief that there is a place for cosmetic surgery when a person is psychologically healthy as well as physically well and that with these two factors, surgery can often improve and enhance people’s lives.

Longstanding friends, Crawshaw and Easom are both experienced psychotherapists operating from a successful private therapy practice in their hometown of Ilkley. Their combined experience covers a range of mental health issues, body image disorders and eating disorders.

Body Image Therapy works closely with the cosmetic surgery industry. Its mission is to assist in upholding ethical standards and protect surgeons from the risk of a complaint, protect patients’ psychological health, and help cosmetic surgery positively impact people’s lives.

Working with trusted plastic surgeons, Body Image Therapy is set up to provide valuable expertise through three key components:

• Consensus on what mental health concerns to look for prior to surgery
• A standardised evaluation with a full report outlining risks, protective factors and recommendations is provided within 24hrs.
• Ongoing patient therapeutic services if required.

“Using mental health assessments, we bring cosmetic surgeons and patients together to support psychological safety, ethical practice and positive outcomes for all.”

Body Image Therapy is currently working with Elite Surgical’s Mr. Sultan Hassan, voted GSC Cosmetic Surgeon of the Year, and is in conversation with additional plastic surgery practices.