Our Mission

The mission of WLS Choices for Change is to provide support and services which promote wellness for individuals and families who have been affected by the disease of morbid obesity.

WLS Choices for Change offers bariatric patients in-depth education, resources and support to better understand weight-loss surgery options. We also offer assistance in assessing and changing lifestyle habits to ensure long-term post-operative success.

About WLS Choice For Change

WLS Choices for Change was founded in 2004 by Sharon Magar, licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Sharon underwent bariatric surgery in 2003, after a lifelong struggle with obesity, and, since then, has reclaimed her life in a profound transformational journey, having shed over 200 pounds and gained a life filled with passion and vitality.

Sharon has been in private clinical practice since 1989, specializing in body image, sexual abuse, eating disorders and bariatric aftercare. Using a somatic and cognitive-behavioral psychotherapeutic approach, Sharon supports individuals in developing an understanding of how their thoughts, feelings and behaviors work together in creating a set of basic beliefs that guide the individual’s choices through life. Combining this cognitive exploration with how beliefs are stored and held in the body, Sharon facilitates individuals in integrating and resolving mind-body conflicts.

Sharon’s clinical practice includes work with individuals, couples, families and groups. She is a member of CAMFT (California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists) and is an allied health member of ASBS (American Society of Bariatric Surgery).

What We Value

WLS Choices for Change is committed to providing active, engaged and focused therapeutic support both before and after bariatric surgery. Through the use of cognitive-behavioral and somatic psychotherapy, our mission is to support bariatric patients in developing new skills that will assist them in optimizing their newly gained health for a lifetime.