Individual Motivation and Group Experience Therapy motivates and empowers members, helping them to see that they have the ability and strength to take control and make the changes they want to in their lives.

Slimming World believes that the burden carried by overweight people is two-fold. There is excess weight, but there is a far heavier burden to be lifted - that of guilt, self-criticism and poor self-esteem. At the heart of a Slimming World group is a powerful support system, a system of encouragement, inspiration and motivation unique to Slimming World. It's the time when everyone in the group can share their successes, their problems and discover solutions together.

Above all, members learn to rebuild their self-confidence and self-worth in a genuinely warm and caring environment where criticism, blame and disapproval are completely and fervently discouraged. At Slimming World we call this positive support structure IMAGE Therapy. It stands for Individual Motivation and Group Experience.

With individual guidance and using a number of advanced psychological and behavioural changing techniques in a warm and powerfully motivating group setting, Consultants are trained to help members recognise and overcome obstacles to make healthy food choices and achieve weight loss goals.

IMAGE Therapy:

• Motivates and empowers members, helping them to see that they have the ability and strength to take control and make the changes they want to in their lives
• Establishes genuine commitment from each member about the week ahead so they can enjoy the days to come in a positive frame of mind
• Raises members’ self-esteem by praising genuine effort and achievement wherever and whenever possible, as publicly as possible
• Invites members to plan ahead so that they are prepared for situations where they may otherwise face difficulties, such as social eating occasions

Where individual members would benefit, one-to-one support continues through the week, both through the Consultant and a system of Lifelines to encourage and motivate members to stick with their planned strategies for change.