GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are powerful tools — but lasting change requires more than biology alone. I provide specialized counseling for the emotional, psychological, and behavioral dimensions of your weight loss journey.
Why Counseling + GLP-1s
GLP-1 medications reduce appetite and support weight loss — but they don't address the emotional habits, food relationships, body image struggles, or psychological patterns developed over a lifetime. That's where therapy makes the lasting difference.
Learn to recognize emotional triggers — stress, boredom, loneliness — and build coping strategies that don't rely on food.
Changing your body can bring unexpected emotions. We work through shifts in self-perception, identity, and self-worth beyond the scale.
Build realistic routines for movement, sleep, and stress — and develop relapse prevention skills so healthy habits hold when life gets hard.
Feeling embarrassed about taking medication? You deserve a completely non-judgmental space to process all of it — without explanation or apology.
Whether you're just starting, navigating side effects, or considering tapering, counseling provides continuity and prepares you for every phase.
Who I Help
You want to set yourself up for long-term success — not just weight loss, but a genuinely healthier relationship with food, your body, and yourself.
The medication is working, but you're experiencing unexpected emotions, body image shifts, or simply feel like something deeper is still missing.
Obsessive thoughts about food, eating rituals, or extreme rigidity have entered your life, and you want thoughtful support to work through them safely.
Years of dieting, emotional eating, or disordered patterns that predate the medication — therapy provides a safe space to explore that history and heal it.
There's no one in your life you can truly talk to about the weight, the shame, the hope, and the complexity. You want someone who genuinely gets it.
You want the mindset and habits firmly in place before or after tapering, so your progress is yours to keep — with or without the medication.
My Approach
I draw from a range of evidence-based therapies, always tailoring my approach to what fits you. No two GLP-1 journeys are alike — and neither is our work together.
Click any therapy below to learn how it supports your journey.
A brief, no-pressure phone call to talk about where you are and see if we're the right fit.
We explore your full GLP-1 and weight loss history, emotional patterns, and goals. I share my impressions and we map a plan together.
Regular sessions through SimplePractice — a secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform. Each session builds on the last with real skills and real progress.
When your goals are met, you graduate with a toolkit you own. Many clients continue on a maintenance basis as an ongoing investment in themselves.
About Marni
I'm Marni Riffkin, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 25 years of experience. I hold my LICSW in Washington DC and my LCSW-C in Maryland, with a practice dedicated to the mental health and emotional dimensions of weight loss and GLP-1 journeys.
I don't just understand this journey clinically — I've lived it. As a bariatric patient myself, and a GLP-1 patient since 2020, I know firsthand what it feels like to navigate the hope, the complexity, the body image shifts, and the profound internal work that no medication can do for you. That lived experience shapes everything I bring to our sessions.
I offer telehealth to clients across many states through the Social Work Licensure Compact — an agreement that enables licensed social workers to practice across member states, allowing me to serve clients well beyond the DC/Maryland area. Please reach out to confirm whether your state is currently included.
Education
Master of Social Work
University of Pittsburgh · 1998
Bachelor of Arts, Criminology
The Pennsylvania State University · 1990
I offer telehealth sessions through SimplePractice, a HIPAA-compliant video platform. Sessions are conducted via secure video and are available to clients in Washington DC, Maryland, and many additional states through the Social Work Licensure Compact.
In-person sessions may also be available — please inquire when you reach out.
Please reach out directly for current session rates. I'm happy to discuss fees, session frequency, and what to expect financially before you make any commitment.
Payment is due at the time of each session. I accept credit cards and other standard payment methods.
I do not accept insurance. By operating outside of insurance, I'm able to offer you more personalized, flexible care without the limitations that insurance often imposes — including restrictions on type, frequency, and duration of treatment.
This also means greater confidentiality: I am not required to share your information with any insurance company, and no formal diagnosis is required to begin working together.
You may still be reimbursed. As a licensed out-of-network provider, I can provide a superbill — a detailed receipt — that you can submit to your insurance company for potential out-of-network reimbursement. I recommend calling the member services number on your insurance card and asking:
I'm happy to help you navigate this process — just ask.
I am licensed in Washington DC (LICSW) and Maryland (LCSW-C), and I serve clients in many additional states through the Social Work Licensure Compact — an interstate agreement that allows licensed social workers to practice across participating states.
The list of compact states continues to grow. Please reach out with your state of residence and I'll confirm whether I can see you there. All telehealth is conducted through SimplePractice, a secure, HIPAA-compliant platform.
Yes. Everything shared in our sessions is strictly confidential. I will never disclose your information to family, employers, or others without your written consent.
There are limited legal exceptions — such as imminent risk of harm to yourself or others, suspected abuse, or a court order. These are explained fully in the consent documents you'll complete before our first session.
I ask for at least 24 hours notice to cancel or reschedule. I understand life is unpredictable and am happy to discuss any extenuating circumstances.
Late cancellations or no-shows may be subject to a fee.
The easiest way is to fill out the contact form below and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Contact & Intake
Fill out the form and I'll be in touch within 1–2 business days.
Existing Clients
Client Portal
Consent forms, billing & scheduling via SimplePractice.
Open Portal →New Clients
Helps Marni understand your background, medication history, and goals before your first session.