Mental Health and Lipedema: The Turning Point of the Journey

Lipedema Talks · Episódios

In this episode of Lipedema Talks, recorded for the Lipedema Evolution 2026 congress, Letícia Miyamoto welcomes Portuguese psychologist Valléria Roque, who is also a lipedema patient, to talk about mental health and emotions in treatment. Valléria explains why lipedema is a systemic and highly individual condition that causes deep physical and psychological suffering, marked by pain, shame, body dysphoria, isolation, and emotional burnout. She addresses the importance of psychoeducation and health literacy so that patients understand the chronic nature of the disease, manage it day to day, and make decisions consciously. She also discusses the pressure to look a certain way in Portugal and Brazil, and reports how, in her study of 507 patients using a validated questionnaire, dropout fell from 41% to 11% with emotional support. Watch to understand what really brings about the turning point in the lipedema journey.