Biography

Dr. Ames earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology in 2005 from the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. She is board certified in Clinical Health Psychology and a licensed psychologist in the state of Florida. Dr. Ames joined Mayo Clinic in Florida in 2007 as the psychologist for the Bariatric Surgery Center. She holds the academic rank of Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and is an Adjunct Professor at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida. Her clinical duties include performing psychological evaluations for patients who are seeking surgical treatment for obesity. She also teaches pre-surgery education classes and provides individual treatment for co-morbid conditions like depression and problematic eating behaviors in preparation for bariatric surgery. Dr. Ames facilities post-surgery support groups and conducts clinical research. Her research interests include behavioral and psychological factors that are associated with long-term maintenance of weight loss after bariatric surgery.