BFRB Treatment in Maitland and Longwood, Florida
Therapy for Hair Pulling, Skin Picking, and Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors
If you’re exhausted from trying to stop pulling your hair or picking your skin, hiding the effects, or wondering why you keep doing something you wish you could stop, you’re not alone. Therapy offers a supportive space to understand your patterns, build practical skills, and feel less consumed by the struggle.
What is BFRB treatment?
Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) include hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting, and similar behaviors that can become difficult to manage. Hair pulling is also known as trichotillomania, while skin picking may be called excoriation disorder or dermatillomania.
BFRB treatment helps you understand when and how these behaviors happen and develop strategies tailored to your needs. I work with children, teens, and adults, with an emphasis on practical support and a compassionate, collaborative relationship.
Who I Help
✓ College Students
& Young Adults
✓ Children
✓ Individuals struggling with pulling, picking, or biting, even without a formal diagnosis
✓ Teens
✓ Adults
Does This Sound Familiar?
⇾ Pulling or picking without realizing it
⇾ Searching for a hair or spot that feels “not right”
⇾ Telling yourself “just one more,” then struggling to stop
⇾ Pulling or picking while scrolling, studying, or winding down
⇾ Feeling relief or satisfaction, followed by frustration or shame
⇾ Trying to hide hair loss, marks, or scabs
⇾ Avoiding activities because someone might notice
⇾ Feeling misunderstood when people tell you to “just stop”
Understanding the Patterns Beneath the Surface
Your experience deserves curiosity and care. You may have spent years feeling embarrassed, frustrated with yourself, or reluctant to tell anyone what’s happening. In therapy, you can talk openly about the parts of this experience that have felt difficult to explain.
We’ll explore what happens before, during, and after pulling or picking, then use what we learn to shape your treatment. You don’t need to arrive knowing your triggers or having a clear explanation for your behavior.
There’s room here for both wanting things to change and acknowledging how hard you’ve already been trying.
How Therapy Can Help
Therapy can help you:
Notice pulling or picking patterns earlier
Develop practical responses to urges
Build routines that support your treatment goals
Reduce shame and self-criticism
Feel more comfortable asking for support
Spend less time organizing your life around hiding or managing the behavior
My Approach
My approach is warm, collaborative, and tailored to your experience. I incorporate Habit Reversal Training (HRT) and the Comprehensive Behavioral (ComB) model to address the patterns involved in BFRBs.
Together, we’ll try manageable changes, pay attention to what helps, and adjust along the way. I welcome honest feedback, including when a strategy feels awkward, impractical, or simply doesn’t work for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
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If pulling or picking is causing distress, physical damage, avoidance, or taking up more time and attention than you want, it’s worth seeking support. You don’t need to wait for visible hair loss or significant skin damage to talk about it.
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Pulling and picking can happen automatically, with little awareness. Treatment can help you recognize earlier signs and introduce supports into the situations where it tends to happen. Noticing the behavior is something we can work on together.
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BFRBs and OCD are related diagnostic categories, but they aren’t the same condition. You can experience either one or both. We’ll explore what drives your symptoms and choose treatment accordingly.
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You’re welcome to bring those experiences into treatment. We’ll discuss what you tried, what helped, and what felt frustrating. Your feedback helps us create a plan that is realistic for your daily life.
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Yes. I offer in-person appointments in Maitland and Longwood, Florida, and secure virtual therapy for clients located in Florida, New Jersey, and Vermont.
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Yes. I work with children and teens as well as adults. With younger clients, I incorporate age-appropriate activities and parent or caregiver involvement when appropriate. We’ll also discuss ways family members can offer support without making the child feel watched, blamed, or embarrassed.
Take the first step towards recovery.
Whether you’re seeking help for yourself or your child, you don’t have to figure this out alone. We can work together to better understand what’s happening and develop a plan that feels manageable.