Trichotillomania and Other BFRBs
The Counseling Corner | est. 1998
Break the Cycle: Adult Therapy for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs)
Struggling with Hair Pulling, Skin Picking, or Nail Biting? You’re Not Alone—And You Don’t Have to Stay Stuck.
Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs)—like trichotillomania (hair pulling), dermatillomania (skin picking), and chronic nail biting—can quietly disrupt your confidence, your health, and your peace of mind. What may start as a coping mechanism often becomes a frustrating and isolating cycle.
If you’ve tried to stop on your own, felt embarrassed in public, or carry the emotional weight of shame, you’re not alone. At The Counseling Corner, we offer expert, compassionate therapy for adults ready to understand, manage, and overcome BFRBs—without judgment, pressure, or shame.
This page is for you if hair pulling, skin picking, or nail biting have become something you hide, feel ashamed of, or can’t seem to stop—even though you’ve tried.
What Are BFRBs?
BFRBs are not “bad habits”—they are complex mental health conditions rooted in emotional regulation, anxiety, stress, and trauma. They often develop as a way to manage internal discomfort, even if the behavior becomes harmful over time.
Common BFRBs we treat include:
Trichotillomania: Repeated hair pulling (scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes)
Dermatillomania (Excoriation Disorder): Recurrent skin picking
Onychophagia: Chronic nail biting
Lip or Cheek Biting: Repetitive oral self-harm or chewing
These behaviors can lead to skin damage, hair loss, scarring, infection, shame, avoidance of intimacy, and social withdrawal.
Who Struggles with BFRBs?
Many adults have lived with BFRBs for years—often in silence.
You may have developed them in childhood or adolescence.
You might feel like you "should have grown out of it."
You may have tried covering up, hiding, or masking the damage.
But real recovery is not about hiding—it’s about healing.
“I thought I had to live with this forever. Therapy gave me tools, compassion, and the courage to take control of my life again.”
— Adult client, Orlando
How We Help at The Counseling Corner
Our approach is warm, professional, and research-based—always customized to you. We focus on helping you:
Understand the emotional and behavioral roots of your BFRB
Identify and manage your triggers
Reduce the urge to engage in the behavior
Replace compulsions with healthier tools
Rebuild your self-esteem and self-compassion
Evidence-Based Therapies We Use:
✔️ CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy): Restructure negative thinking and build coping strategies
✔️ Habit Reversal Training (HRT): Increase awareness and teach alternative responses
✔️ ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy): Manage discomfort, anxiety, and emotional rigidity
✔️ TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused CBT): For BFRBs connected to past trauma
✔️ Supportive Therapy: For self-image, shame, and identity restoration
You Are Not Broken. You Are Not Alone.
Many adults carry years of shame, secrecy, or discouragement from past treatment attempts. But healing is possible. With expert support and the right tools, you can finally break the cycle—and find relief, confidence, and peace.
Meet Our BFRB Specialist:
The Counseling Corner has an expert in treating Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs), including trichotillomania, dermatillomania (excoriation disorder), onychophagia, and lip or cheek biting, ready to help you today.
Your Healing Journey Starts Here
At The Counseling Corner, we’ve been helping individuals overcome anxiety-related behaviors since 1998. Whether your BFRB is recent or lifelong, we offer a safe, affirming space for real, lasting change.
Reach out – call 407-843-4968 or contact us online and let us know you’re seeking help for hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting, or other BFRBs.
Meet with a BFRB specialist – in your first sessions, you’ll share your story, triggers, and patterns in a safe, judgment-free space.
Build new patterns – using CBT, HRT, ACT, and supportive therapy, we’ll help you reduce urges, replace behaviors with healthier tools, and rebuild your confidence.
Serving Central Florida from offices in Orlando and Clermont—with secure telehealth options statewide.
Contact The Counseling Corner now—
📞 Call 407-843-4968
📧 info@counselingcorner.net
📍 Serving Orlando and Central Florida
Let’s help you reclaim your confidence—and stop letting these behaviors define your life.
FAQs
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BFRBs like trichotillomania often develop as coping mechanisms in response to stress, anxiety, trauma, or emotional overload. Many adults describe a sense of tension or discomfort before pulling or picking, followed by temporary relief. These behaviors are not simply habits or signs of low self-control—they are rooted in complex psychological and neurological patterns. At The Counseling Corner, we treat these struggles with the compassion and clinical expertise they deserve
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Yes—adults can absolutely experience meaningful recovery, even after many years of BFRB behaviors. Effective therapies like Habit Reversal Training (HRT), CBT, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) help reduce urges, develop healthier coping tools, and rewire unhelpful thought patterns. Many of our adult clients report significant improvements in their symptoms and self-confidence within just a few months. With the right support, freedom from shame and secrecy is possible.
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BFRBs often create deep feelings of shame, isolation, and low self-worth, which can negatively affect relationships with partners, family, friends, and colleagues. Some adults avoid intimacy or social events out of fear of judgment about visible signs like bald patches or scarring. At The Counseling Corner, we help adults heal not only the behavior, but also the emotional wounds behind it—restoring confidence, connection, and self-compassion. You are not alone, and your healing matters.
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Your therapy journey begins with a safe, judgment-free space where we explore your personal experience with BFRBs. Together, we’ll identify your emotional triggers, disrupt the automatic nature of the behavior, and build custom strategies for change. Our therapists use research-based methods—including CBT, HRT, and mindfulness—to help you find lasting relief. Every step of the process is designed to empower you toward long-term healing and freedom.