The information you've been looking for is out there. Depending on your budget and free time, you have options for how to learn to curb your body-focused repetitive behavior. Below I discuss books, coaches, and therapists.
Books
The most affordable and accessible way is through a book. You can download a book and start healing as soon as today. I recommend trying a book to anyone who likes, or even tolerates, reading. A book can be all you need or, at the least, a fantastic starting point.
My book, the one this site is built around, is titled How to Heal Your BFRB (aka, the BFRB Guide). It shares how to radically reduce or even stop compulsive skin picking, hair pulling, and other BFRBs, like nail or cheek biting, in a way that's not intimidating. Other books with high ratings are:
• Skin Picking: The Freedom to Finally Stop
• Overcoming Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors
Coaches
Those who can't get through a book might be better off with guidance from a coach they meet with regularly. A coach is also an option if you want personalized encouragement or aid after reading a BFRB book.
BFRB coaches don't necessarily have a related degree, but they know BFRBs and have a system to help others beat them. BFRB coaches are accessible too, as most will meet online through some video-conferencing platform such as Zoom. Try:
• Annette Pasternak
• You can also find coaches (and therapists) by searching on Google or even Instagram. Make sure they have good reviews and/or have a discussion with them first.
Therapists
On the more expensive end is a licensed therapist. Perhaps surprisingly, working with one isn't always the best option. Most therapists are not BFRB experts; some don't even know what body-focused repetitive behaviors are, or they think they understand them...but don't.
That said, below are links to a few sites where you can find licensed therapists in the know. (If you want to meet with a therapist you found elsewhere, be sure to ask about therapy for BFRBs head-on.)
• Skin Pick
• Trich Stop
• List provided by The TLC Foundation for BFRBs
Did It Help?
If the book, coach, or therapist didn't help as much as you wanted, find another book, coach, or therapist, or try another method. As a skin picker myself, I personally know that feeling of nothing seems to work. But I also know that with the resources listed above, you're this close to a break-through.
Feel free to reach out to me directly with questions or comments!
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