Trichotillomania and BFRB Recovery Programme

The Trichnotherapy Programme was established in 1996 to help people stop hair pulling and other addictive behaviours. Trichnotherapy includes urge reduction and relapse prevention. Coaching Care took over in 2019, when the programme was upgraded and adapted for ACT. It has an unrivalled success rate. The course addresses avoidance as a symptom for many people with trichotillomania and other addictive behaviours.

How ACT Supports Recovery

ACT is a derivative of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), used worldwide to treat trichotillomania and other body-focused repetitive behaviours. This gentle approach to therapy is easily adaptable to everyday life. It sets clear goals in a step-by-step plan, with related tasks that can be ticked off, triggering the brain’s reward system. This method reduces unwanted behaviours because we keep the focus on what we do want.

Will My Urges Change?

We would expect the course to help you reduce your own urges over the course of a few weeks. For some people, the urges may disappear altogether; for others, they may not. Our research shows this can relate to a person’s age and how long the negative behaviour has been present. However, many factors are involved, which means we cannot guarantee a reduction in urges. Genetics play a role—some people have a stronger strain of compulsion—and your own effort and commitment are also important.

Understanding Exposure and Befriending

By looking at unconscious thoughts and choices and aligning them with what makes us content, we learn to embrace our intense, changing emotions. When feelings are difficult, we simply remind ourselves that they will pass.

The gradual introduction of Exposure Therapy for BFRB urges brings familiarity with uncomfortable feelings. These feelings were often masked by the urges and unwanted behaviours, with the body reacting so quickly that they almost went unnoticed. Befriending them can be a slow and gentle process.

When the Exposure and Befriending process is regularly practised, we gradually become desensitised to urges. We no longer need destructive patterns to neutralise anxiety, because anxiety is just a feeling—and all of our feelings are welcome. We learn how to surf urges and even savour the more challenging waves.

What ACT Means

Acceptance

The first stage of recovery is accepting that you have a condition which may be with you for life. It’s important to face this truth—and sometimes that takes time. There’s a reason why alcoholics say “My name is XYZ and I am an alcoholic.” Facing the problem allows you to recognise the level of preparation and planning needed to manage it. Acceptance also means understanding that even once in recovery, you’ll need to maintain it. It will always be a priority for you.

Commitment

The commitment part of this course is essential. We recommend setting aside twenty minutes a day to reflect on your actions and how they relate to pulling or other unwanted behaviours. This daily practice helps you plan ahead and take positive steps to reduce urges.

Course Structure and Materials

This course releases one lesson per week. You’ll get the best results by downloading and printing the PDFs, and applying them throughout the week before moving on to the next lesson. You are free to progress at your own pace.

The lessons have been designed by people in recovery from hair pulling and similar conditions. Most of the PDFs contain straightforward habit reversal techniques.

As you work through the course, you’ll consider your unique personality and identify areas of your life you’d like to develop. By prioritising activities that bring you joy, you’ll reduce rumination and learn to calm your mind through relaxation practices.