BODY-FOCUSED REPETITIVE BEHAVIOR (BFRB) TREATMENT in BOSTON, MA
Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior (BFRB)
Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) can be particularly challenging to change. Despite their difficulties, picking or pulling often feels satisfying and purposeful in the moment. You may not even notice when you are doing your behavior until afterwards. Treatment offers hope and care for those with BFRBs. Treatment draws from Assessment, ComB, Habit Reversal, Harm Reduction, and ACT-enhanced CBT.
Assessment and Motivational Enhancement
We will take the time to appreciate what it’s like to be in your skin. We will look at how your BFRB functions and why it can be so compelling. Knowing more about your BFRB allows us to work as teammates to target the thoughts, feelings, and sensations that you encounter when you are involved with your behavior.
To begin, we will assess the unique characteristics and triggers of your BFRB. We will examine the degree to which you pick or pull in a focused fashion, versus an automatic one, and start to cultivate more insight into your particular patterns. We will examine the ways in which your skin captures your attention, whether it poses textural interest, something to work at, or an urgent need to release something built up. Is it a “reward” for doing something hard? Is it an activity that you do while you are anticipating some other tasks? To reclaim private time for yourself? When you are bored? Does disgust play a role in your BFRB? What other stressors might be getting under your skin? Identifying your reasons for moving away from these behaviors is an important part of your first steps.
Comprehensive Behavioral (ComB) Treatment
Through ComB’s SCAMP model, we will explore the 5 dimensions that comprise a BFRB. These dimensions offer insight into what reinforces your BFRB and makes it so hard to curtail. In addition, ComB encourages the practice of healthier alternative activities that are meant to crowd out the BFRB triggers and reinforcers over time. We will collaborate to create strategies for reducing the amount of time you spend picking or pulling. Other tools involve self-monitoring, education, and learning relaxation techniques to manage urges and stress.
Habit Reversal Training
HRT incorporates doing actions and movements that are physically incompatible with picking or pulling and directly competing with the BFRB.
Harm reduction
Counseling will highlight how your BFRB has taken a toll, whether this may be in scars, infections, perpetual shame, or other difficulties. Harm reduction prioritizes working on behaviors that cause the most impact and negative consequences for you.
ACT-Enhanced Behavior Therapy
In addition, ACT-enhanced Behavior Therapy can be a great complement for establishing new responses to your urges and for coping with the feelings associated with BFRBs. We will practice surfing the urges in order not to “scratch every itch.” Ultimately, we will aim to reduce the amount of time you spend on your BFRB, increase your quality of life, and revisit what else you would rather be doing. Lastly, cognitive and behavioral treatments dominate the field of BFRBs, although treatment approaches continue to evolve as more is understood about the complexities of BFRBs.
Receive BFRB Treatment at the Soultality Center for Psychotherapy in Boston, MA
BFRBs are a challenge that should not be taken on alone. The experienced clinicians at the Soultality Center for Psychotherapy in Boston, MA, are here to support you every step of the way, offering hope through our professional BFRB treatment process. Schedule an appointment today with Soultality’s BFRB Specialist, Cara Weber.