Issues
Therapy for Hair Pulling and Skin Picking in Laguna Beach
Therapy for Hair Pulling and Skin Picking at Third Street Counseling in Laguna Beach
Third Street Counseling works with body-focused repetitive behaviours including trichotillomania, hair pulling, and dermatillomania, skin picking, in Laguna Beach and by telehealth across California. Care is provided by David Lindquist, LMFT, using Habit Reversal Training and related behavioural approaches. Start with a free consult.
- Quick facts
- Who it is for
- Adults and teens with trichotillomania or dermatillomania
- Formats offered
- In person in Laguna Beach and telehealth across California
- Clinician
- David Lindquist, LMFT
- How to start
- Free consult to see whether this fits
What This Looks Like
What does therapy for hair pulling and skin picking look like at Third Street Counseling?
In Laguna Beach or by telehealth across California. You would see David Lindquist, LMFT.
Body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs), including trichotillomania (hair pulling) and dermatillomania (skin picking), are repetitive, often unconscious behaviours that people use to self-soothe or regulate. David Lindquist, LMFT, works with these behaviours using Habit Reversal Training and related behavioural approaches in our Laguna Beach office and by telehealth.
Habit Reversal Training has three core steps. First, you build awareness of the urge to pull or pick and the situations that trigger it. Second, you learn a competing response, a behaviour that uses your hands in a way that is physically incompatible with pulling or picking. Third, you identify and adjust the environmental and emotional triggers that drive the behaviour.
The work is collaborative and paced to you. There is no shame in the room. These behaviours are common, and they are treatable. You can learn more about what a first session involves on our first therapy session insights page.
Free, no obligation. No pressure, no sales pitch.
Is This You?
What brings people to therapy for hair pulling and skin picking
If any of this sounds familiar, a free consult is the place to start.
Pulling or picking feels automatic
You find yourself pulling hair or picking skin without realising it, and the behaviour is hard to stop on your own.
It is affecting your confidence
The behaviour is affecting your appearance, your self-esteem, or your daily life, and you are ready for a structured approach.
You have tried to stop
You have tried willpower alone and it has not worked. You want a therapy that understands the urge and gives you real tools.
Free, no obligation. No pressure, no sales pitch.
How to Start
How do I get started with therapy for hair pulling and skin picking?
You talk with a clinician, we learn what is going on, and we match you with the right therapist.
Every new client begins with a free consult. You reach out through our contact form or by phone, and we schedule a short call to understand what you are looking for and whether this approach fits. There is no paperwork to fill out before this call, and no commitment to continue.
If it is a fit, we schedule your first session at our Laguna Beach office or by telehealth. If it is not, we will help you find someone who is, here or elsewhere.
Common Questions
Common questions about therapy for hair pulling and skin picking
Three questions we are asked most, answered before you call.
Are hair pulling and skin picking the same condition?
No, but they are closely related. Both are body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs). Trichotillomania involves hair pulling and dermatillomania involves skin picking. Both respond to the same behavioural approach: Habit Reversal Training.
Is Habit Reversal Training the same as CBIT?
Habit Reversal Training is a core technique within CBIT. For BFRBs, David Lindquist, LMFT, uses Habit Reversal Training as the primary approach. CBIT is the broader package used specifically for tics and Tourette's.
Can this therapy be done by telehealth?
Yes. The awareness training and competing response practice work the same way on screen as in person. You will need a private space and a device with a camera.
Related
Related to therapy for hair pulling and skin picking (3)
Nearest to this one: CBIT for tics & Tourette's, OCD therapy, and somatic therapy.
Free, no obligation. No pressure, no sales pitch.