Trich Talks!

Have you ever noticed that your pulling or picking completely vanishes while you're away, only to hit like a tidal wave the second you walk through your front door?

In this episode of Trich Talks, host Barbara reflects on her recent trip to the Annual IOCDF Conference in Seattle. She shares her favorite highlights from the weekend—including the pure joy of meeting long-time online community friends in real life.

But Barbara doesn't just stop at the high of the conference. She gets raw and honest about the "post-conference crash." Barbara decodes the highly predictable pattern of why we experience a surge of pulling urges the moment we return to our familiar environments. More importantly, she shares her actionable "Post-Event Transition Plan" to help you the next time you return home.

Whether you are transitioning back from a vacation, a work trip, or just a busy weekend, this episode is a gentle reminder that a relapse isn't a failure—it's just data.

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Living with a BFRB isn’t about willpower, it’s about awareness.The Keen2 by HabitAware gently vibrates to help you notice pulling or picking in the moment, so you can pause and choose what comes next. It’s not about stopping perfectly — it’s about building awareness with compassion.

If you’ve been looking for a tool that supports you without shame, the Keen2 can be a powerful place to start. Use code LallyLove at checkout to save 10% on your Keen2 when you visit barbaralally.com/habitaware today.

You don’t have to navigate BFRBs alone. HabitAware’s peer coaching connects you with someone who truly understands what it’s like to live with a BFRB because they’ve been there too.

Peer coaches offer guidance, encouragement, and real-life strategies rooted in lived experience, not judgment. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for extra support, peer coaching can help you feel seen, understood, and supported on your journey. Visit habitaware.com/coaching today.

For years, Thea Bryan (@jazzwinebook) kept her hair pulling a secret—even from her best friend of over 40 years. As a mental health professional working in recovery, she understands the power of compassion, healing, and breaking the stigma surrounding mental health. After trying countless approaches and continuing to explore new options, including minoxidil and TMS therapy, Thea is now sharing her journey in hopes of helping others feel less alone and encouraging more informed, compassionate support.

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Living with a BFRB isn’t about willpower, it’s about awareness.The Keen2 by HabitAware gently vibrates to help you notice pulling or picking in the moment, so you can pause and choose what comes next. It’s not about stopping perfectly — it’s about building awareness with compassion.

If you’ve been looking for a tool that supports you without shame, the Keen2 can be a powerful place to start. Use code LallyLove at checkout to save 10% on your Keen2 when you visit barbaralally.com/habitaware today.

You don’t have to navigate BFRBs alone. HabitAware’s peer coaching connects you with someone who truly understands what it’s like to live with a BFRB because they’ve been there too.

Peer coaches offer guidance, encouragement, and real-life strategies rooted in lived experience, not judgment. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for extra support, peer coaching can help you feel seen, understood, and supported on your journey. Visit habitaware.com/coaching today.

Today's episode of Trich Talks is dedicated to parents. After receiving hundreds of comments and messages from parents seeking guidance on how to support their children with trichotillomania and other body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), Barbara shares a special PSA created just for them.

In this episode, she covers: • What trichotillomania really is—and why parents aren’t the cause • How to approach a child about their hair pulling or other BFRBs • Actionable steps parents can take starting today

This is just the beginning of the conversation. Barbara plans to create more parent-focused episodes in the future, addressing the questions and concerns that come directly from families navigating BFRBs. If you're a parent and have a question you'd like covered on a future episode, send Barbara a message—your question may help countless other parents looking for support and understanding.

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Living with a BFRB isn’t about willpower, it’s about awareness.The Keen2 by HabitAware gently vibrates to help you notice pulling or picking in the moment, so you can pause and choose what comes next. It’s not about stopping perfectly — it’s about building awareness with compassion.

If you’ve been looking for a tool that supports you without shame, the Keen2 can be a powerful place to start. Use code LallyLove at checkout to save 10% on your Keen2 when you visit barbaralally.com/habitaware today.

You don’t have to navigate BFRBs alone. HabitAware’s peer coaching connects you with someone who truly understands what it’s like to live with a BFRB because they’ve been there too.

Peer coaches offer guidance, encouragement, and real-life strategies rooted in lived experience, not judgment. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for extra support, peer coaching can help you feel seen, understood, and supported on your journey. Visit habitaware.com/coaching today.

Barbara is back with another Your Questions, My Answers episode of Trich Talks!

In this episode, she tackles questions from the trichotillomania community, including:

• Does trichotillomania cause gray hair to appear sooner?
• What is the best way to grow hair back faster?
• How do hair-pulling episodes start for you? Are they caused by stress or something else?
• Will my eyelashes ever grow back?
• How do I stop trichotillomania?

Drawing from both her lived experience and the research she explored behind the scenes, Barbara shares her honest thoughts and insights on each question. Whether you submitted a question or not, chances are you'll find something in this episode that resonates with your own journey.

Tune in for an open, informative, and relatable conversation about life with trichotillomania.

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Living with a BFRB isn’t about willpower, it’s about awareness.The Keen2 by HabitAware gently vibrates to help you notice pulling or picking in the moment, so you can pause and choose what comes next. It’s not about stopping perfectly — it’s about building awareness with compassion.

If you’ve been looking for a tool that supports you without shame, the Keen2 can be a powerful place to start. Use code LallyLove at checkout to save 10% on your Keen2 when you visit barbaralally.com/habitaware today.

You don’t have to navigate BFRBs alone. HabitAware’s peer coaching connects you with someone who truly understands what it’s like to live with a BFRB because they’ve been there too.

Peer coaches offer guidance, encouragement, and real-life strategies rooted in lived experience, not judgment. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for extra support, peer coaching can help you feel seen, understood, and supported on your journey. Visit habitaware.com/coaching today.

Kailey (@embracingmysuperpower) returns to Trich Talks with an exciting milestone to celebrate—8 weeks pull-free! Having shared her journey on the podcast before, she's back to reflect on the progress she's made, the challenges she's overcome, and the confidence she's rebuilding along the way.

With the unwavering support of her family, friends, and coworkers, Kailey has reached meaningful milestones, including wearing her hair uncovered at work for the first time in three years. In this inspiring conversation, she shares what has helped her stay on track, the impact of community and support, and what life looks like as she continues her recovery journey.

Listen to Kailey’s first appearance: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5fPa5QHOy6BpZbXBITqLt7?si=b_5kfjCUTTCVpQGJQ7o9QQ

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Living with a BFRB isn’t about willpower, it’s about awareness.The Keen2 by HabitAware gently vibrates to help you notice pulling or picking in the moment, so you can pause and choose what comes next. It’s not about stopping perfectly — it’s about building awareness with compassion.

If you’ve been looking for a tool that supports you without shame, the Keen2 can be a powerful place to start. Use code LallyLove at checkout to save 10% on your Keen2 when you visit barbaralally.com/habitaware today.

You don’t have to navigate BFRBs alone. HabitAware’s peer coaching connects you with someone who truly understands what it’s like to live with a BFRB because they’ve been there too.

Peer coaches offer guidance, encouragement, and real-life strategies rooted in lived experience, not judgment. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for extra support, peer coaching can help you feel seen, understood, and supported on your journey. Visit habitaware.com/coaching today.

Shiffy Andelman (@shifkay) shares her experience living with trichotillomania and hopes to bring more awareness and understanding to hair-pulling and related behaviors.

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Living with a BFRB isn’t about willpower, it’s about awareness.The Keen2 by HabitAware gently vibrates to help you notice pulling or picking in the moment, so you can pause and choose what comes next. It’s not about stopping perfectly — it’s about building awareness with compassion.

If you’ve been looking for a tool that supports you without shame, the Keen2 can be a powerful place to start. Use code LallyLove at checkout to save 10% on your Keen2 when you visit barbaralally.com/habitaware today.

You don’t have to navigate BFRBs alone. HabitAware’s peer coaching connects you with someone who truly understands what it’s like to live with a BFRB because they’ve been there too.

Peer coaches offer guidance, encouragement, and real-life strategies rooted in lived experience, not judgment. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for extra support, peer coaching can help you feel seen, understood, and supported on your journey. Visit habitaware.com/coaching today.

Ava has experienced trichotillomania, including pulling her hair, eyelashes, and eyebrows, since she was 8 years old. Only recently, after discovering the HabitAware Collective community, has she truly begun to manage, accept, and confront her BFRB. Outside of her BFRB journey, Ava is a college student who also works part-time at her local zoo.

^We did not pay her to say this!

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Living with a BFRB isn’t about willpower, it’s about awareness.The Keen2 by HabitAware gently vibrates to help you notice pulling or picking in the moment, so you can pause and choose what comes next. It’s not about stopping perfectly — it’s about building awareness with compassion.

If you’ve been looking for a tool that supports you without shame, the Keen2 can be a powerful place to start. Use code LallyLove at checkout to save 10% on your Keen2 when you visit barbaralally.com/habitaware today.

You don’t have to navigate BFRBs alone. HabitAware’s peer coaching connects you with someone who truly understands what it’s like to live with a BFRB because they’ve been there too.

Peer coaches offer guidance, encouragement, and real-life strategies rooted in lived experience, not judgment. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for extra support, peer coaching can help you feel seen, understood, and supported on your journey. Visit habitaware.com/coaching today.

Amber (@amberinthedriversseat) is a stay-at-home mom of four who has lived with hair pulling since a young age. After only recently discovering the official name of the disorder just two months ago, she has turned her experience into advocacy, using social media to raise awareness, share her journey, and help others feel less alone. In this episode, Amber opens up about living with trichotillomania, overcoming shame, and finding empowerment through vulnerability and community.

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Living with a BFRB isn’t about willpower, it’s about awareness.The Keen2 by HabitAware gently vibrates to help you notice pulling or picking in the moment, so you can pause and choose what comes next. It’s not about stopping perfectly — it’s about building awareness with compassion.

If you’ve been looking for a tool that supports you without shame, the Keen2 can be a powerful place to start. Use code LallyLove at checkout to save 10% on your Keen2 when you visit barbaralally.com/habitaware today.

You don’t have to navigate BFRBs alone. HabitAware’s peer coaching connects you with someone who truly understands what it’s like to live with a BFRB because they’ve been there too.

Peer coaches offer guidance, encouragement, and real-life strategies rooted in lived experience, not judgment. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for extra support, peer coaching can help you feel seen, understood, and supported on your journey. Visit habitaware.com/coaching today.

Lauren D. Fulter (@laurendfulter_author) published her first book at age sixteen, but she's been writing her fictional friends ever since she could hold a crayon. As a neurodivergent creative with trichotillomania, she’s passionate about helping people feel seen in the media they consume. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCWBI) and is a marketing assistant for Whimsical Publishing. She is attending university in the sunny state of California for a BA in Humanities with an emphasis in Creative Writing.

Learn more by visiting: https://www.laurendfulter.com/

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Living with a BFRB isn’t about willpower, it’s about awareness.The Keen2 by HabitAware gently vibrates to help you notice pulling or picking in the moment, so you can pause and choose what comes next. It’s not about stopping perfectly — it’s about building awareness with compassion.

If you’ve been looking for a tool that supports you without shame, the Keen2 can be a powerful place to start. Use code LallyLove at checkout to save 10% on your Keen2 when you visit barbaralally.com/habitaware today.

You don’t have to navigate BFRBs alone. HabitAware’s peer coaching connects you with someone who truly understands what it’s like to live with a BFRB because they’ve been there too.

Peer coaches offer guidance, encouragement, and real-life strategies rooted in lived experience, not judgment. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for extra support, peer coaching can help you feel seen, understood, and supported on your journey. Visit habitaware.com/coaching today.

Jennifer Mbanu (@jenmbanuwellness) is a passionate patient advocate and wellness entrepreneur dedicated to raising awareness around body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), including Trichotillomania, which she has personally navigated for the past 33 years. After opening her wellness business this past October, Jennifer continues to create spaces for education, healing, and community support. She will also be presenting in the HabitAware Collective on May 14th. Jennifer currently lives in Indianapolis with her husband, two teenagers, and their Doberman, Charlie.

Listen to Jennifer’s previous appearances on Trich Talks!

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0wreuyQf2rnV4J8e9MCZiT?si=HSDXQYRmQOmKr2V4ZDI8Ag

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Jc9KZVSDN1YNqj7lvnfg6?si=cxNI4aqISvWlL7-q5d1HeA

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Living with a BFRB isn’t about willpower, it’s about awareness.The Keen2 by HabitAware gently vibrates to help you notice pulling or picking in the moment, so you can pause and choose what comes next. It’s not about stopping perfectly — it’s about building awareness with compassion.

If you’ve been looking for a tool that supports you without shame, the Keen2 can be a powerful place to start. Use code LallyLove at checkout to save 10% on your Keen2 when you visit barbaralally.com/habitaware today.

You don’t have to navigate BFRBs alone. HabitAware’s peer coaching connects you with someone who truly understands what it’s like to live with a BFRB because they’ve been there too.

Peer coaches offer guidance, encouragement, and real-life strategies rooted in lived experience, not judgment. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for extra support, peer coaching can help you feel seen, understood, and supported on your journey. Visit habitaware.com/coaching today.