Trich Talks!

Jessie Hannah (@barebecoming) has lived with a body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB) for over 25 years, beginning at age seven. For much of her life, she believed it was something she should be able to control through willpower alone, a belief that kept her stuck in silence and shame.

Everything shifted when she participated in group CBT for BFRBs and experienced, for the first time, what it felt like to speak openly among people who truly understood. That sense of compassion and community helped loosen the shame that had carried the most weight.

Not long after, Jessie shaved her head and began sharing her journey publicly, connecting with others navigating similar experiences. Her goal is to give back to the community that helped her heal and to create space for honesty, understanding, and self-acceptance.

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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.

Steven Goddard (@bearsy84) is a London-based man in his 40s who has been living with trichotillomania for over 25 years. Through his experience, Steven has come to recognize how deeply trich impacts men, despite being far less openly discussed than it is among women. He speaks candidly about the stigma, isolation, and pressure many men feel to keep their struggles private, and the toll that silence can take over time. By sharing his story on Trich Talks, Steven hopes to help break down barriers, encourage more open conversations among men, and remind others living with trich that they are not alone.

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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.

On today’s episode of Trich Talks, Barbara reads from her book The Trichster Diaries and revisits the tips and tricks she once relied on to manage trichotillomania. More than six years later, she reflects on which strategies still hold up, which ones she’s outgrown, and how her understanding of recovery has evolved. The episode is filled with honesty, humor, and perspective, inviting listeners to share in both the laughs and the growth.

Purchase a signed copy of The Trichster Diaries on barbaralally.com or unsigned from Amazon

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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.

On today’s episode of Trich Talks, Barbara reads an excerpt from The Trichster Diaries and reflects on why the concept of being “pull-free” doesn’t fully make sense for her. She explores how recovery is often framed in all-or-nothing terms, why that narrative can feel limiting or even harmful, and what redefining healing has looked like over time. The episode invites listeners to consider their own definitions of recovery and to share what healing looks like for them.

Purchase a signed copy of The Trichster Diaries on barbaralally.com or unsigned from Amazon

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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.

Amaya (@lemuriidae) has had BFRBs since early childhood, and embraces the bald life. They are pursuing a degree in research psychology, and would like to study BFRBs in the future to improve our understanding of these often overlooked conditions. In their (somewhat limited) spare time they love to cook, make art, dance, and hang out with their pet snake named Dirt.

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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.

Based in Northern California, Isa (@isabellahhh.__b) is a student studying digital marketing and psychology, two of her favorite passions. She started her account to raise awareness and show transparency for mental health, joy in everyday life, and her faith is super important to her. Opportunities like Trich Talks is something Isa has always wanted to be a part of, so this is such a blessing!

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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.

In this first episode of Season 6, Barbara shares the story of how Trich Talks began: a podcast born from the need to hear real stories, honest conversations, and the voices of people living with trichotillomania and other body-focused repetitive behaviors. She talks about why storytelling has always been so important to her, and how it helped her feel seen, understood, and less alone.

This season, Barbara will continue those conversations with curiosity, openness, and a lot of love. You can expect new interviews, personal stories, and readings from The Trichster Diaries, all designed to remind you that you’re not defined by your BFRB and that small moments of awareness and self-compassion matter.

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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.

In today’s episode of Trich Talks, Barbara answers listener questions on a range of topics — including how the Keen2 works, whether she has experienced changes in hair regrowth after long-term pulling, and her New Year’s resolution. Ring in the new year with a conversation led by someone who truly understands the trichotillomania experience.

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This episode is brought to you by HabitAware. My Keen2 brings awareness to my trichotillomania by giving my wrist a gentle hug or vibration when I’m doing the scanning behavior. Bring awareness into your life by visiting barbaralally.com/habitaware and use code LALLYLOVE for 10% off sitewide!

Did you know HabitAware also offers virtual peer coaching? This one-to-one peer-based program will coach you through shifting mindset, practicing healthy strategies and creating your personal roadmap to recovery. To work with me, Ellen or Aneela, head over to habitaware.com/coaching today.

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Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Trich Talks.

Begin your journey to self-acceptance with trichotillomania by enrolling in my course, Sharing Our Stories. Sharing Our Stories does a deep dive into your relationship with trichotillomania by using my guided journal, My Trichster Diaries, as our workbook. You can learn more at barbaralally.com

In today’s episode, Barbara reads from her book, The Trichster Diaries. She shares deeper, more personal reflections on living with trichotillomania, speaking openly about self-acceptance, the importance of honesty, and the complexity of acknowledging feelings that don’t fit neatly into recovery narratives. Rather than framing this awareness as something to hide or fix, the conversation centers on compassion, truth-telling, and what it means to be actively managing trichotillomania while still engaging in the behavior.

Purchase a signed copy of The Trichster Diaries on barbaralally.com or unsigned from Amazon

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This episode is brought to you by HabitAware. My Keen2 brings awareness to my trichotillomania by giving my wrist a gentle hug or vibration when I’m doing the scanning behavior. Bring awareness into your life by visiting barbaralally.com/habitaware and use code LALLYLOVE for 10% off sitewide!

Did you know HabitAware also offers virtual peer coaching? This one-to-one peer-based program will coach you through shifting mindset, practicing healthy strategies and creating your personal roadmap to recovery. To work with me, Ellen or Aneela, head over to habitaware.com/coaching today.

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Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Trich Talks.

Begin your journey to self-acceptance with trichotillomania by enrolling in my course, Sharing Our Stories. Sharing Our Stories does a deep dive into your relationship with trichotillomania by using my guided journal, My Trichster Diaries, as our workbook. You can learn more at barbaralally.com

Angela Hartlin @angelahartlin is a mental health advocate from Nova Scotia, Canada, and author of FOREVER MARKED: A Dermatillomania Diary. She stars in the only documentary about compulsive skin picking, Scars of Shame, and received treatment for the condition after appearing on the CBS daytime talk show, The Doctors.

Angela was published in Mabuse-Verlag’s 2022 German compilation of recovery stories, Frieden mit meiner Haut, and has just released a recovery guide, co-written with Karen Pickett, LMFT, EMBRACING DERMATILLOMANIA: Through Pain & Recovery.

Angela runs Skin Picking Support on Facebook, providing online support for those with excoriation disorder and other BFRBs. She can be reached at [email protected] and found on Instagram, TikTok, and X at @angelahartlin

Karen Pickett is a licensed psychotherapist in California and Ohio and the co-founder of The BFPA Resource Center. She is an expert in the treatment of anxiety disorders and body-focused process addictions (BFPAs), including Panic Disorder, Health Anxiety, Social Anxiety, Agoraphobia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Skin Picking Disorder and Trichotillomania.

Previously, Karen was the Clinical Director of the OCD Center of Los Angeles and Faculty in Counseling Psychology at the University of Santa Monica. To learn more or work with Karen please visit her website https://karenpickett.com/ or bodyfocusedprocessaddictions.com

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This episode is brought to you by HabitAware. My Keen2 brings awareness to my trichotillomania by giving my wrist a gentle hug or vibration when I’m doing the scanning behavior. Bring awareness into your life by visiting barbaralally.com/habitaware and use code LALLYLOVE for 10% off sitewide!

Did you know HabitAware also offers virtual peer coaching? This one-to-one peer-based program will coach you through shifting mindset, practicing healthy strategies and creating your personal roadmap to recovery. To work with me, Ellen or Aneela, head over to habitaware.com/coaching today.

—

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Trich Talks.

Begin your journey to self-acceptance with trichotillomania by enrolling in my course, Sharing Our Stories. Sharing Our Stories does a deep dive into your relationship with trichotillomania by using my guided journal, My Trichster Diaries, as our workbook. You can learn more at barbaralally.com