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Why are skin picking and hair pulling so hard to stop? Join this discussion to explore how clinicians can better understand and treat body-focused repetitive behaviours in practice.
Presented by Dr Amy Talbot
The Talbot Centre
This event will feature a presentation in an informal setting with audience discussion.
Venue:
Forest Lodge Hotel
117 Arundel Street, Forest Lodge NSW 2037
Please note that this pub discussion begins at 7pm.
Why are skin picking and hair pulling so hard to stop? Join this discussion to explore how clinicians can better understand and treat body-focused repetitive behaviours in practice.
Body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs), including skin picking (excoriation disorder) and hair pulling (trichotillomania), are relatively common yet frequently under-recognised conditions encountered in clinical practice. These behaviours can lead to significant physical harm, distress, shame, and functional impairment, and clients often present after many years of unsuccessful attempts to stop. Despite this, many clinicians report limited training in the assessment and treatment of BFRBs, and the behaviours are often misidentified as habits, self-harm, or obsessive–compulsive disorder.
This presentation will provide an overview of the current scientific understanding of BFRBs. Empirically supported models of the development and maintenance of BFRBs will be reviewed, with particular attention to cognitive-behavioural mechanisms such as habit learning, affect regulation, sensory regulation, and environmental triggers. These models will be used to demonstrate how research findings can inform clinical assessment, functional analysis, case formulation, and treatment planning.
The session will focus on translating this evidence into practical strategies for clinicians working with CBT and related therapeutic approaches. Evidence-based assessment and formulation strategies will be discussed alongside key behavioural interventions, including habit reversal training, stimulus control, and approaches that support clients to meet underlying sensory and regulatory needs in safer and more adaptive ways. Clinical examples will illustrate how these interventions can be implemented in routine practice and adapted to common challenges such as shame, secrecy, and treatment engagement.
The presentation will also highlight cultural, contextual, and health equity considerations that may influence how BFRBs are experienced, understood, and disclosed in therapy. A human rights-informed perspective will be discussed, including barriers that diverse and marginalised groups may face in accessing recognition, assessment, and effective care. Particular attention will be given to neurodivergent populations, where BFRBs may occur in different sensory and regulatory contexts and where standard CBT approaches may require thoughtful adaptation to ensure interventions are collaborative, responsive, and neurodiversity-affirming.
This event is hosted by the NSW Branch of AACBT.
About this event:
The format will be a 60 minute, lecture-style presentation, in an informal setting, including an opportunity for open Q&A – bring your questions!
Key Learning Objectives
This session is suitable for all levels of clinician.
References - readings:
Dr Amy Talbot is a clinical psychologist and the founder, director, and senior clinician at The Talbot Centre, a centre of excellence in mental health care in Sydney’s Northwest. She has extensive clinical experience working with body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs), including skin picking and hair pulling, and has supported individuals across the lifespan who experience these often misunderstood and under-recognised conditions.
Dr Talbot provides clinical consultation, supervision, and professional training to psychologists and other mental health professionals across Australia, with a particular focus on evidence-based assessment and treatment of BFRBs. She is recognised for her expertise in translating scientific research into practical, formulation-driven approaches that clinicians can use in everyday practice, including approaches that incorporate sensory-informed and neurodiversity-affirming perspectives.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr Talbot contributes to the advancement of psychological practice through professional education, consultation, and training. Her contribution to the profession has been recognised with national awards, including Australian Psychologist of the Year (2018) and the Impact & Innovation Excellence Award (2024).
Are there any refunds?
Cancellations attract a 25% processing fee. Cancellations within one week of the event attract a 50% processing fee. Cancellations within 24 hours of the event will not be refunded under any circumstances. If you wish to transfer the name of your registration to someone else there is no charge.
