Online Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors Therapists in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada

Unwanted body focused repetitive behaviours often originate in the subconscious mind as coping mechanisms for stress, boredom, or emotional discomfort. Hypnosis works by accessing that subconscious space and helping to reframe the mind’s association with the habit, release the need for it, and create new mental pathways that support calm, awareness, and control.

My counselling style is influenced by trauma-informed therapy, strength-based therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), AEDP, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Bowen Family Systems, Narrative Therapy, and EMDR, Hakomi therapy, IFS therapy.

Body-focused repetitive behaviours can include hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting, or other repetitive actions that can feel difficult to control or stop. These behaviours are often coping strategies that develop in response to anxiety, stress, overwhelm, emotional distress, or nervous system dysregulation. While they may offer short-term relief, they can also lead to feelings of shame or frustration over time. In our work together, we’ll gently explore the patterns and triggers that contribute to these behaviours, building greater awareness and understanding without judgment. This insight helps create space for change, while also supporting self-compassion and reducing the cycle of shame that often maintains the behaviour. We’ll work on developing practical and sustainable strategies for anxiety management, emotional regulation, and nervous system support. I draw from somatic therapy approaches, IFS, ACT, Mindfulness-Based CBT, DBT, and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), tailoring our work to your needs and readiness. I offer both in-person and virtual counselling sessions. You’re welcome to reach out or visit my website to book a free 20-minute phone consultation to learn more about my approach.

If you find yourself pulling your hair, picking at your skin, biting your nails, or engaging in other repetitive behaviours that feel hard to stop, you are not alone. Body-focused repetitive behaviours often develop as a way to manage stress, anxiety, boredom, or nervous system overwhelm. They can provide temporary relief but leave you feeling frustrated, ashamed, or out of control afterward. At Selah Counselling, we approach these behaviours with compassion and curiosity, not judgment. Together, we explore what is driving the behaviour beneath the surface. We examine triggers, emotional patterns, and nervous system regulation while developing practical tools to interrupt the cycle. Our work focuses on increasing awareness, strengthening coping skills, and helping your body feel safer without relying on habits that cause distress. The goal is not simply to stop the behaviour, but to understand it and support lasting change from the inside out.

I approach body-focused repetitive behaviors—such as skin picking, hair pulling, or nail biting—as meaningful responses, often serving as ways the body regulates tension or unmet emotional needs. Together, we explore what these behaviors are expressing and the patterns behind them. Through increased awareness and a more compassionate relationship with oneself, change can emerge in a way that is both sustainable and respectful.

Richmond, British Columbia is one of the most ethnically Chinese cities outside of Asia — with Chinese Canadians comprising a significant majority of the population and Mandarin and Cantonese widely spoken — creating a therapy community where demand for Chinese-language and culturally competent therapists far exceeds available supply. The city's proximity to Vancouver International Airport and its role as a gateway community for recent immigrants from Hong Kong, mainland China, and Taiwan shapes a therapy landscape particularly attuned to immigration stress, cross-cultural family dynamics, and the identity challenges of first-generation residents. Richmond Hospital provides institutional mental health resources alongside a private therapy community that is increasingly building capacity in Chinese-language care. Help-seeking stigma in some East Asian communities remains a significant barrier, and many therapists in Richmond invest considerable clinical energy in normalizing therapy as part of their work.

Gender ID

	83%	Female
	17%	Male

Session Type

	60%	In Person and Online
	40%	Online Only

Top Specialties

100%	Anxiety or Fears
100%	Self Esteem
100%	Body Image
100%	Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors
80%	Stress
80%	Highly Sensitive Person
80%	Loss or Grief

Online Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors therapists in Richmond, British Columbia BC, Canada CA

Shelley Murphy, Food & Body Image Hypnotherapist

Pegah Behbehani

Spencer Copland

Selah Counselling, Mediation, and Training Center

Marjan Emami

Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors therapists in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada Statistics

Average years in practice

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Gender ID

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Top Specialties

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