Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors Therapists in Winnipeg, Manitoba, 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.

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.

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.

Winnipeg's long, harsh winters and geographic isolation contribute to elevated rates of seasonal depression and mood challenges, and therapists with expertise in SAD and long-term mood management serve a genuine clinical need. The city has the highest proportion of Indigenous residents of any major Canadian city, and therapists offering trauma-informed, culturally grounded care for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit clients — including work on intergenerational trauma from residential schools — are a critically important part of the local mental health landscape. Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg provides major institutional mental health resources, with a private practice community serving River Heights, St. Vital, and St. Boniface. Winnipeg's working-class and multicultural character shapes a therapy culture that values pragmatism, community belonging, and directness.

Gender ID

	75%	Female
	25%	Male

Session Type

	67%	Online Only
	33%	In Person and Online

Top Treatment Approaches

100%	Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
67%	Behavioral Therapy
67%	Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
67%	Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
67%	Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
67%	Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
67%	Family Systems Therapy

Ages Served

100%	Adult
67%	Senior
67%	Teen
67%	Young Adult
33%	Children

Client Focus

33%	Men
33%	Women

Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors therapists in Winnipeg, Manitoba MB, Canada CA

Shelley Murphy, Food & Body Image Hypnotherapist

Marjan Emami

Selah Counselling, Mediation, and Training Center