Free to Be Me with a Bfrb - by Gola & Deibler & Reinardy (Paperback)

About the Book

Filled with interactive activities and stories about dealing with Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs), this workbook for kids aged 7-12 provides tools for understanding and managing skin picking, nail biting or hair pulling so you can finally say goodbye to your BFRB beast.

Book Synopsis

Having a BFRB doesn't mean you can't have fun, enjoy life, or be yourself. You are so much more than your BFRB!

Dealing with BFRBs or Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors like skin picking, nail biting or hair pulling can feel really hard. But don't worry, you're not alone.

In this workbook you'll learn lots of amazing things about yourself and your BFRB. You'll read 'Just Like Me' stories to meet other people who've had similar experiences. You will even learn a bunch of tools and skills to help you feel in control of your behaviors, so you can spend more time doing the things that really matter to you.

Full of interactive and creative activities, this book gives kids aged 7-12 expert advice presented in a fun way, which can be done on their own or with a grown up. Using proven methods like DBT, ACT and CBT, it will help kids to say "I'm free to be me with a BFRB!".

Review Quotes

This book helps kids feel okay about having BFRBs. I think it helps kids like me understand more and learn that BFRBs are okay, so not every kid feels embarrassed about it. This book helps kids learn that this is a safe space and it's completely okay to have BFRBs. This helps kids understand why BFRBs happen to you and that it's not just going to go away when someone says, "Hey stop pulling." You can work through it and talk to an adult about it. Adults count as a safe space. Having a BFRB is kind of like a feeling or emotion so always tell somebody when the urge hits. This book made me feel less shame and more comfortable talking about it, even if I'm not fully comfortable. It helped me understand that BFRBs are a normal thing and with help, you can get through it.--Ford S., Age 10

This workbook is a great resource. When you don't have a BFRB, it's often difficult to understand why a child is pulling or picking or biting. Sitting down and doing guided activities together helps both parents and children identify triggers and begin to establish ways of beating the urge. It fosters meaningful dialogue and becomes a bonding experience as a parent develops a deeper understanding of their child's BFRB.--Stacey G., mother of a child with a BFRB

Written by expert psychologists in treating BFRBs, this fantastic workbook is written in a kind, caring, reassuring and child-friendly tone. Packed with strategies and messages of hope and optimism, I highly recommend this must-have workbook.--Tamar D. Black, PhD, Educational and Developmental Psychologist and author, ACT for Treating Children and The ACT Workbook for Kids.

Perfectly pitched and shame-free, Free to Be Me goes beyond educating children about their Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior, simultaneously motivating and empowering them to work toward change.--Dawn Huebner, PhD Author of Outsmarting Worry and Dr. Dawn's Mini Books About Mighty Fears

An excellent, easy-to-read book, that's both educational and empowering. It's choc-a-block full of practical tips and simple but impactful strategies for taking the power out of BFRBs. Highly recommended not just for kids, but also their parents, and for therapists who work with these issues--Dr Russ Harris, author of The Happiness Trap and ACT Made Simple

This creative, hopeful, and empowering book helps kids manage their BFRBs with real tools, relatable stories, and a sense of community. It's exactly the kind of resource that makes healing feel possible and even fun!--Laura Chackes, Psy.D., Licensed Psychologist and Owner of The Center for Mindfulness & CBT, author of The BFRB Workbook for Teens & Young Adults

About the Author

Dr Jennifer Gola is a Clinical Psychologist and serves as a Staff Psychologist and Supervising Psychologist at The Center for Emotional Health. Dr. Gola provides psychological treatment of children, adolescents, and adults and specializes in treating OCD, anxiety disorders and BFRBs. She has been certified by the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors in the treatment of trichotillomania and other BFRBs. She is based in Pennsylvania.

Dr Marla W. Deibler is a Clinical Psychologist, Board-Certified in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology, and is Founder and CEO of The Center for Emotional Health. She serves as Faculty of the International OCD Foundation Behavior Therapy Training Institute and in various professional capacities with OCDNJ, NJCTS, ADAA, ACBS, and ABCT. She has served as a member of the Executive and Scientific Advisory Boards of The TLC Foundation for BFRBs, Dr. Deibler has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and on The Dr. Oz Show and Today with Megyn Kelly. She writes for Psychology Today - 'From Surviving to Thriving'. Dr. Deibler is an author of The BFRB Recovery Workbook, and she is based in New Jersey.

Dr. Renae M. Reinardy is a Clinical Psychologist, Director of The Lakeside Center for Behavioral Change, and Developer of CourageCritters.com. Dr. Reinardy serves as Faculty of the International OCD Foundation Behavior Therapy Training Institute and delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. She has served on the Executive Board of The TLC Foundation for BFRBs, Dr. Reinardy has appeared on Good Morning America, A&E's Hoarders and in the Los Angeles Times, Wired Magazine, and Oprah Magazine. She is an author of The BFRB Recovery Workbook and she is based in North Dakota.