Habit Reversal Training (HRT) is a specific type of therapy for hair pulling (trichotillomania), skin picking (excoriation disorder), or other body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs). HRT involves awareness training followed by competing response training. A competing response is a new behavior that makes the target behavior more difficult or impossible to do while engaged in the new behavior. The approach also involves making changes to the environment and using social support to facilitate improvement. Finally, strategies from acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) can enhance habit reversal training. ACT strategies help youth to learn new ways of understanding urges, thoughts, and feelings that help them prioritize increasing quality of life and maintenance of improvement.

Habit Reversal Training (HRT) can also be applied to tics for youth who find tics bothersome and are interested in a behavioral approach that can support reduction in frequency and severity of tics. HRT is part of a more comprehensive approach called Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT).

 At Brave Minds Psychology Center, I offer HRT for children, teens, or young adults who might benefit from this structured and specialized approach.