Submitted by Chaille DeFaria, PCC, Rumbling with Imperfection
Coaching provided for constituents of TLC Foundation for BFRB’s (Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors)

As a sufferer of trichotillomania and a behavioral coach who works with body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRB) clients, I was able to use my coaching skills to provide a course called Rumbling with Imperfection. I taught the course with a group of 30 people, exploring how shame and perfectionism operate in our lives.

This disorder keeps so many sufferers in secrecy, silence and judgement. They were able to see that they are not alone, that shame can’t survive when we talk about it. We are not defined by our hair or our skin. Perfectionism is driven by what people think. They were able to understand that, when we act from internal motivation, we no longer keep failing; we become empowered by our truth, our knowing self. My intention is to shine a light on the value of emotional recovery, because behavioral recovery is only possible when you are not in shame.