Save Your Hair Free Your Spirit

What if the background anxiety that drives you to pull your hair out is caused by a big issue in your life that you've been avoiding? Something so big, so time consuming, so overwhelming, that it's been easier to just ignore it by pulling at your hair? In this episode, we explore how unaddressed life stressors can quietly fuel trichotillomania and emotional overwhelm. Inspired by a powerful excerpt from The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and a story of a man who avoided fixing a window frame for five years, we talk about the cost of avoidance, and the surprising freedom that comes from finally solving the thing that’s been weighing you down. Whether you’re ignoring a legal mess, dreading a financial chore, or overwhelmed by digital life admin, this episode will help you break the cycle of avoidance, stress, and pulling so you can start reclaiming your mental space. In this episode, I share: -Two powerful metaphors: the broken window and the “treat the disease, not the symptom” approach -My personal story of finally fixing a long-overdue 401K rollover and medical login issue -How to take the first tiny step toward solving the thing you’ve been avoiding -A challenge to face your own “elephant” this week — and the emotional payoff that follows If your brain is tired from keeping track of what you’re not doing, this episode is your sign to finally do the thing. Links & Resources Mentioned: -The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-last-lecture-randy-pausch/111918 -The Broken Window: https://imgur.com/gallery/broken-windows-this-is-so-true-its-hard-F1cunNL

What if stopping a hair-pulling episode was as simple as splashing your face with cold water? In this episode, I dive into the dive reflex: a powerful, biology backed technique that stimulates your vagus nerve to help reduce anxiety, regulate your nervous system, and calm the intense urge to pull. Whether you're deep in a pulling spiral or feeling the early signs of anxiety take hold, this episode offers a simple, immediate, and free tool to add to your coping toolbox. Here is the article that inspired the episode: https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/dive-reflex-cold-water-for-anxiety-37249707

In this episode, we're talking 'productivity archetypes' courtesy of Sophie Cliff's book "The Hustle Cure". Cliff's amazing book on how to free ourselves from the unrealistic joy killing standards and expectations set on us to create joyful lives that satisfy our own unique needs and values. She uses 'productivity archetypes' as a loose characterization on how we strive for achievement (or not!), how we get and stay motivated, and the pros and cons of each archetype. Knowing your archetype, or the traits of the archetypes you identify with, can help you understand how your season of life (high stress career or academic pursuits, caregiving duties), your industry standards, or your ambitions may be clashing with your energy cycle or your archetype, and you may take out that stress on your hair. You can read more about these in Cliff's book, or take the quiz yourself for free at: https://sophiecliff.com/the-hustle-cure-quiz I hope you gain insight into your personal structures and how that can drive you to pull!

In this episode, I'm talking about one of my favorite things: decluttering! While most decluttering is centered on physical items, especially ones that you've accumulated through haphazard or mindless means, the act of decluttering, even a little bit, can help you push through procrastination by highlighting tasks you've been avoiding, clear your head to help you focus at work or at school, and can help you prioritize the tasks that make your life better. I go through an article I read by Rose Morrison (https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/5-4-3-2-1-method-anxiety-and-organizing-37484605) that talks about how using the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method (where you identify and speak out load 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste) to clean and declutter her desk at work, which relieved her work related stress that afternoon and has become a regular grounding and clearing ritual. I love a good clearing ritual, since it provides me with some runway to dial down my anxiety, and makes more short term strategies to love and grow my hair much easier to implement. I will be trying this technique at work!

Going to the salon after a bout of hair pulling can feel terrifying. The fear, shame, and anxiety about showing your scalp to someone can be overwhelming and scary when you are feeling embarrassed or vulnerable. In this episode, I’m sharing the five things that helped me move past that fear and finally sit in the stylist’s chair with confidence (or at least less dread). From booking with a new to me stylist, to navigating the appointment without disclosing my hair pulling, to shifting my expectations around what my hair can look like after an appointment, this episode has practical strategies for getting the support you need. In this episode, you’ll learn: -At what point to book a stylist despite your fear -How to communicate your needs and work out a styling plan, without disclosing your hair pulling if you don't feel like it. -Tips for choosing styles that work for your current hair situation -What to ask for (and avoid!) during your appointment (spoiler alert! don't ask for bangs :) -Why stylists are some of the most compassionate professionals out there Let’s talk about reclaiming your salon experience with less shame, more self-compassion, and a style that works for you.

In this episode, I share a transformative moment from a hypnosis session where my trichotillomania urge appeared as a gentle cat kneading at my scalp, not to harm me, but to offer comfort and ask for connection. This visualization shifted my experience from shame to care, helping me meet my urges not with control, but with compassion. Whether it’s a needy cat, a hyper dog, or a child craving love. this reframing of your hair pulling urges as an outside entity that needs your attention and care can unlock a more sustainable, nurturing approach to your own self care that reduces the urge to pull. f you’ve ever felt at war with your body and your hair pulling cravings, this reframe might offer you a new path.

In this episode, we’re talking about how to prepare before you’re triggered so you can stay pull free. From planning ahead to managing unstructured time, I’m sharing what works for me and what might work for you too. You’ll learn about: How to identify places and times you’re most likely to pull, Simple plans and setups for daily triggers like driving or desk work, The “unstructured time loop of doom” and how to break it, Creating short, repeatable protocols to stay grounded, and Why small shifts in your day can lead to big changes over time

Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and on the verge of a hair-pulling session? You’re not alone. In this episode, I walk you through a real-life Monday moment when my brain was buzzing, my to-do list felt impossible, and the urge to pull was *intense*. Instead of spiraling, I pivoted to reset mode. You’ll hear how I: • Tuned into my menstrual cycle to understand my emotional state • Used a 20-minute journaling session to clear mental clutter • Got focused on what I needed to do that day • Moved my body instead of pulling my hair If you struggle with trichotillomania or any body-focused repetitive behavior (BFRB), this episode is your invitation to pause, regroup, and gift yourself a reset.

In this episode, I dive into Mel Robbins’ life-changing "5 Second Rule" and how I’ve used it to stop pulling out my hair. You’ll hear the backstory of how Mel discovered this tool during one of the most challenging periods of her life, and why it works as a powerful pattern interrupter — not just for BFRBs like hair pulling, but for everyday decisions that require courage. This rule helped me disrupt the urge to pull, but also helped me take action toward a life where I don’t need to pull to cope. Whether you're dealing with a body-focused repetitive behavior or just stuck in a cycle that isn’t serving you, this episode is a must-listen.

Money stress, especially these days, can be all consuming, derailing our mindset, habits, and closing us off to opportunities and appreciation. In 2013, it triggered my hair pulling big time in ways I couldn’t ignore. In this episode, I share how financial fear became a Body Focused Repetitive Behavior (BFRB) trigger, what it taught me about fear and control, and the small steps I took to start healing. Raw, real, and for anyone whose body responds to money anxiety.

Journaling is one of the most powerful tools you can use to excavate negative thoughts and feelings, process emotions or difficult experiences, and relieve anxiety. It can be a cathartic experience, as well as help you organize you thoughts, your time, and your life. These are my top three suggestions for starting a journaling practice whether you are a veteran journaler, a casual journaler, or have never been interested in journaling. This is a practice that can actually help you so that the practical physical tips for not touching or pulling your hair can work more effectively since you are giving yourself a new and improved emotional outlet. Here's the link to the Bustle article on journal ecosystems: https://www.bustle.com/wellness/journal-ecosystem-tiktok

Have you ever noticed and really tuned into a character in a book, movie, or show that was pulling out their hair? I know I have! Hair pulling in the media can tell us what this behavior conveys to the outside world, but we can check in with ourselves and decide if this resonates or reflects our own experiences.

In today's episode I'm going through the experiences I had seeking out professional help for my mental health in the form of hypnotherapy, talk therapy, and going on SSRI anti anxiety medication. I hope this is helpful for you if you are considering one of these routes to help quell your hair pulling habit!

In this episode, I talk more in depth about the pitfalls and situations throughout my daily life that trigger a craving to pull out my hair. It's a combination of anxiety inducing spots in my day or week, or times when my mind is working through hard problems or just plain bored. I hope some of these descriptions help you uncover important information about your daily life and schedule, and how you can start managing these trouble spots to head off hair pulling before you put your hand to your head.

Ending your hair pulling habit can take time, energy, and commitment. But a lot of times, we just need some useful practical tips and practices to help stop pulling just for an afternoon, an hour, or just for the day, so that you can buy yourself some time and runway for other more long term practices and strategies to settle in. This is my top 5 list of things you can do today to help stop pulling out your hair and freeing your sprirt!

I don't know about you, but I have a very specific origin story about pulling out my hair. Some start when they are little, and some, like me, start when they are older. This is how I started, and then COULD. NOT. STOP. pulling out my hair. I pulled my hair out consistently for over ten years before I found the tools to let go of this self soothing habit, and this is how it all started.

Welcome to Save Your Hair Free Your Spirit, my podcast where I share my experiences literally tearing out my hair and my journey to stop this painful habit.