Sarah Robertson.
I'm a Registered Social Service Worker (R.S.S.W) with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and a psychotherapist.
I have more than a decade of experience working and counselling in community mental health in Toronto.Throughout my career, I’ve supported individuals and families navigating mental health and addiction challenges. I also bring personal experience as a caregiver to a loved one with mental health concerns, giving me a deeper understanding of the impact these challenges can have on the entire family.
I know firsthand the impact BFRBs can have on lives. I also know how difficult it is to find someone who knows what a BFRB even is. With that being said, I am excited to offer counselling for families and individuals who often don’t know where to start.
Learn more about me and my specific connection with BFRBs below.
My BFRB Story
My passion for supporting people living with mental health conditions and Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviours (BFRBs) comes from both professional and personal experience.
At the age of 12, I was diagnosed with OCD and trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder). I worked with child therapists and tried medication, but at the time, nothing seemed to help.
Eventually, my OCD gradually subsided, and I was able to stop pulling on my own for nearly 10 years. When the pulling returned in adulthood*, I found myself once again searching for meaningful support. It was then that I was reminded just how isolating it can be to live with something that so few people truly understand.
That experience became the driving force behind my passion for BFRB advocacy and support. I know firsthand what it feels like to struggle with a BFRB, search for answers, and wish there was someone who simply got it.
In 2013, I proudly founded the Canadian BFRB Support Network (CBSN), the only Canadian non-profit dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by BFRBs. Through peer support, education and advocacy, I worked to help people feel less alone while increasing awareness and understanding of BFRBs across Canada.
Through CBSN, I met so many incredible Canadians and became part of an amazing BFRB community. I was also fortunate to share my experiences and advocate for greater awareness through a number of publications and media outlets, including the book Doesn't It Hurt? Confessions of Compulsive Hair Pullers, Inside Story on CityNews Toronto, The Huffington Post, and numerous other spaces.
Over the years, I've also had the opportunity to learn from and work alongside leading BFRB clinicians and organizations. This has included working with Dr. Peggy Richter and Dr. Mark Sinyor at Sunnybrook's Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre, as well as participating in educational conferences through the former TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors. I also co-created a Guide to Starting a BFRB Support Group and served on the inaugural Family Advisory Committee with the Thompson Centre.
Today, I bring both professional experience and lived experience to my work. I understand that BFRBs can be about so much more than the behaviour itself. They can affect confidence, relationships, school, work, family life, and… pretty much everything.
Most importantly, I want you to know that you don't have to explain, minimize or hide your BFRB. You're in a space where you can be understood, without judgment.
***And yes, I still pull my hair and pick at my skin—but that doesn't stop me from living my best life. I just throw on my hair topper and go about my day.
