Client Reviews

The programme has been hugely beneficial. It has helped me in many ways. The self-awareness skills such as cognitive defusion, which I knew nothing about before I started the program, have helped educate me in how my mental states influence my scratching behaviour. My struggle with my skin is ongoing, but a lifetime of using steroid creams has weakened it to the extent that it may never fully recover. I think I'm in a place that I can accept that but it's tough. I feel the program has equipped me with a toolkit of strategies that will help me deal with the challenges ahead. I would most definitely recommend it to someone who is struggling with skin picking/scratching behaviours. I will definitely enroll again if I felt the need.

I found the program very helpful. I was actually incredibly surprised how successful it was for me. I found following the suggested strategies easy because it was explained and conceptualised well, though it was confronting at times. It was helpful to understand that skin picking is linked with OCD which helped me become aware of how much I attempt to control my thoughts and feelings. I found the ACT sections very beneficial as I feel my skin picking is usually an attempt for control when I felt I couldn’t control my inner turmoil. It gives me confidence to know that after 22 years I’ve actually been able to reduce my skin picking and it had been the most sustainable yet. While I still have a while to go for it to stop altogether I find comfort in knowing that I have the confidence to ride my urges and open up to my thoughts and feelings without feeling the need to control them so thank you for the wonderful program. I would absolutely be recommending people to complete this program. I love how it is very evidence based and it was very successful for me so I will have no qualms in doing so.

To sum up my experience, I think that this program has drastically changed my outlook on my picking behaviour, which has helped me to change (not eliminate) my picking behaviour. I believe that through this program I have gained skills and insights that will help me to continue to manage and overcome my picking. The materials within this program have been relevant and effective for me and I really appreciate the support and motivation that my therapist Michaela has provided me; her insistance on discussing things further has kept me engaged and accountable for my use of this program. Thank you so much, Michaela. I absolutely would recommend this program for someone who is looking to understand and improve their picking behaviour; this program is targeted, easy to follow and much cheaper than receiving traditional face-to-face CBT therapy.

The content of the program was presented clearly. It provided scientifically based approaches for understanding and managing picking behaviors in a manner that is easy to understand. I left the program feeling like I had tools at my disposal to help manage and hopefully someday eliminate this picking behavior. The therapist was very helpful and quick to help and also made me feel at ease as I navigated the content and discussed underlying issues. I would recommend this program to people who need help getting to understand their picking behaviors and to discover ways to manage and/or significantly reduce their picking.

I absolutely think the program was beneficial. I would sum up the program by saying that it helped me be okay with experiencing negative emotions/thoughts, and separate the picking behaviour, as well as the triggers for picking (negative emotions) from myself, so I could get distance from the behaviours and emotions and view them as something I was experiencing, not what I truly am. I enjoyed the program and found the focus on taking better care of myself and prioritising that as one of my values extremely helpful personally. Even though I was somewhat aware of what I found helpful and positive self-care techniques previously (e.g. journalling) the course really emphasised the importance of these to me and as a result I am doing these a lot more. I really liked that you challenged me to keep looking for and examining what was behind my behaviours/thoughts/attitudes Michaela, and to look at how those formed or started, and to think about what was happening for me at a deeper level. The program definitely helped me significantly improve my life in general and work positively towards values and goals, as well as reducing the picking behaviour itself. I would 100% recommend the program and the therapist to someone else experiencing similar behaviours/issues.

1. The program was absolutely beneficial - I can't say that I'm "cured" of my skinpicking, but now I know that it's not about trying to control the urges. I feel so much more prepared to deal with my skinpicking behaviours - I have a whole new knowledge set and understanding of this behaviour, and a toolbox full of strategies to use! In fact, this program didn't just help me address my skinpicking behaviours - by addressing them, I also addressed some other areas in my life that needed attention/work. 2. Yes, I absolutely would [recommend it to others]. I like the fact that the program is at your own pace, you can save the worksheets for future reference, and your therapist always responds quickly and with understanding!

In general, I’m moderately positive about the program. I do believe it was beneficial; according to the objective tracking on the site, there was a measurable drop in the amount of picking I do. I also have tools, such as the app, that I can use to continue to monitor picking in the future as needed. I found the material informative and I appreciate that it spanned the gamut from simple behavioral control to awareness training and general life satisfaction/purpose. More than anything, I think that it’s a blessing that a site like SKINPICK exists. For most of my life, this behavior has felt unusual, niche, poorly researched. Knowing that there is a research base accumulating and a place other people such as myself can visit to get help with skin picking is a real comfort. I am hopeful that newsletters will continue be sent that highlight ongoing research (and hoping that the research continues!) – I will read them.

The program provided the accountability I needed to begin to make changes. The emphasis on values clarification helped me see how my behavior was interfering with what is important to me in life. I recognized the time spent on skin-picking could be spent on exercise and writing. It was helpful to see that judging myself was counterproductive. That instead I needed to simply notice the behavior, without self-criticism, and find appropriate substitutes for this behavior. My skin-picking has been reduced by 90 %. Occasionally I notice dead skin and work at removing it. But I am glad not to be doing this regularly. Thank you for your support.

I would highly recommend this program to anyone that has skin picking disorder. It is very well organized, and I appreciated the evidence based approach, and layout of the online learning. This program is a lot of work , but also much more accessible and less intimidating than in person traditional counselling. Nothing has worked for me in the past, and I tried so many different treatment approaches- After completion of the program, I feel I have a good handle on the condition and my triggers, and I would say that I now know how to manage CSP, versus have it control my life. I'm so grateful this program exists! I wish there was this type of online resource & support for other mental health conditions.

1. The program overall helped me address feelings that I didn't even realize were the cause of my picking, and helped me gain a new mindset and tactics to help stop it. It helps not only in dealing with unwanted behavior, but unpleasant emotions. 2. I would recommend this program to someone else who was looking for help, and I'll make sure to if I ever meet anyone else with my condition.