What Is ComB Therapy?
Comprehensive Behavioral (ComB) Therapy is a highly personalized, evidence-based approach designed specifically for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs).
Instead of giving generic advice like “just stop,” ComB helps you understand why the behavior is happening in the first place and what to do about it.
What Are BFRBs?
BFRBs are repetitive behaviors that focus on the body and can lead to physical and emotional distress. Common examples include:
- Hair pulling (trichotillomania)
- Skin picking (excoriation / dermatillomania)
- Nail biting
- Cheek or lip biting
- Chronic nose picking
Many people experience more than one behavior, and symptoms can look different from person to person. That’s because BFRBs are deeply connected to how your brain processes stress, sensory input, and emotions.
Why Do These Behaviors Happen?
BFRBs often serve a purpose even if it doesn’t feel that way.
They can help regulate:
- Stress or anxiety
- Boredom or restlessness
- Sensory needs (like tension or “itchy” feelings)
- Emotional overwhelm
In other words, your brain is trying to help, but it just found a strategy that causes harm over time.
The SCAMP Model: A Practical Way to Understand Your Behavior
At the core of ComB is the SCAMP model, which looks at five key factors that drive BFRBs:
- Sensory – Physical urges, tension, or sensations in the body
- Cognitive – Thoughts, beliefs, or mental patterns (“just one more,” “I need to fix this”)
- Affective – Emotions like anxiety, boredom, or frustration
- Motor – Habitual movements or muscle memory
- Place – Environments or situations where the behavior happens
Together, these pieces create a clear picture of your unique pattern.
A Framework That Actually Fits Your Life
ComB therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all.
We will work together to:
- Identify your personal triggers across the SCAMP domains
- Understand when and where behaviors show up
- Build practical, realistic strategies that fit your daily life
This might include sensory substitutes, environmental changes, awareness training, and skill-building tailored specifically to you.
What to Know About Comprehensive Behavioral (ComB) Treatment
It’s Not You, It’s Your Brain
Those automatic behaviors? They’re not character flaws. They’re your brain’s (misguided) attempt to meet real needs. ComB helps you understand what’s actually driving these patterns and finally do something about it.
A Framework That Actually Makes Sense
ComB breaks down what’s really happening in your brain and body when these behaviors kick in. We map out your specific triggers: physical, emotional, environmental and build solutions that actually stick.
Science Meets Real Life
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s understanding, flexibility, and progress. ComB is grounded in research, but more importantly, it’s designed for real life, such as,
during work stress, downtime, family moments, and everything in between.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you’re struggling with Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) like hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting, or cheek biting and feel stuck in patterns you can’t seem to change, you’re not alone. And more importantly, you don’t have to figure this out on your own.
Comprehensive Behavioral (ComB) Therapy offers a structured, personalized approach to help you better understand and manage these behaviors.
Using an integrative framework, ComB draws from evidence-based approaches such as:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
- Mindfulness-based strategies
Together, these tools help identify what is triggering and reinforcing your behaviors so we can begin to shift them in a way that is realistic and sustainable.
If you’re ready to better understand your behaviors and start making meaningful changes, I invite you to reach out.
Contact me today to schedule a free consultation and learn how ComB therapy can support you.
