Dear BFRB Family,
As we closed out The Great BFRB Get Together on September 28th, Ellen and I found ourselves reflecting on what we learned together over the two days. Here’s what resonated most, and what’s next.
Four Themes That Emerged
1. Your pain is your purpose.
I've (Aneela) been living with BFRBs since I was about 10. For most of my life, my instinct at every challenge was to run; from the BFRB, from loss, from heartbreak.
It took this journey with HabitAware to realize those experiences weren't meant to be escaped. They were meant to be faced and transformed. When I received my breast cancer diagnosis in 2022, I made a conscious choice: "What are you here to do FOR me, not TO me?"
This theme emerged throughout the conference in Dahlya's story, Jason's journey, Bianca's, Lauren's, Claire's, Jude's, and Bridget's experiences. Each person stopped asking, "What are these hardships doing to me?" and started asking, "What can they teach me?"
2. The Power of Mindset
3. Healing Happens Together
That's what we do in the HabitAware Collective. We have each other. But we also show up for practice and learn the skills and drills. As Dr. Renardi emphasized, it's all about practice.
One lesson I've learned: keep doing what's working. The first Keen prototype was a yellow slap bracelet that worked so well I stopped using it, then came the relapse. As Dr. Diebler said, chronic is not a four-letter word. It means learning the lifestyle strategies to manage it.
You can check off attending a conference or reading a book, but managing your BFRB? That's an ongoing practice. And if 80% of the time we feel 80% good, that's a meaningful success.
4. Keep Doing What Works
- Reduce behavior & shame
- Increase awareness & confidence
- Support each other
- Encourage joy
What's Included:
- Group meetings twice weekly (Mondays and Thursdays)
- Daily community support
- Resource hub with recovery starter course and a masterclass
- Monthly themes and weekly actions