Following the release of her 2009 memoir FOREVER MARKED: A Dermatillomania Diary, Canadian mental health advocate Angela Hartlin became the first person to publicly bring attention to excoriation disorder (aka, dermatillomania) on television.
This launched her remarkable international awareness journey, from interviews around the globe to an appearance on an emmy-award winning daytime talk show that led to her recovery.
Angela’s involvement in non-profits, peer support, writing, and public speaking has brought hope to many with this compulsive condition.
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Advocacy
Angela has been involved with the TLC Foundation for BFRBs (TLC) by presenting and speaking at conferences over the years. In the past, she has written for their blog and InTouch newsletter. Angela was on the Toronto-based Canadian BFRB Support Network (CBSN)’s Board of Directors and served as their Support Groups Co-ordinator, also contributing to their blog. She has collaborated with Picking Me Foundation for events, and has presented for the Heart & Soul Academy for BFRB Living Skills.
Credentials
Her education includes two years of English & Theater studies and a diploma in Child & Youth Care with Addictions Support. She obtained certificates in Mental Health First Aid, along with Applied Suicide Intervention Training (ASIST) and Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI). Her experience includes daycare, women’s shelter, the non-profit sector, and residential work in the field of mental health. Angela has been unable to work due to physical disability since 2012.
Media
Ms. Hartlin has been featured in the media over 35 times in newspapers/ articles, television, podcasts, and is the star of the documentary Scars of Shame. Publications include The Huffington Post, The Mighty, CTV, Global News, The Chronicle Herald, The Canadian Press, and more. She is mentioned in Project Dermatillomania: The Stories Behind Our Scars, a contributor to the German release, Frieden mit meiner Haut, and inspiration behind the main character in Sarah Elizabeth Schantz’ book, Fig.
Recovery
After appearing on CBS’ daytime talk show The Doctors, Angela received help from licensed therapist Karen Pickett, LMFT, and is currently seeking a publisher for the co-authored book, EMBRACING DERMATILLOMANIA: Through Pain & Recovery, which details her therapy from excoriation disorder.
Angela is dedicated to eliminating misconceptions surrounding BFRBs while pursuing new avenues of raising worldwide awareness. She is leader of the Nova Scotia support group BFRBhalifax and currently runs the facebook group, Skin Picking Support. She lives with her husband and daughter while continuing to be an advocate for mental health and other BFRBs.
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