Trichotillomania Support in Canada
Find a therapist in Canada who understands trichotillomania. Whether you pull your own hair or you’re supporting a child or someone you love, search by town or city for someone near you, or choose Online to see who works with people anywhere in Canada.
Find a therapist for trichotillomania in Canada
Most therapists in Canada have never worked with someone who pulls their hair. It isn’t something most of them learn about in training, so people often end up explaining their own condition to a professional who’d never heard of it. That’s the reason this directory exists: everyone listed has told us they understand hair pulling and already help people who pull.
You’ll find therapists, counsellors, psychologists, psychotherapists, hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches here. Each listing explains how that person works, whether they see people in person, online or both, and what they charge. You can search anywhere from Vancouver Island to St. John’s, or work with someone online from home, even if the nearest big city is hours away.
We’re building the directory for Canada.
Keep updated as we’re a new directory actively seeking new trich-aware therapists to join.
See practitioners who work online →Tell me when a practitioner lists in Canada
Frequently Asked Questions about Trichotillomania in Canada
Find a TherapistHow do I find a trichotillomania therapist near me in Canada?›
Use the search at the top of this page to look by town or city, or choose Online to see who works with people anywhere in Canada. Everyone listed has told us they understand hair pulling. If there’s no one near you yet, new people join regularly.
Can I have sessions online from anywhere in Canada?›
Often, yes. Licensed professionals such as psychologists are registered province by province and may need to be registered where you live, so ask. Hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches aren’t bound by provincial registration. Each listing says whether the person works online.
How much does trichotillomania therapy cost in Canada?›
Private sessions usually cost between $120 and $250 CAD, and many people pay around $150 to $200. Every listing shows its own prices. Many workplace and extended health benefits plans pay part of the cost for some practitioner types, so check with your insurer.
What kinds of help are there for hair pulling?›
People work with therapists, counsellors, psychologists, psychotherapists, hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners, occupational therapists and coaches, among others. Different people find different things helpful. Each listing explains how that person works, so you can choose what feels right for you.
Do I need a doctor’s referral or a diagnosis?›
No. You can contact anyone listed directly, right now, through the private contact form on their listing. You don’t need a diagnosis or a doctor’s note to get in touch.
My child pulls their hair. What do I do first?›
Stay steady and don’t tell them off, because that reliably makes pulling worse. Start with The Parent’s Guide to Trichotillomania, then look for someone whose listing says they work with children and teens.
Are there trichotillomania support groups in Canada?›
Yes, though most meet online. The International OCD Foundation lists video groups for people with BFRBs that anyone in Canada can join. In-person groups are still rare. If you run one, tell us and we’ll list it for free.
How common is hair pulling in Canada?›
About 1 in 50 people pull their hair (an estimated 1–2%). It’s a recognized BFRB in the DSM-5 and ICD-10 (F63.3), and it usually starts around ages 10 to 13. It isn’t a bad habit, self-harm or a lack of willpower. There’s more in our complete guide.
Can I get help through my provincial health plan?›
Some mental health care is covered through your family doctor, community services and free programs such as the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program. Waits are often long and you usually can’t choose someone who understands hair pulling, so many people contact someone in the directory while they wait.
How to get in touch with a therapist
You can message anyone listed right now. You don’t need a doctor’s note or a diagnosis. Every listing has a private contact form, and most explain how the person works, what sessions cost and whether they offer a free first call.
How far online sessions reach depends on who you work with. Licensed professionals such as psychologists are registered province by province, and many need to be registered in, or get permission from, the province where you live before they can see you online. Rules differ from Ontario to Quebec to British Columbia, so ask. Hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches aren’t bound by provincial registration and can work with people anywhere in Canada.
What therapy costs in Canada
Private sessions in Canada usually cost between $120 and $250 CAD, and many people pay around $150 to $200 a session. Fees tend to run higher in larger cities such as Toronto and Vancouver. Every listing shows its own prices, so there are no surprises.
Many workplace and extended health benefits plans pay part of the cost for some practitioner types. Ask your insurer, and the person you contact, before you book. Many people listed also offer a free first call, so you can see whether it feels right before you pay for anything.
How to check someone is qualified
Some titles in Canada are protected by law, and each province has a free public register. Checking is optional, but it can be reassuring:
- Psychologist is a protected title in every province and territory. Find your college through the Association of Canadian Psychology Regulatory Organizations.
- Registered Psychotherapist (Ontario): the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario.
- Psychologists and psychotherapists in Quebec: the Ordre des psychologues du Québec.
- Counselling Therapist (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island): the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association links to each college.
Many good kinds of help aren’t regulated by the provinces. Most counsellors, hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches belong to their own associations instead.
Everyone on this site has one thing in common: they’ve told us they understand hair pulling. On a first call, you can ask:
- “Have you helped people who pull their hair before?”
- “How do you work? What happens in the first few sessions?”
- “What if I feel it isn’t right for me?”
Charities and groups in Canada
Canada doesn’t have a large national charity just for hair pulling, so most support for body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs) comes from an international organization, alongside Canadian mental health services.
International OCD Foundation
The main home for information and community on hair pulling, skin picking and other BFRBs. It lists online BFRB support groups that people across Canada can join.
Canadian Mental Health Association
A community mental health charity with local branches across Canada. A good place to find programs and peer support near you.
Kids Help Phone
Free, private support for young people, any time of day, in English and French. Call 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868.
Hope for Wellness Helpline
Support for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, 24 hours a day. Call 1-855-242-3310 or use the online chat. Available in English and French, and in Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut on request.
9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline
If you’re thinking about suicide or worried about someone, call or text 9-8-8 at any time. If you’re in danger right now, call 9-1-1.
Support groups in Canada
Meeting other people who pull can make a real difference, because most people who pull have never knowingly met anyone else who does.
- Online BFRB groups: the International OCD Foundation’s support group directory lists groups that meet by video, including peer-led groups for adults. Many meet in the evening, Eastern Time.
- In person: most groups meet online right now, and in-person groups in Canada are still rare.
Do you run a group? Tell us and we’ll list it for free.
For parents: The Parent’s Guide to Trichotillomania helps you understand what your child is going through in the first weeks after you find out.
Provincial health plans and other free options
Your provincial health plan covers some mental health care through your family doctor or nurse practitioner and community mental health services, and some provinces run free programs, such as the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program. Waits are often long, and you usually can’t choose someone who understands hair pulling, so many people contact someone in the directory while they wait.
About this page
Sources: International OCD Foundation; Canadian Mental Health Association; Kids Help Phone; Hope for Wellness Helpline; 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline; Association of Canadian Psychology Regulatory Organizations; College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario; Ordre des psychologues du Québec; Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association; Ontario Psychological Association fee survey (2024); Ordre des psychologues du Québec member survey (2023); Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program.
Things change. We check this page often, but always check prices and qualifications with the person you contact. This page is information, not medical advice.
Are you a therapist or practitioner in Canada who works with trichotillomania?
Be found by people looking for help with hair pulling across Canada, in person or online.