Trichotillomania Support in the West Midlands

Find a therapist in the West Midlands who understands trichotillomania. Whether you pull your own hair or you’re supporting a child or someone you love, search by town or city, from Wolverhampton to Coventry, for someone near you, or choose Online to see who works with people anywhere in the West Midlands.

Find a therapist for trichotillomania in the West Midlands

The West Midlands is England’s most populous county after Greater London, with about three million people. Birmingham is one of the youngest cities in Europe, and nearly half its people are under 30. Yet few of the practitioners who work here learned about hair pulling in training. Connecting you with people who already understand it is the reason this directory exists.

Everyone listed here has told us they understand trichotillomania and already help people who pull. The directory includes therapists, counsellors, psychologists, psychotherapists, hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners, NLP practitioners and coaches. Every listing shows how that person works, whether they see people in person, online or both, and what they charge. Each one has a private contact form.

If you’d rather not cross the city for a session, see who works online across the West Midlands.

We’re building the West Midlands directory.

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 the West Midlands

Frequently Asked Questions about Trichotillomania in West Midlands

Find a Therapist

How do I find a trichotillomania therapist near me in the West Midlands?›

Search our directory by town or city, such as Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Solihull, Dudley or Walsall. Every listing explains how the person works, what they charge and whether they see people in person, online or both. You can message anyone directly.

Can I have sessions online from anywhere in the West Midlands?›

Yes. Many people listed work online with clients anywhere in the West Midlands, from Wolverhampton to Coventry. UK registration isn’t split by county, and hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches aren’t tied to one area either.

How much does trichotillomania therapy cost in the West Midlands?›

Private sessions in the West Midlands usually cost £45 to £150, with £55 to £80 typical. Every listing shows its own prices, and many people offer a free first call. Some private health insurance pays part of the cost for some practitioner types.

What kinds of help are there for hair pulling?›

People who pull work with therapists, counsellors, psychologists, psychotherapists, hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners, NLP practitioners and coaches. Different people find different things helpful. Everyone in our directory has told us they understand hair pulling and already help people who pull.

Do I need a GP referral or a diagnosis to get help in the West Midlands?›

No. You can contact anyone listed in our directory directly, without a GP referral or a diagnosis. Just tell them you pull your hair and you’re looking for someone who understands trichotillomania.

My child pulls their hair. What do I do first?›

Stay steady and don’t tell them off, because pressure and punishment reliably make pulling worse. Start with The Parent’s Guide to Trichotillomania, and look for someone in the directory whose listing says they work with children and teens.

Are there trichotillomania support groups in the West Midlands?›

We haven’t found an in-person trichotillomania group in the West Midlands yet. BFRB UK & Ireland runs free monthly online groups for adults, for under-18s, and for parents and loved ones. If you run a group in the West Midlands, tell us and we’ll list it for free.

How common is hair pulling in the West Midlands?›

About 1 in 50 people have trichotillomania, so roughly 60,000 people across the West Midlands. It’s a recognised condition, not a bad habit, and it often starts between ages 10 and 13. Learn more in our complete guide to trichotillomania.

How to get in touch with a therapist

You can message anyone listed here directly, today. You don’t need a GP referral or a diagnosis first.

When you write, say what it is: “I pull my hair. I’m looking for someone who understands trichotillomania.” How they reply tells you a lot about whether they’re the right fit.

Birmingham has the most practitioners in the county, with many in Edgbaston, Harborne and Moseley. Coventry, Solihull and Wolverhampton come next. Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall have fewer. Online sessions save a long bus ride across the conurbation, and many people find it easier to talk about pulling from home. UK registration isn’t split by county, so anyone listed can work with you online wherever you live in the West Midlands.

You can also refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies, which runs as separate services for Birmingham, the Black Country, and Coventry and Solihull. That route exists, and it often takes longer, usually without a choice of someone who understands hair pulling.

How to choose who to work with

People who pull find help from all kinds of practitioners: therapists, counsellors, psychologists, psychotherapists, hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches. Different people find different things helpful. What matters most is that you feel understood.

You can also check a clinician’s registration if you’d like. Titles such as “clinical psychologist” and “counselling psychologist” are protected by law in the UK. The Health and Care Professions Council keeps a free register lookup for them. Many counsellors, psychotherapists and hypnotherapists belong to registers approved by the Professional Standards Authority, which runs its own practitioner check. Other good kinds of help aren’t regulated at all and 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?

There’s more in our guide to how to talk to someone who can help.

Charities and groups in the West Midlands

The West Midlands has no charity just for hair pulling or other body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs). The UK’s BFRB charity runs its groups online. Three local mental health charities cover Birmingham, the Black Country and Coventry between them.

BFRB UK & Ireland

A peer-led charitable organisation for hair pulling, skin picking and related behaviours. Its volunteers have BFRBs themselves. It runs free online groups for adults, for under-18s, and for parents and loved ones.

OCD Action

A national charity for OCD and related conditions, including BFRBs. Its website has plain-language information on hair pulling, and it runs a helpline and free online groups.

Birmingham Mind

The local Mind for Birmingham and Solihull, founded in 1962. Its helpline, 0121 262 3555, offers emotional support and advice every day from 9am to 11pm, with interpreters available.

Black Country Mental Health

A local charity that started in Dudley in 1976 and was once Dudley Mind. It now supports people across Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton, with a support line, peer groups and counselling.

Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind

The local Mind for Coventry, based in Allesley Park. It runs wellbeing hubs, one-to-one support and services for children and young people.

Samaritans

Call 116 123 free, any time of day or night, if things ever feel too much to handle on your own.

Support groups in the West Midlands

We haven’t found an in-person trichotillomania group in the West Midlands yet. Most people here who pull connect with others online, and for something this private, many find that easier.

BFRB UK & Ireland adults group: a free peer-led group on Zoom, once a month, for anyone 18 or over who pulls or picks.
BFRB UK & Ireland under-18s group: a monthly Zoom group for children and teens aged 7 to 18.
BFRB UK & Ireland parents and loved ones group: a monthly Zoom group for anyone supporting someone who pulls.

For parents: our guide The Parent’s Guide to Trichotillomania helps you understand what your child is going through.

Do you run a West Midlands group? Tell us and we’ll list it for free.

The Sensory Side of Pulling

For many people, hair pulling is tied to how a hair feels. It often starts with a sensation: an itch, a tingle, or a hair that feels coarse, kinked or out of place.

Touch is a big part of it. People describe running their fingers through their hair, searching for one particular strand, and feeling a need to get it out. After pulling, some roll the hair between their fingers, look closely at the root or brush it across their lips.

Pulling can also change how the body feels. When someone is bored or under-stimulated, it can wake them up. When they’re stressed or overwhelmed, it can settle them. That’s part of why it’s so hard to stop by deciding to.

None of this is strange or shameful. Trichotillomania is a recognised condition that affects about 1 in 50 people. It isn’t a bad habit, attention-seeking, self-harm or a lack of willpower.

Noticing the sensations around your pulling can help when you first get in touch with someone. “It starts when a hair feels rough” gives the person you contact a clear place to begin.

About this page

Sources: Wikipedia (West Midlands county); Care Quality Commission (Birmingham population age); Circle Counselling Birmingham, The Meridian Centre, Kay’s Counselling, The Vesey and Select Psychology (session cost data); Health and Care Professions Council; Professional Standards Authority; BFRB UK & Ireland; OCD Action; Birmingham Mind; Black Country Mental Health; Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind; Samaritans; Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust and Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHS Talking Therapies).

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 West Midlands therapist or practitioner who works with trichotillomania?

Be found by people looking for help with hair pulling across the West Midlands, in person or online.

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About the West Midlands

The West Midlands is a metropolitan county of about three million people, formed in 1974 and almost entirely urban. Birmingham, the UK’s second-largest city, sits at its centre. Coventry lies to the east and Wolverhampton to the north-west. Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall make up most of the Black Country, the old heartland of coal mining and ironworking. Solihull lies to the south-east, towards the green belt of the Meriden Gap.

Sutton Park, in Sutton Coldfield, is a National Nature Reserve of 2,400 acres, with heathland, ancient woodland and seven lakes. In Birmingham, the Jewellery Quarter keeps its Victorian workshops, and Edgbaston is home to the University of Birmingham and the county cricket ground. Coventry is known for Lady Godiva and its long history of car making.

Attractions in the West Midlands

The West Midlands mixes a post-war cathedral and two great houses with an open-air industrial museum and a modern art gallery.

Coventry Cathedral, Coventry

Basil Spence designed the new cathedral beside the ruins of St Michael’s, bombed in the Coventry Blitz of 14 November 1940. It was consecrated in 1962. Graham Sutherland’s tapestry behind the altar is 23 metres tall. Jacob Epstein’s bronze of St Michael defeating the Devil stands on the outside wall.

Black Country Living Museum, Dudley

This open-air museum opened in 1978 on 26 acres of old industrial land, once lime kilns, coal pits and a canal arm. More than 50 shops, houses and workshops from across the Black Country have been rebuilt here. Most show life between 1850 and 1950.

Aston Hall, Birmingham

Sir Thomas Holte built this Jacobean mansion between 1618 and 1635 to a design by John Thorpe. Parliamentary troops attacked it in 1643, and a cannonball hole still marks the staircase. In 1864 it became the first historic country house owned by a town council. Villa Park stands just to the north.

Wightwick Manor, Wolverhampton

Theodore Mander, a Wolverhampton paint maker, commissioned this timber-framed house from Edward Ould in 1887. Its rooms hold William Morris wallpapers and fabrics, De Morgan tiles and Kempe stained glass. His son Geoffrey gave it to the National Trust in 1937, then added Pre-Raphaelite paintings by Rossetti and Burne-Jones.

The New Art Gallery Walsall, Walsall

Caruso St John designed this terracotta-clad gallery, which opened in 2000 and is free to enter. It holds the Garman Ryan Collection, given to Walsall in 1973 by Kathleen Garman, Jacob Epstein’s widow, and her friend Sally Ryan. It includes many works by Epstein alongside pieces by Van Gogh, Monet and Constable.