Trichotillomania Support in West Sussex

Find a therapist in West Sussex 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 Chichester to East Grinstead, for someone near you, or choose Online to see who works with people anywhere in West Sussex.

Find a therapist for trichotillomania in West Sussex

West Sussex has two big towns of almost the same size, and the South Downs sit between them. Worthing looks out to sea, and Crawley sits by Gatwick in the north. Very few professionals in either place learned about hair pulling in training. Connecting you with the ones who 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 live in a Downs village or out on the Manhood Peninsula, see who works online across West Sussex.

We’re building the West Sussex 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 West Sussex

Frequently Asked Questions about Trichotillomania in West Sussex

Find a Therapist

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

Search our directory by town or city, such as Crawley, Worthing, Chichester, Horsham, Bognor Regis or Haywards Heath. 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 West Sussex?›

Yes. Many people listed work online with clients anywhere in West Sussex, from Selsey to East Grinstead. 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 West Sussex?›

Private sessions in West Sussex usually cost £45 to £130, with around £60 to £85 typical. Clinical psychologists charge the most. Every listing shows its own prices, and many people offer a free first call.

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 West Sussex?›

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 West Sussex?›

We haven’t found an in-person trichotillomania group in West Sussex 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 West Sussex, tell us and we’ll list it for free.

How common is hair pulling in West Sussex?›

About 1 in 50 people have trichotillomania, so roughly 18,000 people across West Sussex. 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.” Their reply tells you a lot about whether they’re the right fit.

Most practitioners in West Sussex work in two belts. One runs along the coast from Bognor Regis through Littlehampton to Worthing. The other covers Crawley, Horsham, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill. Chichester has its own cluster in the west. In the villages between, there are far fewer. Online sessions close that gap. UK registration isn’t split by county, so anyone listed can work with you online wherever you live.

Adults registered with a West Sussex GP can also refer themselves to NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies. 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. Feeling understood matters more than any label.

You can also check a clinician’s registration. 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 West Sussex

West Sussex has no charity just for hair pulling or other body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs). The UK’s BFRB charity runs its groups online, and West Sussex Mind works across the county. These are the organisations most useful to people in West Sussex who pull.

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 support groups.

West Sussex Mind

An independent local charity that has supported people’s mental health for over 50 years. It has hubs in Worthing, Littlehampton and Southwick, and runs peer support groups and one-to-one support. It also has services for young people aged 16 to 25 and for parents.

Samaritans

Call 116 123 free, any time of day or night, if things ever feel too much to handle on your own. Anywhere in Sussex, you can also call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option, around the clock.

Support groups in West Sussex

We haven’t found an in-person trichotillomania group in West Sussex 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 Sussex group? Tell us and we’ll list it for free.

The Sensory Side of Pulling

For many people, pulling is about how a hair feels as much as anything else.

Often it starts with touch. Fingers move through the hair or across a brow, looking for one that feels different. It might be coarse, kinked, wiry or thicker than the rest. Some people describe a hair that feels “wrong” and has to come out.

The pull itself can matter too. Some people want the small sharp tug at the root. Others look for a hair that comes out whole, with the root still on it.

What happens next is often part of the same chain. People roll the hair between their fingers, look closely at the root, run it across their lips or bite the end. None of this is strange to the people who do it. It’s a common part of trichotillomania, even though almost nobody talks about it.

This sensory side helps explain why pulling often happens without any thought at all. It can happen while reading, driving, scrolling or watching TV, when the hands are free and the mind is somewhere else. Many people only notice when they see hairs on the desk or the floor.

Trichotillomania is not a bad habit, not attention-seeking, not self-harm and not a lack of willpower. It’s a recognised condition, and the feelings that pull people towards it are real.

About this page

Sources: Horsham & Crawley Counselling Group, Sarah Child Counselling, Sophie Hughes Counselling, Julie Holmes Counselling and Sussex Psychological Therapy Centre (session cost data); Health and Care Professions Council; Professional Standards Authority; BFRB UK & Ireland; OCD Action; West Sussex Mind; Samaritans; NHS Sussex; NHS West Sussex Talking Therapies; West Sussex (Wikipedia).

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 Sussex therapist or practitioner who works with trichotillomania?

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About West Sussex

West Sussex is a coastal county between Hampshire and East Sussex. Chichester, its county town, is the only city. Crawley and Worthing are its largest towns, and each has a little over 100,000 people. The South Downs cross the county from east to west, with Chichester Harbour and the Manhood Peninsula at its western edge.

Crawley grew as a new town after the Second World War, and Gatwick Airport sits within its borders. Worthing, Littlehampton and Bognor Regis make up much of the coast. Bognor added “Regis” to its name in 1929, after George V stayed nearby. Horsham is an old market town, and East Grinstead sits in the High Weald near the Surrey border. The University of Chichester has campuses in Chichester and Bognor Regis. Goodwood, just north of Chichester, has a stately home and a motor circuit.

Attractions in West Sussex

West Sussex has Britain’s largest Roman house, a cathedral spire you can see from the sea and one of the world’s great seed collections.

Chichester Cathedral, Chichester

Founded in 1075 when the bishop’s seat moved from Selsey, it was consecrated in 1108. Its free-standing medieval bell tower is a rarity among English cathedrals. Its spire fell in 1861 and George Gilbert Scott rebuilt it. Inside are a Marc Chagall window and the Arundel tomb from Philip Larkin’s poem.

Arundel Castle, Arundel

Roger de Montgomery began the castle around 1067 above the River Arun. It has been the seat of the Earls of Arundel and the Dukes of Norfolk for most of the centuries since. The 15th Duke rebuilt much of it between 1875 and 1905, which gives it the Gothic look it has today.

Fishbourne Roman Palace, Fishbourne

Built around AD 75 to 80, this is the largest known Roman home north of the Alps. A workman digging a water main found it in 1960. Visitors see mosaic floors still in place, including the famous Cupid on a dolphin, and a garden replanted with Roman-era plants.

Petworth House, Petworth

The 6th Duke of Somerset rebuilt the house between 1688 and 1702. J. M. W. Turner stayed and painted here, and the house holds around 20 of his oil paintings. There is a room carved by Grinling Gibbons. Capability Brown landscaped the deer park, home to a large herd of fallow deer.

Wakehurst, near Ardingly

Kew runs this National Trust estate around a mansion built in 1590. The gardens were replanted after the Great Storm of 1987 felled about 20,000 trees. It is also home to the Millennium Seed Bank, opened in 2000. It holds seeds from almost every UK native plant whose seeds can be stored.