Trichotillomania Support in Wiltshire

Find a therapist in Wiltshire 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 Swindon to Salisbury, for someone near you, or choose Online to see who works with people anywhere in Wiltshire.

Find a therapist for trichotillomania in Wiltshire

The Army’s training area on Salisbury Plain covers about a ninth of Wiltshire. Its garrisons at Tidworth, Bulford and Larkhill are home to thousands of soldiers and their families, and many move on after a few years. Few of the county’s practitioners learned about hair pulling when they qualified. Connecting you with people who already understand it, wherever the next posting takes you, 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 village on the Plain or out in the Vale of Pewsey, see who works online across Wiltshire.

We’re building the Wiltshire 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 Wiltshire

Frequently Asked Questions about Trichotillomania in Wiltshire

Find a Therapist

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

Search our directory by town, such as Swindon, Salisbury, Chippenham, Trowbridge, Devizes or Marlborough. 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 Wiltshire?›

Yes. Many people listed work online with clients anywhere in Wiltshire, from the Marlborough Downs to Salisbury Plain. 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 Wiltshire?›

Private sessions in Wiltshire usually cost £45 to £120, with around £50 to £70 typical. Swindon tends to cost a little less than Salisbury. 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 Wiltshire?›

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 Wiltshire?›

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

How common is hair pulling in Wiltshire?›

About 1 in 50 people have trichotillomania, so roughly 15,000 people across Wiltshire and Swindon. 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 Wiltshire work in Swindon, Salisbury, Chippenham and Trowbridge. People in the west of the county can also reach Bath, and people near the northern edge can reach Cirencester. Much of the middle of Wiltshire is downland and small villages, with few practitioners nearby. Online sessions close that gap. UK registration isn’t split by county, so anyone listed can work with you online wherever you live in Wiltshire.

You can also refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies, which runs as separate services for Wiltshire and for Swindon. 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. 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 Wiltshire

Wiltshire has no charity just for hair pulling or other body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs). The UK’s BFRB charity runs its groups online, and two local Minds cover the county 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.

Wiltshire Mind

An independent local charity that has supported people across Wiltshire for over 30 years. It offers low-cost counselling for adults, counselling for young people and wellbeing groups around the county, in person or remotely.

Swindon & Gloucestershire Mind

The local Mind for Swindon. It began as Swindon Mind in 1990 and now also covers Gloucestershire, with mental health support services based in the town.

Samaritans

Call 116 123 free, any time of day or night, if things ever feel too much to handle on your own. For urgent mental health help in Wiltshire or Swindon, you can also call NHS 111 and choose option 2.

Support groups in Wiltshire

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

Part of a Wider Family

Hair pulling belongs to a group of behaviours called body-focused repetitive behaviours, or BFRBs. They all involve repeatedly pulling, picking, biting or scraping at your own hair, skin or nails.

Skin picking is the closest relative. It has its own name in the DSM-5, excoriation disorder. Nail biting, cheek biting and lip biting sit in the same family. Many people who pull also pick or bite, sometimes in waves, with one behaviour quiet while another is busy.

What links them is the pattern, not the body part. There’s often an urge, a search for the “right” hair or patch of skin, a moment of relief, and then regret. Many people describe a trance-like feel, as if their hands work on their own.

Knowing about the wider family helps in two ways. It explains why a child who pulls may also chew their nails or pick at their lips. And it means you’re not alone even if your mix of behaviours looks unusual. Most people with a BFRB have never knowingly met someone else who has one.

None of this is a bad habit, a lack of willpower or attention-seeking, and it isn’t self-harm. Trichotillomania is a recognised condition that affects about 1 in 50 people. If you pick or bite as well as pull, say so when you first get in touch with someone.

About this page

Sources: University of Bristol and Forces News (Salisbury Plain and its garrisons); Wiltshire Council and Wikipedia (population); Isabel Martins Psychotherapy & Counselling, TLC Counselling, Life Changes Counselling, Counselling Salisbury, Sophie Gyles Therapy and Select Psychology (session cost data); Health and Care Professions Council; Professional Standards Authority; BFRB UK & Ireland; OCD Action; Wiltshire Mind; Swindon & Gloucestershire Mind; Samaritans; Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership (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 Wiltshire therapist or practitioner who works with trichotillomania?

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About Wiltshire

Wiltshire is a mostly rural county in South West England, home to around 770,000 people. Swindon is its largest town, Salisbury is its only city, and Trowbridge is the county town. Chippenham, Devizes and Marlborough are its main market towns.

Chalk downland covers much of the county. Salisbury Plain fills the middle, the North Wessex Downs rise to the east and Cranborne Chase runs along the southern edge. Swindon grew around the Great Western Railway’s works. Salisbury is known for its cathedral and water meadows. Devizes sits on the Kennet and Avon Canal beside the Caen Hill flight of locks. Avebury and Stonehenge share a World Heritage listing.

Attractions in Wiltshire

Wiltshire pairs prehistoric monuments with a Gothic cathedral, an Elizabethan house and the workshops of a great railway.

Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury

Built in just 38 years, between 1220 and 1258, it is a leading example of Early English Gothic. Its 123-metre spire, added by 1330, is the tallest in Britain. The Chapter House holds one of four surviving original copies of the 1215 Magna Carta. A faceless clock from 1386 still strikes in the nave.

Stonehenge, near Amesbury

Work began here about 5,000 years ago, and the stone circle dates from about 2500 BC. The large sarsens came from the Marlborough Downs, about 15 miles north. The smaller bluestones came from the Preseli Hills in south-west Wales, over 150 miles away. The stones frame sunrise at midsummer and sunset at midwinter.

Lacock Abbey, Lacock

Ela, Countess of Salisbury, founded the abbey as a nunnery in 1232. After the Dissolution it became a family home. In 1835 Henry Fox Talbot made the world’s earliest surviving photographic negative here, an image of an oriel window. The abbey, the Fox Talbot Museum and Lacock village are cared for by the National Trust.

Longleat, near Warminster

Sir John Thynne completed this Elizabethan house in 1580, after an earlier building burned down in 1567. It was the first stately home in Britain to open to the public. In 1966 its grounds opened as the first drive-through safari park outside Africa. The estate also has one of the world’s longest hedge mazes.

STEAM – Museum of the Great Western Railway, Swindon

The museum fills a Grade II listed building of the 1840s inside the former Swindon Works. At its peak the works employed about 14,000 people building locomotives and carriages. The museum opened in 2000, fourteen years after the works closed. It tells the story of the people who built and ran Brunel’s railway.