Trichotillomania Support in Canterbury
Find a therapist in Canterbury who understands trichotillomania. Whether you pull your own hair or you’re supporting a child or someone you love, search by city or town, from Kaikōura to Timaru, for someone near you, or choose Online to see who works with people anywhere in Canterbury.
Find a therapist for trichotillomania in Canterbury
Canterbury is New Zealand’s largest region by area. It runs from the Clarence River north of Kaikōura to the Waitaki River, and west to the Southern Alps. Few practitioners anywhere in that stretch learned about hair pulling in training. Connecting you with people who already understand it is the reason this directory exists.
Everyone listed has told us they understand hair pulling and already help people who pull. 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. The directory includes therapists, counsellors, psychologists, psychotherapists, hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches.
If you live up in the Mackenzie Country, on Banks Peninsula or around Hanmer Springs, see who works online across Canterbury.
We’re building the Canterbury 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 Canterbury
Frequently Asked Questions about Trichotillomania in Canterbury
Find a TherapistHow do I find a trichotillomania therapist near me in Canterbury?›
Search our directory by city or town, such as Christchurch, Rolleston, Timaru, Ashburton, Rangiora or Kaikōura. 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 Canterbury?›
Yes. Many people listed work online with clients anywhere in Canterbury, from Kaikōura to Twizel. Psychologists and psychotherapists register nationally, so they can work with you wherever you live in New Zealand.
How much does trichotillomania therapy cost in Canterbury?›
Private sessions in Canterbury usually cost NZ$130 to NZ$250, and around NZ$150 to NZ$200 is typical. Clinical psychologists sit at the top of that range. Every listing shows its own prices, and many people offer a free first call. Some private health insurance policies pay 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 Canterbury?›
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 Canterbury?›
We haven’t found an in-person trichotillomania group in Canterbury yet. The International OCD Foundation lists free online BFRB groups open to adults anywhere. If you run a group in Canterbury, tell us and we’ll list it for free.
How common is hair pulling in Canterbury?›
About 1 in 50 people have trichotillomania, so roughly 14,000 people across Canterbury. 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 in Canterbury 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.
More than half of Canterbury’s people live in Christchurch, and most practitioners work there too. Rolleston, Rangiora and Timaru have a few. Across the Canterbury Plains, the Mackenzie Basin and the Kaikōura coast, there are very few. Online sessions close that gap, and many people who pull prefer to start from home anyway.
Psychologists and psychotherapists in New Zealand register with a national board, so they can work with you online from anywhere in the country. Counsellors, hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches aren’t tied to a region either. You can search the directory for Canterbury and include people based elsewhere in New Zealand who work online.
Your GP can also refer you to free short-term mental health support. 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 is that you feel understood.
You can check registration if you’d like to. “Psychologist” and “psychotherapist” are protected titles in New Zealand. The New Zealand Psychologists Board has a free public register search, and the Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand keeps its own register. Counsellors are self-regulated, and many belong to the New Zealand Association of Counsellors. Other good kinds of help belong to their own associations.
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 Canterbury
Canterbury has no charity just for hair pulling or other body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs), and neither does the rest of New Zealand. These organisations cover BFRBs internationally, mental health in Christchurch, or mental health across the country.
International OCD Foundation
A US-based foundation that is now the main international home for BFRB information. Its online directory lists free peer groups for hair pulling and skin picking, several of them open to adults anywhere.
Mental Health Education and Resource Centre (MHERC)
A Christchurch organisation offering free mental health information to people across the South Island. It runs a lending library and keeps a directory of local mental health services.
Anxiety New Zealand Trust
A national charity with a free 24/7 helpline on 0800 ANXIETY (0800 269 4389). Many people who pull also live with anxiety.
Youthline
Free support for young people. Call 0800 376 633 or text 234 for free.
1737 Need to talk?
Call or text 1737 for free, any time of day or night, to talk with a trained counsellor if things feel too much to handle on your own.
Support groups in Canterbury
We haven’t found an in-person trichotillomania group in Canterbury yet. Most people here who pull connect with others online, and for something this private, many find that easier.
- International OCD Foundation online BFRB groups: free peer groups on Zoom for people who pull or pick, including groups open to adults in any country.
- GROW Mental Health: free, member-run community groups, with a face-to-face group in Kaiapoi and Zoom groups open to anyone in New Zealand. They cover many mental health experiences, not hair pulling alone.
For parents: our guide The Parent’s Guide to Trichotillomania helps you understand what your child is going through.
Do you run a Canterbury group? Tell us and we’ll list it for free.
The Silence Before the Search
Most people who pull keep it to themselves for years before they look for help. Some have never said the word “trichotillomania” out loud.
The silence usually starts early. Pulling often begins between ages 10 and 13, at the age when fitting in matters most. A child notices a thin patch, feels embarrassed and learns to hide it. Hats, fringes, make-up and careful partings become routine.
Hiding takes work. People skip swimming, avoid windy days and steer clear of hairdressers. Some turn down close relationships because someone might notice. Every one of these choices can deepen the sense that pulling is something shameful.
Part of the silence comes from not knowing there is a name for it. Most people who pull have never knowingly met anyone else who does. Many assume it’s a bad habit they should be able to stop. It isn’t. Trichotillomania is a body-focused repetitive behaviour, not self-harm, not attention-seeking and not a lack of willpower.
When the search finally comes, it often starts late at night, alone, with a few words typed into a phone. Finding out that about 1 in 50 people pull can change how it feels to live with. The next step, sending one short message to someone who understands, is often smaller than the years of silence before it.
About this page
Sources: Environment Canterbury and Stats NZ (population); Wikipedia (Canterbury Region); TherapyRoute, Lifetimes NZ and The Psychology Hub (session cost data); New Zealand Psychologists Board; Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand; New Zealand Association of Counsellors; International OCD Foundation; Mental Health Education and Resource Centre; Anxiety New Zealand Trust; GROW Mental Health (via Healthpoint); Youthline; 1737 Need to talk?.
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 Canterbury therapist or practitioner who works with trichotillomania?
Be found by people looking for help with hair pulling across Canterbury, in person or online.
About Canterbury
Canterbury covers about 44,500 km² of the east of the South Island and is home to about 700,000 people. Christchurch holds more than half of them. In its centre, New Regent Street’s row of Spanish Mission shops opened in 1932, and the heritage tram runs through it. Rolleston, 22 km south-west of the city, has grown from about 2,800 people in 2001 to become Canterbury’s second-largest town.
The Canterbury Plains spread south through Ashburton to Timaru, a port city built on old lava flows, with Caroline Bay beside its harbour. Rangiora is the main town of North Canterbury, and Hanmer Springs sits in the hills beyond it. Kaikōura holds the northern coast between mountains and sea. Inland, the Mackenzie Basin lies below the Southern Alps, with Lake Tekapo and Twizel on its edges.
Attractions in Canterbury
Canterbury’s sights stretch from a city garden and a French harbour town to a whale coast, a lakeside stone church and New Zealand’s highest mountain.
Christchurch Botanic Gardens, Christchurch
The gardens began in 1863 with a single English oak, planted to mark the wedding of the Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra. They now cover 21 hectares beside Hagley Park. Cuningham House, a heritage-listed conservatory from 1924, holds the tropical collection.
Akaroa, Banks Peninsula
French settlers landed here on 18 August 1840, off the Comte de Paris, and streets such as Rue Lavaud still carry French names. The harbour fills a crater of the old Banks Peninsula volcano, 84 km from Christchurch. Hector’s dolphins live in its waters, part of which is a marine reserve.
Kaikōura Peninsula, Kaikōura
The name means “meal of crayfish”. The Kaikōura Canyon plunges to deep water about a kilometre offshore, so sperm whales feed here all year. Fur seals rest on the peninsula’s rocks. The 2016 earthquake raised parts of the seabed by up to 2 metres. Fyffe House, from the whaling era, stands on whalebone foundations.
Church of the Good Shepherd, Lake Tekapo
This small stone church on the shore of Lake Tekapo was consecrated in 1935. Architect R.S.D. Harman worked from sketches by local artist Esther Hope. A window behind the altar frames the lake. Since June 2012 it has sat inside the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve.
Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, Mackenzie District
Created in 1953, the park holds Aoraki/Mount Cook, at 3,724 m New Zealand’s highest peak. All but one of the country’s peaks over 3,000 m lie inside it, along with the Tasman Glacier, the longest in New Zealand. Sir Edmund Hillary trained on these mountains. The Hooker Valley Track is its most walked route.