Trichotillomania Support in Hawke's Bay
Find a therapist in Hawke’s Bay 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 Wairoa to Waipukurau, for someone near you, or choose Online to see who works with people anywhere in Hawke’s Bay.
Find a therapist for trichotillomania in Hawke’s Bay
Hawke’s Bay stretches from the Māhia Peninsula in the north to Pōrangahau in the south. Yet about three in four of its 180,000 people live in and around Napier and Hastings. Very few of the therapists and counsellors working here 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 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 nobody suitable is near your town, see who works online across Hawke’s Bay.
We’re building the Hawke's Bay 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 Hawke's Bay
Frequently Asked Questions about Trichotillomania in Hawke's Bay
Find a TherapistHow do I find a trichotillomania therapist near me in Hawke’s Bay?›
Search our directory by town or city, such as Napier, Hastings, Havelock North, Waipukurau or Wairoa. 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 Hawke’s Bay?›
Yes. Many people listed work online with clients anywhere in the region, from Māhia to Pōrangahau. Psychologist and psychotherapist registration covers all of New Zealand, and hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches aren’t tied to one area either.
How much does trichotillomania therapy cost in Hawke’s Bay?›
Private sessions in Hawke’s Bay usually cost NZ$100 to NZ$250, with around NZ$120 to NZ$200 typical. Clinical psychologists usually charge at the top of the range. 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 Hawke’s Bay?›
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 Hawke’s Bay?›
We haven’t found an in-person trichotillomania group in Hawke’s Bay yet. The International OCD Foundation lists online BFRB groups, and the Lighthouse centres in Napier and Hastings are open to people living with mental distress. If you run a group here, tell us and we’ll list it for free.
How common is hair pulling in Hawke’s Bay?›
About 1 in 50 people have trichotillomania, so roughly 3,600 people across Hawke’s Bay. 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 Hawke’s Bay 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.
Most private practitioners in the region work in Napier, Hastings and Havelock North. Far fewer are based in Waipukurau, Waipawa or Wairoa. If you live in Central Hawke’s Bay, on the Māhia Peninsula or around Wairoa, online sessions often mean more choice and no long drive.
Registration for psychologists and psychotherapists covers all of New Zealand, so they can work with you online wherever you live. Hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches aren’t tied to one area either. You can search the Hawke’s Bay directory by town or by online sessions.
Your GP can also connect you with publicly funded 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 most is that you feel understood.
You can also check a clinician’s registration if you’d like. In New Zealand, only people registered with the New Zealand Psychologists Board can call themselves a psychologist. The Board has a free register search. The title “psychotherapist” is protected in the same way, and the Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand keeps its own public register. “Counsellor” is not a protected title. Many counsellors belong to the New Zealand Association of Counsellors, and hypnotherapists and coaches have 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 Hawke’s Bay
New Zealand has no charity just for hair pulling or other body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs). An international BFRB organisation runs online groups, and national and Hawke’s Bay charities support people with anxiety and mental distress.
International OCD Foundation
The main international home for BFRB support. Its website explains hair pulling in plain language and lists online BFRB support groups, most of them run from the United States.
Anxiety New Zealand Trust
A national charity for anxiety, OCD and related conditions, founded in 1980. It runs the free 0800 ANXIETY helpline (0800 269 4389), open 24 hours a day, for you or someone you care about.
Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand
A national charity with plain-language information on mental health and a directory of support services around the country, including in Hawke’s Bay.
Whatever It Takes Trust
A Napier-based charity supporting people in Hawke’s Bay through mental health and addiction difficulties. Its Lighthouse centres in Napier and Hastings are drop-in spaces to meet others and take part in activities.
1737 Need to talk?
Call or text 1737 free, any time of day or night, to talk with a trained counsellor. It’s there if things ever feel too much to handle on your own.
Support groups in Hawke’s Bay
We haven’t found an in-person trichotillomania group in Hawke’s Bay yet. Most people here who pull connect with others online, and for something this private, many find that easier.
- International OCD Foundation online groups: peer-led BFRB groups on Zoom. Most run on US time, so check how the times fall in New Zealand.
- Lighthouse centres (Whatever It Takes Trust): community spaces in Napier and Hastings for people living with mental distress. They aren’t about hair pulling, but they’re a place to meet others.
For parents: our guide The Parent’s Guide to Trichotillomania helps you understand what your child is going through.
Do you run a Hawke’s Bay group? Tell us and we’ll list it for free.
The Sensory Side of Pulling
For many people, pulling is about touch as much as anything else. Fingers search the scalp, brows or lashes for one hair that feels different. It might be coarse, kinked, wiry or simply out of place. Finding it brings a strong urge to remove it.
The sensations don’t stop once the hair comes out. Some people run the root along their lips or roll the hair between their fingers. Others look closely at the bulb at its end, or bite or twirl it. These after-pulling rituals are common, and many people have never told anyone about them.
Pulling often happens in quiet, still moments: reading, scrolling, driving or lying in bed. The hands are idle and go looking for texture. At other times it’s more focused, set off by tension or by a hair that just feels wrong.
Many people describe a mix of relief and regret afterwards. That mix is part of the condition. Trichotillomania is not a bad habit, attention-seeking, self-harm or a lack of willpower.
It helps to notice the sensory side of your own pulling: which hairs you look for, and what you do with them. That can make a first conversation with someone who understands much easier.
About this page
Sources: Psychology Today, Weave Hawke’s Bay and Dr Craig Colhoun Psychology (session cost data); New Zealand Psychologists Board; Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand; International OCD Foundation; Anxiety New Zealand Trust; Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand; Whatever It Takes Trust; 1737 Need to talk?; Stats NZ (2023 Census); Te Ara, the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
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 Hawke’s Bay therapist or practitioner who works with trichotillomania?
Be found by people looking for help with hair pulling across Hawke’s Bay, in person or online.
About Hawke’s Bay
Hawke’s Bay is an east coast region of the North Island, home to about 180,000 people. Its Māori name, Te Matau-a-Māui, means the fishhook of Māui. Napier and Hastings sit close together on the Heretaunga Plains, and about three in four people live in or around them.
Napier was rebuilt in Art Deco style after the 1931 earthquake. Ahuriri, its old port, is where people go to eat by the water. Hastings is surrounded by orchards and vineyards, and Havelock North sits at the foot of Te Mata Peak. In the north, Wairoa lies on its river near the Māhia Peninsula. Central Hawke’s Bay’s farming towns, Waipukurau and Waipawa, are to the south, with the Ruahine Range to the west.
Attractions in Hawke’s Bay
Hawke’s Bay pairs Napier’s Art Deco streets with a limestone peak, the world’s largest mainland gannet colony, a rescued lighthouse and the world’s longest place name.
National Tobacco Company Building, Ahuriri, Napier
Tobacco maker Gerhard Husheer had architect Louis Hay design this building after the 1931 earthquake, and it was finished at the end of 1932. Hay’s arched entrance mixes Art Deco lines with Art Nouveau roses, vine leaves and raupō, the native bulrush. Heritage New Zealand lists it as a Category 1 historic place.
Te Mata Peak, Havelock North
Te Mata Peak rises 399 metres above the Heretaunga Plains, and a sealed road runs to the summit lookout. In Ngāti Kahungunu tradition, its ridgeline is the body of the giant Rongokako, which is why it’s also called the Sleeping Giant. The Chambers family gifted the peak and park to the people of Hawke’s Bay in 1927.
Cape Kidnappers / Te Kauwae-a-Māui, near Clifton
The cape holds the largest and most accessible mainland gannet colony in the world, with more than 6,500 breeding pairs. James Cook named it on 15 October 1769, after local Māori took Taiata, a Tahitian boy aboard the Endeavour. The iwi account describes it as a rescue attempt. Road access ends at Clifton.
Wairoa Lighthouse, Wairoa
This lighthouse first shone from Portland Island, off the Māhia Peninsula, in February 1878 and worked for 77 years. When an automated light replaced it, Wairoa mayor Robert Shortt campaigned to save it. It reopened on the Wairoa riverbank on 10 June 1961. A 2016 refurbishment uncovered its original copper dome.
Taumata Hill, Pōrangahau
This 305-metre hill south of Waipukurau carries the world’s longest place name, at 85 letters: Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. It tells of Tamatea, a traveller who played his kōauau (flute) to his loved one from the summit. The hill is on private farmland, and visitors photograph the name sign on Wimbledon Road.