Trichotillomania Support in Marlborough
Find a therapist in Marlborough who understands trichotillomania. Whether you pull your own hair or you’re supporting a child or someone you love, search by town, from Picton to Seddon, for someone near you, or choose Online to see who works with people anywhere in Marlborough.
Find a therapist for trichotillomania in Marlborough
Marlborough has about 50,000 people, and most live in and around Blenheim. Out in the Marlborough Sounds, some homes have no road at all and are reached only by boat. Few practitioners anywhere in the region 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 in the Sounds or up the Awatere Valley, see who works online across Marlborough.
We’re building the Marlborough 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 Marlborough
Frequently Asked Questions about Trichotillomania in Marlborough
Find a TherapistHow do I find a trichotillomania therapist near me in Marlborough?›
Search our directory by town, such as Blenheim, Picton, Renwick, Havelock or Seddon. 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 Marlborough?›
Yes. Many people listed work online with clients anywhere in Marlborough, from the Sounds to the Awatere Valley. Psychologists and psychotherapists register nationally, so they can work with you wherever you live in New Zealand.
How much does trichotillomania therapy cost in Marlborough?›
Private sessions in Marlborough 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 Marlborough?›
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 Marlborough?›
We haven’t found an in-person trichotillomania group in Marlborough yet. The International OCD Foundation lists free online BFRB groups open to adults anywhere. If you run a group in Marlborough, tell us and we’ll list it for free.
How common is hair pulling in Marlborough?›
About 1 in 50 people have trichotillomania, so roughly 1,000 people across Marlborough. 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 Marlborough 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 the region work in Blenheim, with a few in Picton. Havelock, Seddon and the bays of the Sounds have 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 Marlborough 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 Marlborough
Marlborough 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, 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.
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.
Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand
The national mental health charity. Its website has plain information and a directory of community support groups around the country.
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 Marlborough
We haven’t found an in-person trichotillomania group in Marlborough 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 groups on Zoom for anyone in New Zealand. They cover many mental health experiences, not hair pulling alone. The nearest in-person group meets in Nelson.
For parents: our guide The Parent’s Guide to Trichotillomania helps you understand what your child is going through.
Do you run a Marlborough group? Tell us and we’ll list it for free.
Not All Pulling Is the Same
Two people can both pull their hair and describe it in completely different ways.
Some pull without noticing. It happens while they read, scroll their phone, watch TV or sit in traffic. They look down and find hairs on the page or the car seat, with no memory of pulling them. This is often called automatic pulling.
Others pull with full attention. They feel an urge building, often in response to stress, boredom or a sensation on the scalp. They search for a hair that feels coarse, wiry or “wrong”, and pulling it brings a moment of relief or satisfaction. This is often called focused pulling.
Most people do both, and the mix can change from week to week or across a lifetime. Some also have rituals after pulling, such as looking closely at the root, running the hair across their lips or biting it.
Knowing your own pattern can make it easier to talk about. It also helps explain why “just stop” never made sense. Trichotillomania is a body-focused repetitive behaviour, not a bad habit, not self-harm and not a lack of willpower. Many people have never described their pulling out loud before, and putting words to it is often the first step to being understood.
About this page
Sources: Stats NZ and Marlborough District (population); Marlborough Sounds and Marlborough Tour Company (boat-only settlements); 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; Ministry of Health; Health New Zealand; International OCD Foundation; Anxiety New Zealand Trust; Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand; 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 Marlborough therapist or practitioner who works with trichotillomania?
Be found by people looking for help with hair pulling across Marlborough, in person or online.
About Marlborough
Marlborough sits at the north-east tip of the South Island and is home to about 50,000 people. Blenheim, the largest town, is the council seat and one of New Zealand’s sunniest towns. Vineyards spread across the Wairau Valley around Blenheim and Renwick. Montana Wines planted the first commercial vines here in 1973. Marlborough now holds about two-thirds of the country’s vineyards, most of them sauvignon blanc.
To the north, Picton is the port for the ferries that cross Cook Strait to Wellington. Havelock sits at the head of Pelorus Sound and is known for its Greenshell mussels. Beyond both towns, the Marlborough Sounds spread out in a web of drowned valleys, islands and bays. In the south, Seddon is the main settlement of the Awatere Valley, below the Inland Kaikōura Range.
Attractions in Marlborough
Marlborough’s sights run from wartime aircraft in Blenheim to a convict ship in Picton, a coastal track through the Sounds and New Zealand’s largest farm.
Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, Blenheim
The Knights of the Sky exhibition opened in 2006 and draws on film director Sir Peter Jackson’s collection of First World War aircraft. Wētā Workshop made the lifelike figures in its dioramas. A second exhibition, Dangerous Skies, opened in 2016 and covers the Second World War.
Edwin Fox Maritime Museum, Picton
The Edwin Fox was built of teak in Calcutta in 1853 and is one of the world’s oldest surviving merchant ships. She carried troops to the Crimean War, convicts to Western Australia and settlers to New Zealand. Her hull now rests in a dry dock on the Picton waterfront.
Queen Charlotte Track, Marlborough Sounds
The 73.5 km track runs from Meretoto/Ship Cove to Anakiwa, along ridges above Queen Charlotte and Kenepuru sounds. Captain James Cook anchored at Ship Cove several times in the 1770s. Walkers and mountain bikers both use the track, which forms part of Te Araroa, New Zealand’s long-distance trail.
Pelorus Bridge Scenic Reserve, west of Havelock
State Highway 6 crosses Te Hoiere/Pelorus River here, halfway between Blenheim and Nelson. The reserve protects one of the area’s last stands of river-flat forest, with rimu, kahikatea and tōtara rising above beech. The dwarves’ barrel escape in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug was filmed on this river.
Molesworth Station, inland Marlborough
At 180,787 hectares, Molesworth is New Zealand’s largest farm and runs the country’s biggest cattle herd. It lies behind the Inland Kaikōura Range and is larger than Rakiura/Stewart Island. The Crown owns the land, and the Department of Conservation manages it as a recreation reserve.