Trichotillomania Support in Nelson
Find a therapist in Nelson who understands trichotillomania. Whether you pull your own hair or you’re supporting a child or someone you love, search by suburb, from Atawhai to Stoke, for someone near you, or choose Online to see who works with people anywhere in Nelson.
Find a therapist for trichotillomania in Nelson
Nelson’s median age was 44 at the 2023 Census, six years above the national figure. Hair pulling often starts in childhood, so many people who pull here have lived with it for decades. Few practitioners in the city learned about it 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 out past Cable Bay or up the Maitai Valley, see who works online across Nelson.
We’re building the Nelson 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 Nelson
Frequently Asked Questions about Trichotillomania in Nelson
Find a TherapistHow do I find a trichotillomania therapist near me in Nelson?›
Search our directory by suburb, such as Nelson Central, Stoke, Tāhunanui, Atawhai or The Wood. 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 Nelson?›
Yes. Many people listed work online with clients anywhere in Nelson, from Stoke to Cable Bay. Psychologists and psychotherapists register nationally, so they can work with you wherever you live in New Zealand.
How much does trichotillomania therapy cost in Nelson?›
Private sessions in Nelson 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 Nelson?›
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 Nelson?›
We haven’t found an in-person trichotillomania group in Nelson yet. The International OCD Foundation lists free online BFRB groups open to adults anywhere. If you run a group in Nelson, tell us and we’ll list it for free.
How common is hair pulling in Nelson?›
About 1 in 50 people have trichotillomania, so roughly 1,100 people across Nelson. 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 Nelson 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 city work in central Nelson and Stoke, and more work in Richmond, just over the Tasman boundary. Nelson is a small city, so the person you’d see may know your family, your school or your workplace. Online sessions give you more choice and more privacy. 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 Nelson 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 Nelson
Nelson 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 Nelson
We haven’t found an in-person trichotillomania group in Nelson 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 Nelson and online groups for 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 Nelson group? Tell us and we’ll list it for free.
About this page
Sources: Stats NZ census data (via Wikipedia); 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; 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 Nelson therapist or practitioner who works with trichotillomania?
Be found by people looking for help with hair pulling across Nelson, in person or online.
About Nelson
Nelson is a city of about 54,000 people on Tasman Bay, at the top of the South Island. Its Māori name is Whakatū. Settled by the New Zealand Company in 1841, it became a city by royal letters patent in 1858. It averages more than 2,400 hours of sunshine a year.
Trafalgar Street runs through the grid of the city centre to the cathedral on Church Hill. Nearby South Street is a designated heritage area of early workers’ cottages. Tāhunanui has the city’s main beach, just west of the port. Stoke, to the south, is home to Isel Park. Atawhai lines the shore of the Nelson Haven and is home to Whakatū Marae. The Maitai Valley runs inland from the centre, and Abel Tasman, Kahurangi and Nelson Lakes national parks are all within reach.
Attractions in Nelson
Nelson’s sights sit close together: a marble cathedral, a survey hill, a 13 km boulder spit, a fenced forest sanctuary and a settler estate.
Christ Church Cathedral, central Nelson
The cathedral stands on Church Hill at the top of Trafalgar Street. Its foundation stone was laid in August 1925, and the building uses Tākaka marble. After the 1929 Murchison earthquake, much of the marble was ground and mixed into plaster rather than laid in blocks. The cathedral was consecrated in 1972.
Centre of New Zealand, Botanical Hill
A monument on the 147-metre summit marks a survey point from the 1870s. Chief Surveyor John Spence Browning started New Zealand’s first geodetic survey here. It isn’t the true centre of the country, which lies to the south-west. The Botanic Reserve at the foot of the hill hosted New Zealand’s first rugby match in 1870.
Nelson Boulder Bank and lighthouse
This 13 km natural bank of boulders runs south from Mackay Bluff and shelters the Nelson Haven. A channel, known as the Cut, was dug through it in 1906. Near the port end stands New Zealand’s second permanent lighthouse, a cast-iron tower made in Bath, England, first lit in 1862.
Brook Waimārama Sanctuary, The Brook
The sanctuary protects about 690 hectares of beech forest in the Brook Valley, a former water-supply reserve 6 km south of the city centre. A pest-proof fence of about 14 km was finished in 2016. It is the largest fenced sanctuary in the South Island, home to kiwi, tuatara and kākāriki.
Isel House and Park, Stoke
Thomas and Mary Marsden reached Nelson in 1842 and moved to their Stoke estate in 1848, becoming the largest landowners in the district. Thomas planted the specimen trees that still shape Isel Park. The house holds furniture, paintings and ceramics once owned by the family, and the city council now owns both house and park.