Trichotillomania Support in Otago
Find a therapist in Otago 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 Oamaru to Queenstown, for someone near you, or choose Online to see who works with people anywhere in Otago.
Find a therapist for trichotillomania in Otago
Otago is moving west. In 1996, almost two in three Otago residents lived in Dunedin. By 2025 it was about half, and one in five lived in Queenstown-Lakes. Few professionals learn about hair pulling in training, wherever they live. 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. Each listing shows how the 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 psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, CBT therapists, psychiatrists, occupational therapists, hypnotherapists, EFT and NLP practitioners, and BFRB coaches. BFRB stands for body-focused repetitive behaviour, the group that includes hair pulling and skin picking. If you live in the Maniototo, the Catlins or around Lake Hāwea, see who works online across Otago.
We’re building the Otago 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 Otago
Frequently Asked Questions about Trichotillomania in Otago
Find a TherapistHow do I find a trichotillomania therapist near me in Otago?›
Search the directory by town or city, such as Dunedin, Queenstown, Mosgiel, Oamaru, Wānaka, Alexandra or Balclutha. Every listing shows 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 Otago?›
Yes. Many people listed work online with clients across Otago, from the Waitaki coast to Glenorchy. Psychologists and psychotherapists hold national registration. Hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches aren’t tied to a region.
How much does trichotillomania therapy cost in Otago?›
Private sessions in Otago usually cost $120 to $250, and around $160 to $200 is typical. Clinical psychologists tend to charge the most. Every listing shows its own prices, and many offer a free first call. Some private health insurance plans pay part of the cost for some practitioner types.
What kinds of help are there for hair pulling in Otago?›
People who pull work with psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, CBT therapists, hypnotherapists, EFT and NLP practitioners, occupational therapists 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 Otago?›
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, then look for someone in the directory whose listing says they work with children and teens.
Are there trichotillomania support groups in Otago?›
We don’t know of an in-person group in Otago right now. The IOCDF lists online BFRB groups on Zoom that anyone in New Zealand can join. If you run a group in Otago, tell us and we’ll list it for free.
How common is hair pulling in Otago?›
About 1 in 50 people have trichotillomania, so around 5,000 people across Otago. It’s a recognised condition, not a bad habit, and it usually 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 in the Otago directory today. You don’t need a GP referral or a diagnosis.
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 Otago work in Dunedin, home to the University of Otago and the region’s main hospital. Queenstown and Wānaka have a smaller, growing group. From Alexandra or Balclutha, the nearest one may be an hour or more away, so online sessions matter here.
Psychologists and psychotherapists hold national registration, so they can see you online wherever you live in New Zealand. Hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches aren’t tied to a region at all.
Many Otago GP practices also offer free, short appointments with a health improvement practitioner through WellSouth. That route exists, but the sessions are brief, and you usually can’t choose someone who understands hair pulling.
How to choose who to work with
People who pull find help from many directions: psychologists, psychotherapists, counsellors, hypnotherapists, EFT and NLP practitioners, occupational therapists and coaches. Different people find different things helpful.
If you’d like to check a registered professional, New Zealand has free public registers. “Psychologist” and “psychotherapist” are protected titles. You can look up psychologists on the New Zealand Psychologists Board register and psychotherapists on the Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand register. Counselling isn’t regulated by the government, and many counsellors join the New Zealand Association of Counsellors instead. Hypnotherapists, EFT and NLP practitioners and coaches 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 Otago
Otago has no charity just for hair pulling. These organisations can help.
International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)
The main international home for BFRB support since the TLC Foundation for BFRBs wound down. Its directory lists online support groups for hair pulling and skin picking.
Anxiety New Zealand Trust
A national charity for people living with anxiety, OCD and related experiences. It isn’t focused on hair pulling. Its free helpline on 0800 ANXIETY (0800 269 4389) is open 24 hours a day.
Otago Mental Health Support Trust
A Dunedin peer support service run by people with their own lived experience of mental distress. It offers one-to-one and group support and free evening recovery cafés. You can refer yourself on 03 477 2598.
Youthline
Free support for young people and anyone supporting them, day or night. Call 0800 376 633 or text 234.
1737 Need to talk?
Call or text 1737 at any time if things ever feel too much to handle on your own. Trained counsellors and peer support workers answer.
Support groups in Otago
We don’t know of an in-person group for hair pulling in Otago right now. Most people join groups online, and for something this private, many find that easier.
- IOCDF online BFRB groups: groups on Zoom for anyone who pulls or picks, listed on the IOCDF support group directory.
- Otago Mental Health Support Trust: peer-led groups in Dunedin for general mental health. They aren’t about hair pulling, but you’ll meet people who know what it is to carry something hidden.
For parents: watching your child pull is hard. The Parent’s Guide to Trichotillomania helps you understand what your child is going through.
Do you run an Otago group? Tell us and we’ll list it for free.
Hair Pulling Rarely Travels Alone
Trichotillomania often turns up alongside other experiences. Knowing this can make the picture less confusing.
Skin picking is the closest relative. Many people who pull also pick at their skin, bite their nails or chew the inside of their cheek. Together these are called body-focused repetitive behaviours, or BFRBs.
Anxiety is common too. Some people pull more when they’re stressed. Others pull most when they’re bored, tired or lost in thought. Many people with ADHD also pull, and some with OCD. Low mood can follow years of hiding bare patches.
None of this means one thing causes another. It means hair pulling sits in a wider picture of how a person feels and focuses. That’s why it helps when the person you work with sees the whole of you, not just the pulling.
It also helps to know what trichotillomania isn’t. It’s a recognised condition, listed in the DSM-5 and ICD-10. It isn’t a bad habit, attention-seeking, self-harm or a lack of willpower.
About this page
Sources: Stats NZ population estimates (population and settlement change); New Zealand Psychologists Board; Psychotherapists Board of Aotearoa New Zealand; New Zealand Association of Counsellors; TherapyRoute and Lifetimes (session cost data); WellSouth; International OCD Foundation (including its BFRB support group listings); Anxiety New Zealand Trust; Otago Mental Health Support Trust; Youthline; 1737.
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 an Otago therapist or practitioner who works with trichotillomania?
Be found by people looking for help with hair pulling across Otago, in person or online.
About Otago
Otago, or Ōtākou, is a South Island region of about 254,000 people. Dunedin is its main city. The Southern Alps and glacial lakes fill the west, and the Clutha, New Zealand’s largest river by flow, runs to the sea near Balclutha.
Gold made Otago. Gabriel Read found it at Gabriel’s Gully near Lawrence in 1861, and for a time the region was the richest in the country. Dunedin still shows it in its stone buildings and in the University of Otago, New Zealand’s first university, founded in 1869. Oamaru, on the north coast, has a Victorian precinct built from local limestone. Inland, Alexandra and Clyde sit in the dry, rocky basins of Central Otago. Queenstown, on Lake Wakatipu, and Wānaka, on Lake Wānaka, are the region’s fast-growing western towns.
Attractions in Otago
Otago’s sights run from gold-rush history and Victorian stonework to a headland where albatrosses nest.
Dunedin Railway Station, Dunedin
George Troup designed the station, which opened in 1906 and earned him the nickname “Gingerbread George”. It is built from dark basalt with pale Oamaru stone facings. The booking hall floor holds almost 750,000 Minton tiles, and a 37-metre clock tower rises over central Dunedin.
Taiaroa Head/Pukekura, Otago Peninsula
The tip of the Otago Peninsula holds the only albatross colony on an inhabited mainland. The first egg was found there in 1919, and more than 100 northern royal albatrosses now use the site. The headland also has a lighthouse from 1864 and a restored 1886 disappearing gun.
Otago Central Rail Trail, Central Otago
This 150 km trail follows the old Otago Central Railway from Middlemarch to Clyde. The line closed in 1990, and the Department of Conservation bought the route for walking and cycling. It passes through three tunnels and over tall viaducts, reaching 618 metres between Ranfurly and Oturehua.
Arrowtown Chinese Settlement, Arrowtown
In the 1860s the Otago Provincial Council invited Chinese miners to work the goldfields. By 1874 more than 3,500 Chinese lived in Otago. Beside Bush Creek, restored huts and Ah Lum’s store, built around 1883, show how they lived. The Department of Conservation cares for the site.
Moeraki Boulders, Koekohe Beach
Grey spherical boulders lie along Koekohe Beach between Moeraki and Hampden. The largest are over two metres across and took millions of years to form on the seafloor. In Māori tradition they are remains of the wreck of the Āraiteuru canoe. They are protected in a scientific reserve.