Trichotillomania Support in Iowa

Find a therapist in Iowa 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 Sioux City to Davenport, for someone near you, or choose Online to see who works with people anywhere in Iowa.

Find a therapist for trichotillomania in Iowa

Finding someone nearby who understands hair pulling is hard in Iowa: 81 of the state’s 99 counties are short of mental health providers. Iowa is also one of the last states to let psychologists from other states work with residents online. That change doesn’t start until July 2027. Connecting you with people who already understand hair pulling is the reason this directory exists.

The directory includes therapists, counselors, psychologists, hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners, NLP practitioners and coaches. Every listing explains how that person works, whether they see people in person, online or both, and what they charge. Each one has a private contact form, so you can get in touch without sharing your details publicly.

If there’s no one near you in rural Iowa yet, you can see who works online across Iowa.

Open the full directory →

Frequently Asked Questions about Trichotillomania in Iowa

Find a Therapist

How do I find a trichotillomania therapist near me in Iowa?›

Search our directory by town or city. Every listing explains how the person works, what they charge and whether they see people in person, online or both. Most in-person options are around Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and Davenport. Elsewhere, many people choose online sessions.

Can I have sessions online from anywhere in Iowa?›

Yes. Many people listed work online with clients anywhere in Iowa. Psychologists from other states can only work with Iowans online from July 2027, when Iowa’s new agreement takes effect. Hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches aren’t limited by state lines.

How much does trichotillomania therapy cost in Iowa?›

Private sessions in Iowa usually cost $105 to $195, with around $145 typical. Every listing shows its own prices. Some insurance plans pay part of the cost for some practitioner types, and many people offer a free first call.

What kinds of help are there for hair pulling?›

People who pull work with therapists, counselors, psychologists, 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 doctor’s note or a diagnosis to get help in Iowa?›

No. You can contact anyone listed in our directory directly, without a doctor’s note 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 Iowa?›

We haven’t found an in-person trichotillomania group in Iowa yet. Iowans can join online groups through the International OCD Foundation’s listings and BFRB Changemakers. NAMI Iowa affiliates run broader groups around the state. If you run a group, tell us and we’ll list it.

How common is hair pulling in Iowa?›

About 1 in 50 people have trichotillomania, so roughly 32,000 to 65,000 Iowans. It’s a recognized 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 contact anyone listed here directly, today. You don’t need a doctor’s note 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 Iowa practitioners work in a few places: the Des Moines metro, Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, and the Quad Cities around Davenport. Across the northwest and southern counties, offices are few and far apart. That’s why online sessions matter so much in Iowa.

In 2026 Iowa joined the agreement that lets licensed psychologists from other states work with people online. It only takes effect in July 2027. Until then, a psychologist needs an Iowa license to see you. Iowa has also joined a similar agreement for licensed counselors, which is still being rolled out. Hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches aren’t covered by these licensing rules, so many already work with people in any state.

You can also go through your insurance, Iowa Medicaid or a community mental health center. 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, counselors, psychologists, hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners, NLP practitioners and coaches. Different people find different things helpful. What matters is that you feel understood.

If you’d like to check a licensed clinician, Iowa has one board for them. The Board of Behavioral Health Professionals licenses psychologists, mental health counselors (LMHC), marriage and family therapists and social workers. You can look anyone up for free on the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing record search. “Psychologist” is a protected title in Iowa. Many other good kinds of help aren’t licensed by the state at all and belong to their own professional associations instead.

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?

Charities and groups in Iowa

Iowa has no charity just for hair pulling or other body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs). It does have a statewide group for OCD and related conditions. These are the organizations most useful to Iowans who pull.

International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)

The main US home for BFRB support, including trichotillomania. Its website explains hair pulling in plain terms. Its support-group listings include online BFRB groups open to people anywhere in the US.

OCD Iowa

The IOCDF’s Iowa affiliate, founded in 2023 and based in the Des Moines area. It focuses mainly on OCD but covers related conditions too, and shares resources and support-group information for Iowans.

BFRB Changemakers

A US nonprofit focused on hair pulling, skin picking and related behaviors. It hosts a free monthly online peer group for adults.

NAMI Iowa

The state branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, based in Des Moines, with local affiliates across the state. Its free peer and family groups aren’t specific to hair pulling, but they welcome anyone.

Your Life Iowa

Iowa’s free, confidential support line. Call, text or chat any time, day or night, if things ever feel too much to handle on your own. You can also call or text 988.

Support groups in Iowa

We haven’t found an in-person trichotillomania group anywhere in Iowa yet. Most Iowans who pull connect with others online, and for something this private, many find that easier.

IOCDF support-group listings: online BFRB groups that anyone in Iowa can join.
BFRB Changemakers: a free monthly online peer group for adults who pull or pick.
NAMI Iowa affiliates: groups in person and online around the state. They aren’t just for hair pulling, but they’re a way to meet people nearby.

For parents: our guide The Parent’s Guide to Trichotillomania helps you understand what your child is going through.

Do you run an Iowa group? Tell us and we’ll list it for free.

The Pull-and-Relief Cycle

Many people who pull describe the same pattern. First comes a build-up: tension, restlessness, or an itch-like feeling at the scalp, brows or lashes. Pulling brings a short moment of relief, or even a kind of satisfaction. Then, often within minutes, comes the other side: regret, embarrassment, and a close look at the gap left behind.

That loop is part of what makes trichotillomania so confusing, both for the person who pulls and for the people around them. The relief is real, and so is the distress. Both can be true within the same few minutes.

For some people the build-up is easy to spot, such as stress before an exam or a hard conversation. For others there’s no clear trigger at all. Pulling happens while reading, driving or scrolling, and they only notice afterwards.

None of this is a bad habit, attention-seeking, self-harm or a lack of willpower. It is a recognized condition, listed in the DSM-5 and in the ICD-10 as F63.3. Understanding the cycle often brings the first real sense of relief. It has a shape, other people know it too, and it isn’t a personal failing.

About this page

Sources: PSYPACT Commission; Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (Board of Behavioral Health Professionals, Psychology, Find a Record or License); Counseling Compact Commission; Iowa HHS System Snapshot (2026); TherapyExplained Iowa therapy cost data (2026); International OCD Foundation; OCD Iowa; BFRB Changemakers; NAMI Iowa; Your Life Iowa; 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

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 Iowa therapist or practitioner who works with trichotillomania?

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About Iowa

Iowa is a farm state of about 3.2 million people set between two rivers. The Mississippi forms its eastern border and the Missouri much of its western one. It joined the Union in 1846 as the 29th state.

Des Moines, the capital and largest city, holds the gold-domed State Capitol and the East Village, a district of shops and restaurants below it. Cedar Rapids, the second-largest city, was home to the painter Grant Wood. Iowa City is home to the University of Iowa and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and in 2008 it became a UNESCO City of Literature. Ames is home to Iowa State University. Davenport anchors the Quad Cities on the Mississippi, and Dubuque climbs the bluffs farther north. In the far west, Sioux City sits on the Missouri at the edge of the Loess Hills.

Attractions in Iowa

Iowa’s landmarks sit off the interstates: ancient earthworks, communal villages, covered bridges and a painter’s farmhouse.

Effigy Mounds National Monument (Harpers Ferry)

President Truman created the monument in 1949 on bluffs above the Mississippi in northeast Iowa. It protects more than 200 mounds built by Native American peoples, 31 of them shaped like bears and birds. The Marching Bear Group, a line of ten bear-shaped mounds, stretches along a bluff top above the river.

Amana Colonies (Amana)

German religious settlers founded the first of these seven villages in 1855 and lived communally for nearly 80 years. Residents shared all property until 1932, when the community reorganized as a business. The villages keep many of their original 19th-century buildings, and they were named a National Historic Landmark in 1965.

American Gothic House (Eldon)

Charles and Catherine Dibble built this small Carpenter Gothic house in 1881–82. In 1930 Grant Wood saw its large upper window and used the house as the backdrop for his painting American Gothic. The State Historical Society of Iowa owns the house, and the visitor center next door is free to enter.

Covered Bridges of Madison County (Winterset)

Madison County once had at least 19 covered bridges, and six still stand around Winterset. The Roseman Bridge was built in 1883 over the Middle River and later featured in the novel The Bridges of Madison County. The Holliwell Bridge, from 1880, is the longest of the six.

Loess Hills (western Iowa)

These hills are made almost entirely of windblown silt left at the end of the last ice age. They run nearly 200 miles along the Missouri River, from Sioux City south toward St. Joseph, Missouri. Only China has taller loess formations. A 220-mile scenic byway follows them through prairie, forest and farmland.