Trichotillomania Support in Minnesota

Find a therapist in Minnesota 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 Duluth to Minneapolis, for someone near you, or choose Online to see who works with people anywhere in Minnesota.

Find a therapist for trichotillomania in Minnesota

Finding someone nearby who understands hair pulling is harder than it should be in Minnesota. Most of the state’s licensed mental health providers work in the Twin Cities or other larger cities, and about 80% of its counties are short of them. 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 you live far from the Twin Cities, you can see who works online across Minnesota.

Open the full directory →

Frequently Asked Questions about Trichotillomania in Minnesota

Find a Therapist

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

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 Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Elsewhere, many people choose online sessions.

Can I have sessions online from anywhere in Minnesota?›

Yes. Many people listed work online with clients anywhere in Minnesota. Licensed psychologists from other member states can also work with Minnesotans online. Hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches aren’t limited by state lines.

How much does trichotillomania therapy cost in Minnesota?›

Private sessions in Minnesota usually cost $130 to $200, with around $165 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 Minnesota?›

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 Minnesota?›

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

How common is hair pulling in Minnesota?›

About 1 in 50 people have trichotillomania, so roughly 59,000 to 118,000 Minnesotans. 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 in-person options are in Minneapolis, Saint Paul and the suburbs around them. In rural areas there’s roughly one provider for every 741 people, against one for every 197 in the metro. That’s why online sessions matter so much across Greater Minnesota, from the Iron Range to the southwest prairie.

Minnesota has joined an agreement that lets licensed psychologists from other member states work with Minnesotans online. It has joined a similar one for licensed counselors, which is now starting to open up. 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, Medical Assistance or a county mental health service. That route exists, but it often takes longer and rarely lets you choose 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, Minnesota’s boards offer free lookups. Use the Board of Psychology for psychologists. Use the Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy for licensed professional counselors (LPC and LPCC). “Psychologist” is a protected title in Minnesota.

Minnesota also has a law for practitioners who work outside state licensing. They must give you a written Client Bill of Rights before your first session. It lists their training, their fees and how to raise a concern with the Minnesota Department of Health. Many good kinds of help belong to their own professional associations instead of a state board.

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 Minnesota

Minnesota has no charity just for hair pulling or other body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs). It does have a Twin Cities group for OCD and related conditions. These are the organizations most useful to Minnesotans 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 Twin Cities

The IOCDF’s Minnesota affiliate. It focuses on OCD and related conditions, and shares local events and resources for people across the state.

BFRB Changemakers

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

NAMI Minnesota

The state branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, based in Saint Paul. Its free peer and family groups aren’t specific to hair pulling, but they welcome anyone.

Minnesota Warmline

Run by Mental Health Minnesota. You can call, text or chat with a trained peer when you need to talk but aren’t in crisis.

Minnesota crisis lines

If things ever feel too much to handle on your own, call or text 988, or text MN to 741741. From a cell phone you can also call **CRISIS (**274747) to reach your county’s mobile crisis team.

Support groups in Minnesota

We haven’t found an in-person trichotillomania group anywhere in Minnesota yet. Most Minnesotans 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 Minnesota can join.
BFRB Changemakers: free online peer groups for adults who pull or pick.
NAMI Minnesota: 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 a Minnesota group? Tell us and we’ll list it for free.

What Often Comes Along With Hair Pulling

Hair pulling rarely arrives on its own. Many people who pull also pick their skin, bite their nails or chew the inside of their cheeks. These are all body-focused repetitive behaviors, and they often run side by side.

Anxiety is a frequent companion too. Some people notice pulling rises during stressful weeks. Others find the worry comes afterwards, about the gaps, about being seen, about someone finding out. Low mood can follow years of hiding. ADHD and OCD also show up more often in people who pull than in the wider population.

This can make things confusing. A person may think they have several separate problems, or that one explains all the others. Often it’s a mix, and it looks different from one person to the next.

None of this is a bad habit, attention-seeking, self-harm or a lack of willpower. Trichotillomania is a recognized condition, listed in the DSM-5 and in the ICD-10 as F63.3. Knowing what tends to come with it can make the whole picture easier to talk about.

About this page

Sources: PSYPACT Commission; Counseling Compact Commission; Minnesota Board of Psychology; Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy; Minnesota Statutes chapters 146A and 148B; Minnesota Department of Health (Office of Unlicensed Complementary and Alternative Health Care Practice); Center for Rural Policy and Development (MDH workforce data); Minnesota State Demographic Center; TherapyExplained and SimplePractice therapy cost data; International OCD Foundation; OCD Twin Cities; BFRB Changemakers; NAMI Minnesota; Mental Health Minnesota; Minnesota Department of Human Services.

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 Minnesota therapist or practitioner who works with trichotillomania?

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About Minnesota

Minnesota joined the Union in 1858 as the 32nd state and now has about 5.9 million people. It has 11,842 lakes of 10 acres or more. The Mississippi River begins at Lake Itasca in the north. Lake Superior forms the northeast shore, and the Boundary Waters cover more than a million acres along the Canadian border.

Minneapolis, the largest city, grew on flour milling at St. Anthony Falls. Across the river, Saint Paul is the state capital, and Summit Avenue keeps a long stretch of Victorian homes. Rochester is home to Mayo Clinic, founded by the Mayo family in the 1880s. Duluth is a working port at the western tip of Lake Superior. Bloomington, south of Minneapolis, has held the Mall of America since 1992.

Attractions in Minnesota

Minnesota’s landmarks follow its water and its history: a river’s source, a lakeshore light and an ancient quarry.

Itasca State Park (near Park Rapids)

Minnesota’s oldest state park, established in 1891. It covers more than 32,000 acres and over 100 lakes. At the north end of Lake Itasca, you can cross the start of the Mississippi River by stepping from rock to rock.

Split Rock Lighthouse (near Two Harbors)

A storm in November 1905 damaged 29 ships on Lake Superior. The lighthouse was finished in 1910 on a cliff above the lake, and it stopped working in 1969. The Minnesota Historical Society now runs the site, including the fog signal building and a keeper’s house.

Pipestone National Monument (Pipestone)

Created in 1937 in southwest Minnesota. For more than 3,000 years, Native American people have quarried the soft red pipestone here to make pipes for prayer and ceremony. The law that created the monument keeps quarrying for Native people only. A short trail passes Winnewissa Falls.

Minnesota State Capitol (Saint Paul)

Designed by Cass Gilbert and completed in 1905. The dome is made of white Georgia marble. A gilded group of four horses and a chariot, by Daniel Chester French and Edward Potter, sits above the main entrance.

Mill City Museum (Minneapolis)

Built into the ruins of the Washburn A Mill beside St. Anthony Falls. The mill was once among the largest flour mills in the world. It closed in 1965 and burned in 1991. The museum opened in 2003, with rooftop views of the falls.