Trichotillomania Support in Ohio

Find a therapist in Ohio 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 Cleveland to Cincinnati, for someone near you, or choose Online to see who works with people anywhere in Ohio.

Find a therapist for trichotillomania in Ohio

Ohioans can reach further online than people in most states. In January 2026, Ohio became one of the first three states where counselors from other member states can apply to work with residents. Finding someone who understands hair pulling, wherever you live, is the reason this directory exists.

The directory includes therapists, counselors, psychologists, CBT therapists, occupational therapists, hypnotherapists, EFT and NLP practitioners, and BFRB coaches. BFRB stands for body-focused repetitive behavior, the group that includes hair pulling and skin picking. Every listing shows how the person works, whether they see people in person or online, what they charge, and has a private contact form. From Toledo to Portsmouth, online sessions mean your county doesn’t decide who you can work with.

Open the full directory →

Frequently Asked Questions about Trichotillomania in Ohio

Find a Therapist

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

Search the directory by your city or town, or choose Online to see people who work with clients anywhere in Ohio. Every listing shows how the person works, whether they see people in person or online, what they charge, and has a private contact form.

Can I have sessions online from anywhere in Ohio?›

Yes. Anyone licensed in Ohio can see you online wherever you live in the state, from Lake Erie to the Ohio River. Many licensed psychologists and counselors in other states can also work with Ohioans online. Hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches aren’t bound by these rules.

How much does trichotillomania therapy cost in Ohio?›

Private sessions usually cost $90–$200, with around $140 typical. Prices run highest around Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati. Every listing shows its own prices, and many people offer a free first call.

What kinds of help are there for hair pulling in Ohio?›

Therapists, counselors, psychologists, CBT therapists, occupational therapists, hypnotherapists, EFT and NLP practitioners, and BFRB coaches all help people who pull. Different people find different things helpful. What they share here is that they understand hair pulling.

Do I need a doctor’s note or a diagnosis to get help in Ohio?›

No. You can contact anyone listed in the directory directly, without a doctor’s note and without a diagnosis. Just say you pull your hair and want someone who understands trichotillomania.

My child pulls their hair. What do I do first?›

Stay steady and don’t tell them off; pressure and punishment reliably make pulling worse. Read The Parent’s Guide to Trichotillomania to understand what your child is going through. Then look for someone whose listing says they work with children and teens.

Are there trichotillomania support groups in Ohio?›

We haven’t confirmed an in-person hair pulling group in Ohio yet. The IOCDF lists online BFRB groups you can join from anywhere, and NAMI Ohio affiliates run free groups for related conditions and families. If you run one, tell us and we’ll list it for free.

How common is hair pulling in Ohio?›

Trichotillomania affects about 1 in 50 people, which means more than 100,000 Ohioans. It usually starts around ages 10–13 but can begin at any age. It’s a recognized condition in the DSM-5. Read 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. Use the private contact form on their listing and say what it is: “I pull my hair. I’m looking for someone who understands trichotillomania.” Plain words like that keep you from being steered toward general stress work.

Most private practices in Ohio sit in and around Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati. Smaller clusters work in Toledo, Akron, Dayton and Canton. Appalachian Ohio is different. Its 32 counties run along the Ohio River and up the eastern side of the state, and practices there are few and far apart. Online sessions are often the most realistic option.

Ohio has joined the agreements that let many licensed psychologists and counselors in other member states work with Ohioans online. Hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches aren’t bound by these licensing rules.

Your insurer, Medicaid plan or county behavioral health board can also connect you with someone. That route exists, but it often takes longer, 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: therapists, counselors, psychologists, hypnotherapists, EFT and NLP practitioners, occupational therapists and coaches. Different people find different things helpful. What matters is that the person understands hair pulling and that you feel at ease with them.

To check a licensed clinician, Ohio has one free lookup: eLicense Ohio’s Verify a License. Psychologists are licensed by the State of Ohio Board of Psychology. Counselors (LPC and LPCC), social workers and marriage and family therapists share the Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage & Family Therapist Board. Hypnotherapy, EFT, NLP and coaching aren’t licensed by the state, and practitioners belong to their own 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 Ohio

Ohio has no charity just for hair pulling right now. A volunteer-run branch of the International OCD Foundation covers Ohio and three neighboring states, and these organizations can help today.

International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)

The main US home for BFRB support, including hair pulling and skin picking. It runs online events and keeps a list of support groups, including groups for people who pull.

OCD Midwest

The IOCDF’s volunteer-run branch for Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. Its focus is OCD, but it welcomes people with related conditions and their families.

NAMI Ohio

The Ohio branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, based in Columbus, with local affiliates across the state. They run free peer and family support groups and classes. They aren’t focused on hair pulling, but they help with the anxiety and low mood that often come with it.

Mental Health America of Ohio

A Columbus nonprofit founded in 1956, and the Ohio affiliate of Mental Health America. It helps people find their way to services, with most of its programs in central Ohio.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 at any time if distress turns into a crisis. For support that isn’t an emergency, the state’s Ohio CareLine answers 24 hours a day on 1-800-720-9616.

Support groups in Ohio

Most groups for people who pull meet online right now. We haven’t been able to confirm an in-person hair pulling group in Ohio. Here’s what we can confirm:

IOCDF groups: the IOCDF’s support group directory lists BFRB groups, and many meet online, so you can join from anywhere in the state.
NAMI Ohio groups: local affiliates run free peer and family groups. They aren’t about hair pulling, but they welcome anyone living with a mental health condition and their families.
OCD Midwest: ask about its family support group and online talks, and whether hair pulling fits.

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 Ohio group? Tell us and we’ll list it for free.

The hidden weight of concealment

For many people who pull, hiding it becomes a second job. Bangs cover a thin patch at the front. Brow pencil fills a gap every morning. Hats, headbands and false lashes do the rest.

The work doesn’t stop at the mirror. People avoid swimming pools, windy days, haircuts and bright bathroom lights. Some turn down sleepovers, beach trips or a partner staying the night. Each choice makes sense on its own, but together they shrink a life.

Concealment also keeps the secret from people who care. Many adults who pull have never told a parent, a close friend or a partner. Some have kept it hidden for decades. Most have never knowingly met another person who pulls, so it can feel like no one else lives this way.

The effort takes a toll. Planning, checking and covering take time and energy every day. The fear of being found out can weigh more than the hair loss itself.

None of this is vanity. Trichotillomania isn’t a bad habit, attention-seeking, self-harm or a lack of willpower. Hiding it is a common, human response to a condition people rarely talk about. For many, the first real relief comes from saying it out loud to one person who already understands.

About this page

Sources: Ohio Revised Code (PSYPACT) and the Ohio Psychological Association; Counseling Compact Commission; Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage & Family Therapist Board; State of Ohio Board of Psychology; eLicense Ohio; SimplePractice and other published Ohio therapy cost data (2025–2026); Appalachian Regional Commission and the Ohio Department of Development (Governor’s Office of Appalachia); International OCD Foundation (including OCD Midwest and its support group directory); NAMI Ohio; Mental Health America of Ohio; 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and the Ohio CareLine.

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 Ohio therapist or practitioner who works with trichotillomania?

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About Ohio

Ohio runs from the Lake Erie shore in the north to the Ohio River, which forms its southern border. It has 88 counties and three large metro areas. Columbus is the capital and largest city, and home to Ohio State University. Cleveland grew up where the Cuyahoga River meets Lake Erie. Cincinnati climbs the hills above the Ohio River.

Dayton was home to Wilbur and Orville Wright, who ran a bicycle shop there while they worked on flight. Toledo is known as the Glass City, and Akron grew into the center of the American tire industry. In the southeast, 32 counties form Appalachian Ohio, a region of forested hills and river towns. Holmes County has one of the largest Amish communities in the country.

Attractions in Ohio

Ohio pairs a lakefront rock museum and its only national park in the northeast with sandstone gorges in the southeast and landmarks of flight and rail in the southwest.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland

I. M. Pei designed this glass-and-steel museum on the Lake Erie shore, dedicated on September 1, 1995. Its tower stands 162 feet, cut down from a planned 200 feet because of nearby Burke Lakefront Airport. Cleveland won the museum partly because local DJ Alan Freed popularized the phrase “rock and roll” in 1951.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, between Cleveland and Akron

Protected as a national recreation area in 1974, the valley became Ohio’s only national park in 2000. The Towpath Trail follows the old Ohio and Erie Canal along the Cuyahoga River. Brandywine Falls drops 60 feet into a wooded gorge, where its water once powered grist, saw and woolen mills. Entry to the park is free.

Hocking Hills State Park, Hocking County

Streams have cut gorges, waterfalls and recess caves into the Blackhand sandstone here. Ash Cave is the largest recess cave in Ohio, about 700 feet end to end and 100 feet deep. Old Man’s Cave takes its name from Richard Rowe, a hermit who lived there around 1800 and is said to be buried beneath its ledge.

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, near Dayton

Set on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, this is the world’s oldest and largest military aviation museum. Its roots go back to 1923. More than 350 aircraft and missiles fill four hangars. They include the Memphis Belle and the only B-2 stealth bomber on permanent public display. Admission and parking are free.

Cincinnati Union Terminal, Cincinnati

This Art Deco station opened on March 31, 1933. Its rotunda is a half-dome 180 feet wide and 106 feet high. Inside, Winold Reiss’s glass mosaic murals trace the history of Cincinnati and the United States. A National Historic Landmark since 1977, it has housed the Cincinnati Museum Center since 1990.