Trichotillomania Support in Rhode Island

Find a therapist in Rhode Island 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 Providence to Newport, for someone near you, or choose Online to see who works with people anywhere in Rhode Island.

Find a therapist for trichotillomania in Rhode Island

Rhode Island is the smallest state, and most people who understand hair pulling work in and around Providence. It has also joined the agreements that let psychologists and counselors from other states work with you online. Finding someone who understands is still hard, and it’s the reason this directory exists.

The directory includes therapists, counselors, psychologists, psychotherapists, CBT therapists, occupational therapists, hypnotherapists, EFT and NLP practitioners, and BFRB 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. From Woonsocket to Westerly, many people listed also work online.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Trichotillomania in Rhode Island

Find a Therapist

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

Search the directory by your city or town, or choose Online to see people who work with clients anywhere in Rhode Island. 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 Rhode Island?›

Yes. Anyone licensed in Rhode Island can see you online wherever you live in the state. Rhode Island has also joined agreements that let psychologists and counselors from other states work with you online. Hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches aren’t bound by these rules.

How much does trichotillomania therapy cost in Rhode Island?›

Private sessions usually cost $120–$250, with around $150–$190 typical. Every listing shows its own prices, and many people offer a free first call.

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

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 Rhode Island?›

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 Rhode Island?›

We haven’t found an in-person group just for hair pulling in Rhode Island yet. The IOCDF lists a free online BFRB group open to Rhode Islanders, and NAMI Rhode Island runs free peer groups, mostly online. If you run a group, tell us and we’ll list it for free.

How common is hair pulling in Rhode Island?›

Trichotillomania affects about 1 in 50 people, which means thousands of people in Rhode Island. It usually starts around ages 10–13 but can begin at any age. Most people who pull have never knowingly met another person who does. Read our complete guide to trichotillomania.

How to get in touch with a therapist

You can message anyone listed here 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 save you from being steered toward general stress work.

In Rhode Island, most people who understand hair pulling practice in Providence and on the East Side, with smaller numbers in Warwick, Cranston and Newport. Apart from Block Island, few towns are much more than an hour from Providence. Still, weekly drives add up, so many people choose online sessions.

Rhode Island belongs to the agreement that lets psychologists licensed in many other states see you online. It has also joined a similar agreement for counselors. So your online options reach well beyond the state line. Hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches aren’t bound by those licensing rules.

If you have Medicaid or insurance through work, your plan can also connect you with someone. That route exists, and it often takes longer, and you usually can’t choose a person 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.

If you’d like to check a licensed clinician, Rhode Island has a free public lookup. The Department of Health licenses psychologists, mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists and clinical social workers. You can search them at RIDOH license verification. Hypnotherapy, EFT, NLP and coaching aren’t licensed by the state. Practitioners in those fields 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 Rhode Island

Rhode Island has no charity just for hair pulling. These organizations can help today.

International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)

The main US home for BFRB support. BFRB stands for body-focused repetitive behavior, the group that includes hair pulling and skin picking. It runs online events and keeps a list of support groups, including groups for people who pull.

OCD Rhode Island

The Rhode Island affiliate of the IOCDF, founded in 2017. It covers OCD and related conditions, which include hair pulling. It’s a useful local link to the wider IOCDF community.

NAMI Rhode Island

The state branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. It runs free peer support groups for adults, family groups and a women’s group, many of them on Zoom. They aren’t about hair pulling, but they help with the anxiety and low mood that often come with it.

Mental Health Association of Rhode Island

The state affiliate of Mental Health America, based at Butler Hospital in Providence. It campaigns for better access to mental health care and publishes a free guide to services around the state.

BH Link

Rhode Island’s 24-hour behavioral health line and walk-in center, in East Providence, for adults 18 and over. Call 401-414-LINK (5465) for help and referrals, day or night.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988 at any time if distress turns into a crisis. In Rhode Island, BH Link’s team answers 988 calls.

Support groups in Rhode Island

We haven’t found an in-person group just for hair pulling in Rhode Island yet. Most groups for people who pull meet online right now. Here’s what we’ve been able to confirm:

IOCDF online BFRB group: a free Zoom group for anyone with hair pulling or skin picking, plus family and friends. It meets twice a month and is listed on the IOCDF’s support group directory.
NAMI Rhode Island groups: free peer-led groups for adults and for families, mostly online. They aren’t specific to hair pulling, but they’re open to anyone living with a mental health condition.

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 a Rhode Island group? Tell us and we’ll list it for free.

Not all pulling looks the same

People often picture hair pulling as one thing. In practice, it tends to show up in two ways, and most people who pull know both.

Automatic pulling happens without you noticing. You’re reading, driving, scrolling or watching TV, and your hand drifts up. Minutes later you see hair on the page or the floor and realize what happened. Many people say this kind feels like it belongs to someone else.

Focused pulling is different. You’re aware of it. It often starts with an urge, a feeling that one hair is wrong, too coarse or out of place. Pulling it brings a brief sense of relief or “rightness”. Some people examine or play with the hair afterward.

Many people move between the two in the same day. Automatic pulling might happen at a desk, and focused pulling in front of a mirror at night. Stress, boredom, tiredness and quiet time alone can all play a part.

None of this means something is badly wrong with you. Hair pulling is not a bad habit, a lack of willpower or a form of self-harm. It is a recognized condition. Knowing which kind you notice most, and when, gives you words for a first conversation. It also helps the person you talk to see the whole picture.

About this page

Sources: International OCD Foundation (including its BFRB support group listing); OCD Rhode Island; NAMI Rhode Island; Mental Health Association of Rhode Island; BH Link; 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; Rhode Island Department of Health (license verification and psychologists page); Governor’s Office of Rhode Island (PSYPACT announcement) and Counseling Compact Commission; published Rhode Island therapy cost data (2026).

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 Rhode Island therapist or practitioner who works with trichotillomania?

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About Rhode Island

Rhode Island is the smallest state in the US, home to about 1.1 million people. Providence is the capital and largest city. Roger Williams founded it in 1636 as a place of religious freedom. Narragansett Bay cuts deep into the state, which is why it’s called the Ocean State.

In Providence, College Hill is home to Brown University, founded in 1764, and the Rhode Island School of Design. Federal Hill is the city’s Italian neighborhood, with restaurants along Atwells Avenue. Warwick and Cranston lie just to the south. North of the capital, Pawtucket and Woonsocket grew up as mill towns along the Blackstone River. Newport, at the mouth of the bay, is known for its Gilded Age mansions and sailing. South County has the state’s ocean beaches, from Narragansett to Watch Hill. Block Island sits offshore, reached by ferry from Point Judith.

Attractions in Rhode Island

People come to Rhode Island for its coastline, its colonial and industrial history, and the mansions of Newport. These five are spread across the state.

RISD Museum, Providence

Founded in 1877 alongside the Rhode Island School of Design, the museum holds more than 100,000 objects. Its most famous piece is a 12th-century wooden Buddha, Dainichi Nyorai, the largest historic Japanese wooden sculpture in the United States. The collection also includes an ancient Egyptian mummy, Impressionist paintings and Gorham silver made in Providence.

Slater Mill, Pawtucket

Built in 1793 on the Blackstone River, Slater Mill was the first successful water-powered cotton-spinning mill in America. Samuel Slater, an English immigrant, built its machines. The site also includes the 1810 Wilkinson Mill and the 1758 Sylvanus Brown House. It is now part of Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park.

The Breakers, Newport

Architect Richard Morris Hunt built this 70-room summer “cottage” for Cornelius Vanderbilt II between 1893 and 1895. It was modeled on the Renaissance palaces of Genoa and Turin, with a Great Hall 50 feet high. The Preservation Society of Newport County has owned it since 1972, and it is a National Historic Landmark.

Southeast Lighthouse, Block Island

This Gothic Revival lighthouse was built in 1875, with a 52-foot brick tower above the Mohegan Bluffs. The clay cliffs below drop about 150 feet to the sea. Erosion brought the cliff edge dangerously close, so in 1993 the whole building was moved back from the bluff. It is a National Historic Landmark.

Flying Horse Carousel, Watch Hill

This carousel in Westerly’s seaside village of Watch Hill dates from around 1876. The Charles W. F. Dare Company of New York made it. Its horses hang from chains rather than poles, so they swing outward as it turns. It is one of the two oldest carousels in the US and a National Historic Landmark.