Trichotillomania Support in Washington, DC

Find a therapist in Washington, DC who understands trichotillomania. Whether you pull your own hair or you’re supporting a child or someone you love, search by neighborhood, from Georgetown to Capitol Hill, for someone near you, or choose Online to see who works with people anywhere in DC.

Find a therapist for trichotillomania in Washington, DC

The District has one of the highest concentrations of mental health professionals in the country, and its suburbs in Maryland and Virginia add many more. Yet very few of them learned about hair pulling in training. Connecting you with people who already understand it is the reason this directory exists.

The directory includes therapists, counselors, psychologists, psychotherapists, hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners, NLP practitioners and coaches. Every listing shows 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’d rather not cross town after work, you can see who works online across Washington, DC.

Open the full directory →

Frequently Asked Questions about Trichotillomania in Washington DC

Find a Therapist

How do I find a trichotillomania therapist near me in Washington, DC?›

Search our directory by neighborhood or city. Every listing explains how the person works, what they charge and whether they see people in person, online or both. Many in-person options sit just over the line in Maryland and Virginia, and online sessions reach anywhere in the District.

Can I have sessions online from anywhere in Washington, DC?›

Yes. Many people listed work online with clients anywhere in DC. The District has also joined an agreement that lets licensed psychologists from other member states work with Washingtonians online. Practitioners such as hypnotherapists and coaches aren’t limited by state lines.

How much does trichotillomania therapy cost in Washington, DC?›

Private sessions in Washington, DC usually cost $150 to $325, with around $260 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, psychotherapists, 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 Washington, DC?›

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 Washington, DC?›

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

How common is hair pulling in Washington, DC?›

About 1 in 50 people have trichotillomania, so roughly 7,000 to 14,000 Washingtonians. 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 message 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 practitioners in the District work in Northwest DC and on Capitol Hill. Many more have offices just over the line in Bethesda, Silver Spring, Arlington and Alexandria, and Metro reaches most of them. Wards east of the Anacostia River have far fewer offices, and online sessions close that gap.

A licensed clinician who sees you online while you’re in DC needs a DC license, or must work through an agreement DC has joined. DC belongs to one for psychologists, so many psychologists in other states can work with you online. Its matching agreement for counselors is signed but not running yet. 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, DC Medicaid or the Department of Behavioral Health. 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, psychotherapists, hypnotherapists, EFT practitioners and coaches. Different people find different things helpful. What matters most is that you feel understood.

You can also check a licensed clinician’s registration. DC Health licenses psychologists, Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC), Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers (LICSW) and marriage and family therapists. Its free license lookup covers all of them. Many other good kinds of help aren’t licensed by the District 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 Washington, DC

Washington, DC has no charity just for hair pulling or other body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs). The District shares a regional group for OCD and related conditions with Maryland and Virginia. A national anxiety charity is based just over the line. These are the organizations most useful to Washingtonians who pull.

International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)

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

OCD Mid-Atlantic

The IOCDF’s affiliate for Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia. Its focus is mainly OCD, but it covers related conditions too and runs events for people and families across the region.

BFRB Changemakers

A US nonprofit focused on hair pulling, skin picking and related behaviors. It runs a free online support group and shares plain-language articles and community stories.

Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA)

A national nonprofit founded in 1979 and based in Silver Spring, Maryland. It shares free, plain-language information on anxiety, OCD and related conditions.

NAMI

The National Alliance on Mental Illness. Its DC branch has paused its local groups, but the national organization runs free online peer and family groups that anyone can join.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Call or text 988, any time of day or night, if things ever feel too much to handle on your own.

Support groups in Washington, DC

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

IOCDF support-group listings: online BFRB groups that anyone in DC can join, including one that meets twice a month by Zoom.
BFRB Changemakers: a free online group for adults who pull or pick.
NAMI online groups: free peer and family groups. They aren’t just for hair pulling, but they’re a way to talk with people who get it.

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

Do you run a Washington, DC group? Tell us and we’ll list it for free.

The Hidden Weight of Keeping It Secret

For many people, the hardest part of trichotillomania isn’t the pulling. It’s the work of hiding it.

That work never stops. People who pull learn to part their hair a certain way, wear hats or fill in brows with pencil. Some skip mascara so no one looks too closely at their lashes. They avoid swimming, windy days, hair salons and bright bathroom lights. Some turn down doctor’s visits because someone might notice.

Hiding also shapes relationships. Many people have never told a partner, a parent or a close friend. They keep a quiet watch in every conversation, waiting for someone to notice a gap or ask a question. Being close to someone starts to feel risky.

All of this takes energy, and it often adds to the stress that makes pulling harder to resist. The secrecy then feels like proof that something is wrong with you. It isn’t. Trichotillomania is not a bad habit, not attention-seeking, not self-harm and not a lack of willpower.

Hiding makes sense when you think no one will understand. That’s why telling even one person who does can change how it feels. Many people describe their first open conversation about pulling as the moment a weight they’d carried for years began to lift.

About this page

Sources: TherapyExplained Washington DC therapy cost data (2026); DC Council (Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact Act); APA Services; Counseling Compact Commission; DC Health license verification; International OCD Foundation; OCD Mid-Atlantic; BFRB Changemakers; Anxiety & Depression Association of America; NAMI and NAMI DC; 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline; US Census Bureau.

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 Washington, DC therapist or practitioner who works with trichotillomania?

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About Washington, DC

Washington, DC has been the nation’s capital and the seat of Congress since 1800. The District covers about 68 square miles between Maryland and Virginia, where the Anacostia River meets the Potomac. Great Falls, where the Potomac drops through a rocky gorge, is about 15 miles upriver.

Pierre Charles L’Enfant drew the city’s plan in 1791, and its four quadrants meet at the US Capitol. Georgetown, founded as a Maryland port in 1751, is older than the city around it. The C&O Canal towpath starts there and runs 184.5 miles to Cumberland, Maryland. On Capitol Hill, Eastern Market has been trading since 1873. U Street was once called Black Broadway for its theaters and jazz clubs, and Duke Ellington grew up nearby.

Attractions in Washington, DC

Washington, DC packs national memorials, free museums and the world’s largest library into a small city, with a wooded park running through its middle.

Lincoln Memorial

Dedicated in 1922, the memorial was designed by Henry Bacon. Daniel Chester French designed the seated statue, and the Piccirilli Brothers carved it. The Gettysburg Address and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address are carved on the inside walls. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech from its steps on August 28, 1963.

National Museum of African American History and Culture

This Smithsonian museum on the National Mall opened in 2016, and entry is free. David Adjaye led the design, with its three-tiered bronze-colored corona based on Yoruba crowns. The collection includes a segregation-era railway car, Harriet Tubman’s hymnal, Chuck Berry’s Cadillac and the original casket of Emmett Till.

Library of Congress

Founded in 1800, it is the largest library in the world. After the British burned the Capitol in 1814, Congress bought Thomas Jefferson’s 6,487 books to replace the lost collection. The Thomas Jefferson Building opened in 1897. Its domed Main Reading Room and one of three perfect vellum Gutenberg Bibles draw visitors, and entry is free.

Washington National Cathedral

Its foundation stone was laid in 1907, and the cathedral was finished in 1990, 83 years to the day. It is the second-largest cathedral in the country. Woodrow Wilson, the only president buried in DC, lies here, and so does Helen Keller. A Darth Vader grotesque sits high on the northwest tower.

Rock Creek Park

Congress authorized this 1,754-acre park in 1890, making it the third national park designated by the federal government. It follows Rock Creek through the city in a long wooded valley laced with trails. Peirce Mill, a 19th-century water-powered gristmill, still stands beside the creek.