Find a Hoarding Therapist

What hoarding is and how it commonly affects people

Hoarding is a pattern of behaviour in which you find it hard to discard possessions, regardless of their actual value. Over time belongings can accumulate to the point that rooms become cluttered and living spaces are difficult to use for their intended purpose. Hoarding often develops slowly and can be linked with strong emotional attachments to items, anxiety about discarding things, difficulty organising, and avoidance of decision making. For many people the experience is distressing - relationships may become strained, routine tasks can grow more challenging, and you may feel overwhelmed by the scale of the problem.

Hoarding is not simply about having a lot of possessions. It can affect your day to day functioning, your sense of wellbeing, and your ability to feel calm at home. The way hoarding presents varies widely - some people collect specific categories of items while others keep a broad range of objects. Practical consequences might include restricted access to rooms, fire and safety risks, or difficulties cleaning and maintaining the home. Emotional consequences can include shame, social withdrawal, and a reluctance to invite support into the home. Therapy aims to address both the practical and emotional elements of hoarding so you can make changes at a pace that feels manageable.

Signs that you or a loved one might benefit from therapy for hoarding

You might consider seeking help if you notice that possessions are preventing everyday living - for example if you cannot access parts of your home, if basic chores become impossible, or if family members raise concerns about safety. If you feel intense distress when you try to throw things away, or if decision making about possessions takes up a large amount of time, these are also indicators that specialist support could help. Hoarding often coexists with other difficulties such as anxiety, depression, or past trauma, so you may find that feelings of overwhelm, avoidance of social contact, or worsening mood accompany the behaviour. If you have tried to declutter on your own but find the effort unsustainable or triggering, a therapist could help you make a different kind of progress.

What to expect in therapy sessions focused on hoarding

When you begin therapy for hoarding, the first sessions usually focus on building a working relationship and understanding your unique situation. Your therapist will ask about the history of the behaviour, how items are acquired and stored, and how you experience decisions about possessions. Together you will identify realistic goals that reflect your priorities - those goals might include creating clearer pathways through your home, reducing the time spent managing possessions, or easing distress around discarding.

Therapy often combines conversation with practical tasks. Early work tends to be gentle and paced to avoid overwhelming you. You may explore the emotions and beliefs that maintain hoarding behaviour, practise decision-making strategies, and develop routines that support gradual change. A therapist may suggest small, achievable experiments to do between sessions so you can learn new skills in real life. Over time therapy aims to increase your sense of control and to reduce the intensity of the urges that make discarding difficult. If you live with others, sessions can also cover communication strategies and ways to involve family members so that change is sustainable.

Common therapeutic approaches used for hoarding

Cognitive behavioural approaches are commonly used because they combine psychological work with practical skills. You will examine beliefs and habits that reinforce hoarding and practise alternative ways of making decisions. Behavioural techniques may include graded exposure to discarding and experiments to test feared outcomes. Some therapists use a harm reduction approach when immediate full-scale decluttering is not realistic - this accepts small steps and prioritises safety and functional improvements.

Compassion-focused therapy can be helpful when shame and self-criticism are prominent. This style of work supports you to treat yourself with more kindness while facing difficult tasks. Motivational interviewing techniques are often used to help you identify personal reasons for change and to build and sustain commitment at a pace that feels right. Where hoarding overlaps with obsessive traits or anxiety disorders, adapted forms of therapy that address intrusive thoughts and avoidance can be part of the plan. Group programmes and peer-led supports may also be useful if you respond well to learning with others.

Practical and multi-agency work

Because hoarding affects the home environment, effective intervention sometimes involves coordination with other services. With your agreement, a therapist might liaise with housing officers, social care teams, or community support groups. Some interventions include home-based sessions where the therapist or a support worker works with you on sorting and organising in situ. That collaborative work is tailored to each situation and respects your priorities and consent throughout.

How online therapy works for hoarding

Online therapy has become a practical option for many people seeking support for hoarding. Sessions by video call or phone allow you to meet a therapist from your home, which can feel less daunting than travelling to an unfamiliar setting. Remote therapy can focus on the same psychological and practical skills used in face to face work - exploring beliefs, planning graded tasks, and monitoring progress. Digital sessions may be supplemented with messaging between appointments for brief check ins or to support homework tasks.

There are some aspects to consider when choosing online therapy for hoarding. If part of your plan involves hands-on work in the home, you and your therapist will need to agree how that will happen - some practitioners offer visits, others collaborate with local support agencies, and some work purely remotely while helping you plan in-person practical work with family or community services. Technology can also be used creatively - you and your therapist might use video during a session to look at a problem area together, or to coach you through a small sorting task. Online work can reduce barriers such as travel time and can increase access to therapists with specific hoarding expertise who may not be local to you.

Tips for choosing the right therapist for hoarding

When you are deciding who to contact, look for a therapist who has explicit experience working with hoarding or related conditions such as obsessive tendencies, trauma, or chronic disorganisation. Registration with recognised professional bodies such as the BACP, the HCPC, or NCPS indicates adherence to professional standards and is a useful signpost. Reading practitioner profiles will help you understand their therapeutic approach, whether they offer home-based work, and how they involve families or support networks.

Ask about practicalities ahead of booking - the format of sessions, options for online or in-person work, fees, and cancellation policies. It is reasonable to enquire how the therapist balances practical decluttering with psychological work, and whether they have experience coordinating with housing or social services if that might be relevant. During an initial consultation pay attention to how comfortable you feel with their style and whether they offer a collaborative plan that respects your pace. Trust your judgement - the right therapist will help you set achievable goals and will support you through setbacks as well as successes.

Moving forward

Seeking help for hoarding can feel like a big step, but many people find that consistent, tailored therapy leads to meaningful change. Whether you prefer online sessions from home or a combination of remote and in-person work, you can find practitioners who specialise in the practical and emotional aspects of hoarding. Use the directory listings to compare qualifications, therapeutic approaches and appointment options, and reach out to ask questions before committing to a course of therapy. With the right support you can make gradual progress towards a more manageable and life-enhancing outcome.