BEING A MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AIDER IN THE SALON
Jim Shaw, owner of Toni & Guy Billericay talks being a mental health first aider in the salon.
‘Mental health is a topic we are starting to talk a lot more about and this is extremely important to help remove the stigma and to be able to help and support people and encourage them to get treatment for their mental health should they need it.
Supporting Men
Men in particular can find it harder to talk about their mental health and at TONI&GUY Billericay, where I have a men’s area in the salon, as well as a main salon area for our client’s, I felt it was instrumental to learn more about mental health to ensure myself and the team could chat openly to our clients in a safe place about any mental health struggles they may have and be equipped to support them and point them in the right direction of resources and further support should they need it. Many men can also struggle with hair loss and hair thinning, which can have an effect on their mental health, and as hairdressers, we need to be able to talk to our clients about these sensitive issues in a safe space with empathy and compassion.
In the salon, we talk to a large number of clients daily and it’s crucial that we are prepared for difficult conversations should they arise and that we can make our clients feel comfortable and space in the salon environment.
Talking Openly
Not only is it important to be able to talk to your clients openly about mental health but also your team and this should be a top priority for salon owners. Always have an open door policy where your team can come to you should they have any concerns or need any support and try to hold one-to-one regular team meetings with each of your team where you can have informal chats and monitor their mental wellbeing.
Training
Mental health training has become more widely available for salon owners and teams, particularly since the pandemic with us having a number of lockdowns where mental health has been impacted greatly. I decided to partake in the MHFA England Mental Health First Aider training to become a Mental Health First Aider in the salon and to help provide me with the skills and knowledge to help support my team and clients with their wellbeing, as well as my own too. The course taught in depth skills for providing first aid to people who may be experiencing mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and psychosis and was incredibly insightful
As hairdressers, we want our clients to leave the salon looking and feeling amazing but knowing we have the skills and knowledge to take this one step further and be able to help and support clients who may have struggles and promote good wellbeing is so rewarding’- Jim Shaw.
For more info on the brand, visit TONI&GUY BILLERICAY
