The topic of mental health within our communities has been a big focus over the past few years, with someone taking their own life every 120 minutes and 75% being men there is a need for change in our society.
The hair and beauty industry have always offered a friendly face and welcoming ear to clients of all different walks of life, which is why Hair Professionals are some of the best people in our villages, towns and cities to get onboard and spread the word.
Being informed on the topic of mental health is vitally important in the times we live in which is why our stylist Laura Wright decided to find the knowledge she needed. The Lions Barber Collective was the perfect place!
The Lions Barber Collective charity mission is to create a non-clinical non-judgemental space where people could talk openly about their mental health struggles and to be pointed in the right direction of resources and support to help them.
Laura embarked on the education to give her the knowledge she needed to give a helping hand to our clients and being one of our Chichester Hair Academy trainers, she will be able help our young team if ever they are struggling with their own mental health.
Lauras motivation to seek the understanding of mental health has been based around her own experiences.
In January 2020, her Brother Joshua got to the stage of wanting to take his own life. Laura said ’none of the family had any idea he felt this way, we recognised he had depression, but never knew it had gone this far, we wouldn’t have known what signs to look out for.’
Thankfully Joshua told a family member, and once this was out in the open, the family managed to get him the help he needed. To have someone to reach out to is the most important thing.
Lauras biggest learning of the course was the staggering percentage of men that take their own life. Learning what to look out for, and the behaviours that someone shows, this can be in the form of routine or habit changes, the signs are obvious if you know! If you don’t it could mean the end of someone’s life.
For more information on this topic visit The Lions Barber Collective website
