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OHIO - ‘Shear Hope’ launched to train stylists in mental health crisis response (Record Herald)

Community of Hope, the Fayette County Suicide Prevention Coalition, has launched Shear Hope, a free mental health training initiative designed to equip stylists, barbers, estheticians, nail technicians, and other personal service professionals with the skills to recognize when a client may be struggling and connect them to help.

The initiative launched its first training at Vagabond Salon, with the support of owner Andrea Gayheart. Stylists learned how to recognize warning signs, ask directly and confidently about mental health concerns, respond without judgment, and connect clients to local resources.

Why Stylists?

Research shows that nearly 1 million Ohioans are living with untreated mental illness. But personal service professionals occupy a unique and powerful position in their communities: clients trust them, return to them consistently, and often open up to them in ways they may not with anyone else, including mental health professionals.

“It’s important that we always have community folks that are able to get people the help they need,” said trainer Jeenee Morrison, LISW-S, MS, “because you’ll see your hairdresser way more than you will your mental health professional most likely.”