The Lions Barber Collective works hard to educate barbers in how to spot the symptoms of mental health and depression, whilst encouraging men to talk to their barbers (and each other) about their issues.
Set up by inspirational British barber Tom Chapman after losing a friend to suicide in 2015, Tom has spent a lot of time over the last five years devoting his life to mental wellbeing and suicide prevention working alongside the NHS and Public Health England and Wales to train hair professionals in BarberTalk (their own mental health training), which has, in turn, saved lives.
The Lions Barber Collective is turning barbershops into safe spaces for men using the opportunity of a regular haircut to start conversations about mental health and most importantly, listen. The group is having an enormous impact with those traditional mental health services can struggle to reach. Obviously at the moment these safe spaces are closed so we’ve asked Tom to put together some tips for ‘Locks Down’ to help you guys out there in this time of crisis whilst you’re staying at home.
- Connect with others – This may seem like a bit of a weird tip to give when you are in a time of social distancing and potential lockdown and isolation. However, this is more important than ever before. Loneliness and Isolation are big killers and hugely damaging to our mental health. If you’re at home with family make the most of it as we are all normally too busy to spend any quality time together with work, school and various social events. Also use the amazing tech we have to speak to people face to face with video calls, set up group chats and take time to call an elderly relative that may be stuck at home alone, that may make their day bearable!
- Physical activity – The gyms may be closed but we can still get outside as long as we stay 2 meters away from others we can go for a run or if we have a garden then even better. I read an article about a man who ran a marathon on his balcony while in lockdown in France! It can be done! Failing that we have access to loads of free online exercise videos you can complete daily on streaming services. Getting some form of exercise in most days over this time of isolation will hugely improve your mental health and energy levels.
- Never stop learning is most definitely something we associate with the fantastic hair industry and there shouldn’t be any reason to stop now. Take this time to watch some of the millions of hours of hair tutorials online and maybe you have an old mannequin head under the bed or in the attic you’d forgotten about? Know all there is when it comes to hair? Learn a language, read a book, hell you could even write a book. Learning gives you a sense of self-worth and accomplishment that will no doubt keep you in mental fitness in this time.
- Give and be kind. This may be a little hard, again while in social isolation but we can always share our knowledge via the tech we have holding free webinars or writing a blog or articles. We can also still be kind by being aware of those around us and looking out for the people in need, if there are any isolated older neighbours you can grab food or other supplies for please do help where possible.
- Meditation. This doesn’t have to be meditation in the traditional form, it just needs to be you thinking about the moment itself. This can be whilst going for a walk and thinking about the sounds you are hearing, the way the ground feels under your feet Mindfulness, the smells around you and your breathing for example. However, it can also be sat at home play Nintendo with your son. I found this out recently. My normal life consists of cutting hair, running The Lions Barber Collective, being Global Barber Director for 1922 by JM Keune (and any project/product planning that is going on at the time, writing articles, writing my next book and of course family life. So when I sat with my son and played on a games console (first time I have in probably 15 years) all I thought about was the game itself, my sons reactions, the controller in my hands and trying not to lose to a 4 year old. It was great! I forgot about everything else for that moment and felt refreshed afterward.
The Lions Barber Collective works hard to educate barbers in how to spot the symptoms of mental health and depression, whilst encouraging men to talk to their barbers (and each other) about their issues.
Set up by inspirational British barber Tom Chapman after losing a friend to suicide in 2015, Tom has spent a lot of time over the last five years devoting his life to mental wellbeing and suicide prevention working alongside the NHS and Public Health England and Wales to train hair professionals in BarberTalk (their own mental health training), which has, in turn, saved lives.
The Lions Barber Collective is turning barbershops into safe spaces for men using the opportunity of a regular haircut to start conversations about mental health and most importantly, listen. The group is having an enormous impact with those traditional mental health services can struggle to reach. Obviously at the moment these safe spaces are closed so we’ve asked Tom to put together some tips for ‘Locks Down’ to help you guys out there in this time of crisis whilst you’re staying at home.
