Beyond being able to style your hair for an upcoming event, Oak Park Barber Rashon Trice understands his and other Black barbers’ impact on their communities.
Tapers Barbershop, where he has worked for 24 years, participates in a program that provides mental health support to black men. In partnership with the Greater Sacramento Urban League, the store hosts group therapy sessions in hair salons, with licensed therapists. Organizers say the event series, called Cut to the Chase, fosters a sense of community, support and understanding among participants, allowing them to address their mental health needs.
“There’s a lot more going on than haircuts in a barbershop,” Trice said. “It’s sometimes (one of the only places) where a black man can come in and have a conversation and feel valuable.”
Historically, the The barbershop is a safe space for black men. Mental health care resources and haircuts often don’t exist in the same space, but the combination of the two makes it easier for those who want to participate, according to Aron King, a member of the Capitol City Black Nurses Association.
Community health programs offered where people naturally congregate, like this one, add comfort to those who are hesitant to seek mental health resources. By normalizing seeking professional help, the program challenges societal stereotypes and encourages participants to prioritize their mental well-being, King said.
A California Health Care Foundation August Report found that nearly 47% of Black Californians reported mistreatment when seeking mental health services from doctors and health care providers because of their race. And one in four black Californians reported suffering from a mental health condition.
Stigma, traditional masculinity roles, and societal expectations make it more difficult for Black men to access mental health resources. Many Black men still do not receive needed care due to barriers to treatment and internalized behaviors often rooted in systemic racism, according to an Everyday Health 2021 report.
“We’re really trying to fill that access area and get them to a safe place,” King said.
Cut to the Chase offers ‘gentle’ therapy amid stigma
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To provide greater access to professional counseling for Black men – who often face disparities around stigma impacting their decision to seek mental health resources – the Greater Sacramento Urban League, or GSUL, is partners with Sacramento hair salons by hosting events in their spaces.
By encouraging open dialogue, communities can reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues, said Dr. Troy Williams, GSUL’s chief impact officer. This group session experience allows participants to get a taste and understanding of what therapy is like.
“What we’re trying to do is help people realize that they’re in a therapeutic process, when they don’t even realize they are,” said Ronnie L. Cobb, Senior Director of Partnerships for GSUL. “One of our biggest initiatives is to gently explain what therapy is and remove the taboo.”
Cobb credited Williams with the inspiration behind the initiative: Cut to the Chase was inspired by a program Williams knew about on the East Coast that brought health services to hair salons.
“What was important (in planning the program) was that we put certified professionals in it, that we weren’t just giving advice or hair salon advice,” Cobb said. We wanted to have people certified in these areas to help us navigate some of the dialogue.
Licensed therapists facilitate each session, providing a topic for discussion while providing a safe space for men to openly discuss their feelings, experiences and challenges. Including diverse perspectives enriches these conversations, Cobb said, by bringing together individuals with varied life experiences and making discussions more nuanced.
“The age range (of participants) is from 2 years old to 80 years old, which is now our oldest,” Cobb said. “His life experiences (at 80) are different to some extent, but if he has nuggets (of information) that he shares, it helps us realize (that he has) been there and done that, and here’s what you might want to consider in these scenarios.
By allowing open dialogue, communities can break the stigma around mental health issues, Williams said.
He added that a systemic problem the program is working to alleviate is the shortage of therapists for Black men and the continued stigma toward seeking mental health services.
“I recognize that this (program) is a temporary solution; it’s a structural adjustment where people can temporarily access therapy,” Williams said. “Our hope is that these types of services become more available throughout the city, throughout the state and throughout the country, where it is normal.”
Hair salons serve as a gateway to the community
Sacramento barbershops are a gateway for black men to access mental health resources. Initiatives like Cut to the Chase have recognized the unique position of hair salons within the community.
Yet not all hair salons and hair salons equip their staff to handle black hair, creating difficulties in accessing appropriate hair styling services.
“I remember my mother taking me to a white hairdresser, sitting in a white hairdresser’s chair, to be told, ‘I’m sorry, I don’t know how to cut your hair,’” Trice said , of Oak Park. hairdresser.
Although barbers are not licensed therapists, a Black barber can provide shared life experiences and a welcoming atmosphere that fosters community, according to Bryant Howard, the program’s therapist and group therapy discussion facilitator.
“That’s what you want as a therapist when it comes to the environment you want to provide for your clients,” Howard said. “You want them to come into an environment where they can open up and express themselves freely, and that’s what the hair salon does.”
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During his barbering career, Trice said he learned to listen better to his customers, a quality he remembers from his experiences with his childhood black barber.
“Things that affect you are validated (as a black man in the barbershop). The person in the chair is going through the same challenges that I am going through,” Trice said. “It’s a place to talk about the things we need to talk about. It’s a place where (black men) can plot and plan.
For Trice, it’s a form of comfort: sometimes he says he comes to work, and even while cutting his hair, he can relax. If he’s upset or having a bad day, cutting someone’s hair makes him feel better.
“I go through this with them, I talk to them, and they confide in me, and as soon as they get up, it’s a handshake and a hug and I wish them well,” he said . “I wish them peace and send them on their way, and then there’s the next person in their chair, and I get ready to face their day.”
Expand the program
Inspired by the program’s success, Cobb said GSUL plans to expand Cut to the Chase by launching the service for women in salons throughout Sacramento.
The strategic shift toward salons represents a step forward, he said. Guided by the ideas of Cut to the Chase organizers, they plan to expand the support already offered.
Cobb said the sessions are open to everyone, even those who prefer to listen and observe. The space is designed for the well-being of black men, fostering an environment where they can openly express their thoughts and emotions.
“What we’re trying to do is help people realize that they’re going through therapeutic processes without even realizing they are,” Cobb said.
Cut to the Chase takes place on the first Thursday of every month at Tapers Hair Salon & Hair Salon in South Sacramento and every other Thursday in Five stars fade in north Sacramento. More information about the program and its schedule is available on the Urban League of Greater Sacramento website.
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