Barber Talk Training | Here To Talk

Training Program

BarberTalk

Welcome to BarberTalk – the original training program created for the barbering industry that started it all. As a barber, you have the unique opportunity to have close conversations with dozens of men every week, making a real difference in their lives. With suicide being the biggest killer in young people and 75% of them being men you, are reaching the unreachable and can be a beacon of hope for those in need.

BarberTalk training will equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to have difficult conversations with confidence and compassion. The four pillars will give you the knowledge on how to recognise when someone is struggling, the confidence to ask the right questions, how to listen empathetically without judgment, and ultimately, how to connect that person with the help they need while ensuring the safety of both parties. You will also learn about the five steps of well-being, not only to support those around you but also to keep yourself mentally well in the process. By participating in this training, you are not only enhancing the experience you give every client while barbering but also becoming a vital piece of the puzzle in the fight against mental health challenges.

Join us in the mission to create a community of barbers who are prepared to tackle mental health issues head-on, saving lives one haircut and conversation at a time. Together, we can make a difference and save lives through the power of BarberTalk.

Take the online training now!

What People Say...

BarberTalk Online Feedback

Many people commented on a range of learning, and a few general examples are shown below.

The knowledge, understanding and confidence of recognising mental health, what questions are appropriate to ask, to listen more and where to find/ show someone where to go when they need it most.

I gained a lot of confidence and knowledge of what tools we can use as hairdressers to recognise ill mental health and what we can do to help people that need it. But most of all it really changed my perception on mental health and how we can all be affected, I feel I can now talk about it more positively and not feel afraid of saying the “wrong thing”.

I feel confident that I could recognise a mental health problem in my client

What to look out for, and how to approach the situation. That listening is more important than talking. A deeper understanding of how to recognise if someone is struggling and how to encourage dialogue about this with the client. I feel confident that I will be able to notice signs that people are struggling with mental health by their changes physically and within the way the act. I gained confidence and knowledge of how to recognise anyone struggling

I feel comfortable asking someone if they are thinking about suicide

Confidence in talking about mental health & suicide which has always felt a bit taboo I learnt a lot today, especially sometimes being more direct with questions can really help someone and sometimes it is important to ask these questions. I also learnt how important it is to listen to your clients and allow them to talk freely. The biggest thing I’ve learned doing this online course is it has literally never entered my head to say to a customer “Are you thinking about suicide?” I’m not scared of asking it but it’s never occurred to me to ask that question.

I know how to listen to my clients and how to respond

Better use of listening and paying attention to how your client is and really emphasizing that the service is 100% about them and I feel the skills learnt in the training and transferable to anywhere in life. My girlfriend will be very grateful of my new found listening skills! I actually learnt a lot more than I expected to learn. I also learnt how to listen properly, not just say “yeah me too” or “yeah I know how you’re feeling”. I learnt about a lot of available services that I had no idea about. That I need to learn to be quiet and just listen and allow the silences, thanks so much for this opportunity

I am confident that I could signpost someone to the right place

Confidence and knowledge on helping someone that need signposting in a time of need I have gained loads. I feel more confident about asking the right types of questions and how to listen more effectively but most importantly I now feel more confident to point people in the right direction for help. Much more knowledgeable at knowing where to sign post someone who might need support.

In addition, some attendees expressed an interest in continuing their learning, for example:

I will be researching my local areas regarding the services that are available to help people with mental health problems. I also intend to complete some courses on the different types of mental health problems so that I can help a range of people.

The support for / from other Barbers was also mentioned by some attendees, including the following:

It's invaluable talking to other barbers and sharing ideas and knowing that you've got a support system. How to ask opening questions, when to listen and remain silent, also how as hairdressers/barbers we can support one another as well as the public.