Talk of the Barbershop: Cutting Down the Mental Health Stigma

THE TALK OF THE BARBERSHOP:

Cutting Down on the Mental Health Stigma

By Sarah Coleman // Photos Submitted by The Confess Project of America

o be transformed is to be changed, and change happens to individuals as a whole at a seemingly constant rate. That’s why, according to Lorenzo Lewis of The Confess Project of America, the barbershop is such a special place – walking in the shop ready for change and getting up from the chair feeling renewed. Understanding the importance of mental health has become increasingly important in recent years – made possible by real people speaking about their real T struggles. Lewis, a public speaker, author, mental health advocate and grassroots organizer from Little Rock, has made it his life’s mission to create an environment for people – specifically Black men – are able to address their mental health in a safe environment.

Lewis is a change maker and above that, he is the Chief Visionary Office for The Confess Project of America, which is the first mental health awareness movement that focuses specifically on African American mental health advocacy. From starting in Arkansas, to becoming a national movement, Lewis has been able to provide training for more than 1,300 barbers in more than 20 cities around the country.

Lewis and his team teach barbers and stylists active listening, valid listening, positive communication and productions. In building rapport, being authentic and creating a space of trust, stylists and barbers are better able to provide support to their customers, and direct them to available resources.

“Community means a village. It means support. It means that someone has my back and it’s reciprocated,” Lewis said. “I believe that in my community, we should always feel supported and feel connected, and in that context, it means that there is wrap-around support from the everyday people in your community like barbers, police officers and teachers.”

It is well-known now that mental health does in fact matter, and that it is just as important to take care of the mental as it is to take care of the physical. Lewis explained that how you treat yourself daily impacts you more over time than you might think, and how you treat yourself sets up the framework for how other people will also treat you.

“It’s important because it is who we are. It is how we treat ourselves and how our environment looks,” Lewis said, explaining that examining the impact of your own mental health is increasingly important in understanding how to take care of yourself. “We [The Confess Project of America] are looking to shift the conversation about mental health away from one that supports stigmas. How are you feeling? How are these things helping or not helping you in your life? The barber shop is the perfect place to start these conversations about how we live our lives.”

Lewis has both firsthand experience and professional experience in dealing with mental health. In his lived experience, Lewis spoke of being born in jail and growing up with his own struggles with depression, anxiety and anger.

“I became such a big advocate for mental health because it was my own journey. I worked in hospitals and clinics around

It is well-known now that mental health does in fact matter, and that it is just as important to take care of the mental as it is to take care of the physical.

“This is about creating opportunities, hope, accessibility and belonging for minorities.”

Arkansas for about 10 years. I resonated and recognized my own challenges in patients, and from my own experience, I saw the lack of cultural competence in mental health,” Lewis said. “I’ve worked in the field as a case manager, and I went to Little Rock Public Schools. I fully understand how different institutional dynamics are.”

As the founder of several initiatives focused on elevating the Black community in Arkansas – and motivating others nationally – Lewis sees himself as more than the founder, but also as a community visionary and a leader.

“I look at everything I am working on from a 1,000-square-foot level. I look at how innovation and human kindness can be applied to all of these spaces. Historically, the frame of mental health for minorities was not built as a space where there was a sense of belonging,” Lewis said. “This is about creating opportunities, hope, accessibility and belonging for minorities.”

Intersectionality is important when studying the relationship between the groups people are part of. To consider things – such as the gap in mental health services among minorities – from an intersectional perspective, people are able to better receive the services that ultimately help them to elevate their position. Lewis is also a champion for encouraging generational wealth, which is a concept that has also been largely discussed in various Twitter threads, academic journals and in day-today conversations among friends. By definition, generational wealth is created from financial assets that are passed down from generation to generation.

Lewis explained what many know to be true, that there are so many factors that play a role in the state of each individual’s

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“Real people have real value, ordinary people bring value to the field and we’ve all seen how everyday people can make a difference."

mental health. Some common factors include financial status, employment status, age, gender and predisposition to mental illness. According to Lewis, the negative stigma – that is slowly being debunked – has created more challenges for people who are seeking mental health providers and resources.

“There are so many things that can create distance in receiving services for people who are seeking them. These include the reinforced stigma, the racial wealth gap, insurance, having appropriate medical coverage, the environment of your workplace and how employees are introduced to the services they have available,” Lewis said, adding that having access to appropriate providers is also a major obstacle people face when seeking mental health services.

Lewis is in the field of helping people and helping other people know how to help people when they need it.

“It starts with the desire to want to be better and to know more, and then it continues with the community,” Lewis said. “It involves doing the really hard and challenging things, and if you’re a provider – it means being trained on cultural specifics.”

Lewis’ approach is somewhat unorthodox, because the barbershop seems like an unlikely space to create a community of support, and for that very reason, it is also why it has been so successful.

“Real people have real value, ordinary people bring value to the field and we’ve all seen how everyday people can make a difference, and that is what The Confess Project of America is committed to. We can only do our part but the goal is to shift the paradigm within our communities,” Lewis said.

The Confess Project of America started in Little Rock, however, it is now currently headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

“We will always look at Arkansas as the starting place for The Confess Project. There are so many initiatives offered in the state that should receive the same backing and national phenomenon. Startups, community organizations, small community businesses all play such large roles in creating a positive environment within the community,” Lewis said. “My wish is that everyone would continue to have hope, vision and authoritative stances in wanting to do more and have more.”

Lewis has embarked on several endeavors to create a positive community experience in Arkansas and around the country, all with prosperity being his main goal. Training business professionals about mental health and diversity, he also has trained human resources departments on how to create positive workplace environments and better support minorities.

For more information about The Confess Project of America, visit its Facebook page, and to learn more about Lorenzo Lewis, visit his website at lorenzoplewis.com.