{"id":124813,"date":"2023-02-28T17:34:53","date_gmt":"2023-02-28T17:34:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.phorest.com\/blog\/tom-chapman-how-to-listen-so-they-will-talk-salon-owners-summit\/"},"modified":"2023-03-01T12:47:52","modified_gmt":"2023-03-01T12:47:52","slug":"tom-chapman-how-to-listen-so-they-will-talk-salon-owners-summit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.phorest.com\/ca\/blog\/tom-chapman-how-to-listen-so-they-will-talk-salon-owners-summit\/","title":{"rendered":"Tom Chapman – How to Listen so They Will Talk – Salon Owners Summit 2023 Recap"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tom Chapman\u2019s talk and workshop were a real highlight of the 2023 Salon Owners Summit<\/a> for many people, including me. His workshop – How to Listen so They Will Talk – got into the details of spotting signs of mental health problems and\/or suicidal thoughts in your salon clients (and what to do about it). In his main stage talk, Tom delved deeper into how he landed on the path of educating salon owners on this topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have to say, sitting in his workshop, I was floored by Tom\u2019s talk and by the avid audience participation, with so many sharing their own experiences of identifying changes in their clients behaviors. It was so clear in that room, the level of care and the strength of the relationships that build up over time between salon, spa and clinic professionals and their clients. What was also clear was eagerness for learning ways to protect themselves and their staff in these often heart-wrenching situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How a Friend’s Suicide Let to a Global Movement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2014, Tom lost a friend to suicide. Having spoken to that friend just days before, it left him with so many thoughts of \u2018what if.\u2019 What if he had asked him if he was thinking about taking his own life, and even if he had, what would Tom have said then?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tom shared an incredible statistic – 72% of people who take their own life have not been in contact with any mental health services in the 12 months before their death. However, most have likely had a haircut in that time. Considering this, Tom wanted to do something to honor his friend and make a change, so in 2015 he founded The Lions Barber Collective<\/a>, which started as a group of international barbers raising awareness for suicide prevention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Tom became more informed and aware of the signs to look for, he became more comfortable addressing these things with clients. Tom was able to save the life of a friend after a conversation with him in his barber chair. From there, the collective began a program called BarberTalk which trains hair professionals how to \u201cRecognize, Ask, Listen and Help\u201d those in their chairs. His courses are written and delivered in the language that barbers and other salon professionals speak, and overseen by a clinical psychologist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognize, Ask, Listen and Help<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tom\u2019s workshop focused on these four steps in detail. Here are some of the insights he shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recognize<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tom played some videos of professionals in the collective sharing some of the signs they have recognized in their clients that signify they may be struggling with their mental health, and the crowd in the room put forward some of their own. Signs included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n