Barbershops functioning as mental health hubs for African Americans
In the heart of American communities, a unique initiative is making a significant impact on the mental health of Black men. The Confess Project, founded by Lorenzo P. Lewis, is revolutionizing the way mental health services are delivered, by training barbers to become mental health advocates.
Lewis, who lived a life marked by anger towards societal injustice, found inspiration in the unique opportunity that barbershops offer. Historically, these establishments have served as the pulse of the Black community, a place for storytelling, sports discussions, and grievance airing.
Barbershops have played a pivotal role in the Black community, even being credited as the birthplace of hip-hop in the 1980s. They have become infused in the culture of the Black community and broader American society.
The Confess Project, with its innovative approach, is utilising these trusted community spaces to provide mental health care and advocate for Black men. By creating safe environments where open conversations about mental health can occur, these barbershops serve as culturally relevant venues to reduce stigma around mental health, increase accessibility to care, and promote wellness among Black men.
Seeking therapy is often shrouded in stigma within the Black community, leading to less likelihood of seeking therapy compared to white counterparts. The Confess Project addresses this issue by providing mental health care in a familiar, non-clinical setting.
The project impacts 100 lives per month and provides mental health care to over 2 million Black men annually. While the search results do not explicitly mention the Confess Project by name, they highlight how Black-owned barbershops broadly function as powerful venues for mental health advocacy and services in Black communities.
Partnerships with wellness studios, therapy practices, and organisations in barbershops have enabled clients to access free therapy sessions, fitness classes, and other self-care resources, helping many Black men attend therapy for the first time. The use of culturally congruent spaces like barbershops helps overcome mental health care barriers such as stigma, lack of trust, and cultural relevance.
Initiatives connected to barbershops have provided up to 10 weeks of free online therapy with accredited Black therapists, addressing cost and access challenges. The Confess Project likely leverages Black-owned barbershops similarly—as trusted community hubs that combine haircare with mental health support, peer conversations, and connections to therapy resources—to advocate for and improve the mental wellness of Black men.
The Confess Project's work builds upon a rich history. Alonzo Herndon, one of the first Black millionaires in America, started his career by owning and operating a barbershop in Atlanta, Georgia. This tradition continues today, with the National Association of Barbers highlighting the history of Black barbershops.
Sources for this information include Healers and Patients in North Carolina, Mental Health America, About Lorenzo Lewis, Georgia Public Broadcasting, and From Rags to Riches: The Story of Alonzo Herndon.
In this context, the Confess Project's innovative strategy of utilizing barbershops as mental health advocacy centers intertwines with the science of psychology and health-and-wellness, aiming to bridge the gap in mental health care for Black men. By collaborating with wellness studios and therapy practices, the project also promotes the accessibility of resources such as therapy sessions and fitness classes, making mental health care more culturally relevant and less stigmatized within the community. Furthermore, the partnerships with organizations and accredited Black therapists in barbershops help address cost and access challenges, fostering mental health improvement in the Black community.
