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It has been one of those weeks that could make a person curl into a ball and shut out the world. Maybe it’s been a hard day at the office or a significant other has suddenly lost interest. Whatever the problems are, they can seriously hurt a person’s outlook on life and cause a lot of stress. For some, this would be the time to call a counselor. For others, it’s time to make an appointment at their favorite salon.
According to Queensland University of Technology, counseling gives people someone to talk to about stress, personal development, relationship issues, and finances. Basically, a counselor gives you a professional to talk to about personal issues in a safe environment. The professional benefits of counseling seem quite similar to why people enjoy going to cosmetologists.
In a salon setting, if a client gets a stylist they are comfortable with, not only are they getting a confidence boost by improving their self image, but they also have somebody there to listen to their problems. Self-confidence, improved self esteem, less stress, and just an overall satisfactory view of life are just a few of the benefits offered from both counseling and a salon visit.
There are a lot of reasons people talk to their stylists, but each client may have a different rational. Many go to their hairstylists about once a month because the pampering makes them feel better physically and emotionally. Since stylists are not around all the time, opening up is easier because the stylist is not going to pick sides to a topic. People may be more comfortable talking to their stylists because of this objectivity. Letting feelings out, relieves stress and just makes a person feel better. There are times a person should skip the stylist and seek professional help from a licensed therapist.
If a person feels they need some type of response, reassurance, or is having severe mental issues then a trained professional will be needed. Light issues can be talked to with a stylist, but heavy issues need to be discussed with a therapist. A light issue could be boyfriend troubles, arguments with friends, and spending issues, but heavier issues refer to trouble with substance use, trouble with the law, deep emotional family issues, depression and other mental health problems.
Confidentiality is also something people should be mindful of when talking to a stylist. If the stylist and the client share any friends or social life, then that intimate discussion may come back to haunt them. When people share personal things about their life to anyone, excluding therapists, they run the risk of having that person tell someone.
Although there are topics that a therapist may be a better option for, being able to share your feelings openly is a great mental tool. So next time you’re feeling a bit under the weather, try making an appointment at your local salon. Based on others experiences, you may find a little pampering and a person to vent to was just what the doctor ordered.
