Podcast Summary
The Confess Project: Barbers as Frontline Therapists for Black Men: The Confess Project trains barbers in black neighborhoods to provide mental health support for black men and boys, filling the gap left by a shortage of mental health providers. This initiative creates a safe space for discussion and improves mental health outcomes.
The Confess Project, founded by Lorenzo Lewis, trains barbers in predominantly black neighborhoods to become frontline therapists and help black men and boys talk about depression, anxiety, and trauma with someone they can trust. This initiative is significant because the shortage of mental health providers for black Americans makes it hard for them to find someone who can relate to their experiences. Lorenzo, who suffered from undiagnosed depression and anxiety as a child, understands the impact of not having a strong support system and how it can negatively affect one's identity. The Confess Project not only provides mental health support but also creates a safe space for black men and boys to discuss their experiences and struggles, thereby improving mental health outcomes and strengthening their sense of self.
Lorenzo Lewis: From Confusion to Empowerment: Family and community support are crucial for a child's success. Negative role models and experiences can lead to trouble. It's never too late to turn your life around and empower others.
Lorenzo Lewis's childhood was a mix of confusion, growing up in a household that never lacked basic necessities, but also being aware of his parents' struggles with drugs, incarceration, and unemployment. This confusion and desire to prove himself led him down a path of trouble, eventually landing him in jail at just 17 years old. Through his experiences, he is now committed to empowering youth to transcend their circumstances and find success in life. This emphasizes how important the role of family and community support is in a child's life, and the detrimental effects of negative role models and experiences.
Lorenzo Lewis's Journey from Probation to Founder of The Confess Project: Lorenzo Lewis turned his life around after a second chance, found his calling in helping troubled youth and founded a nonprofit to break down the stigma surrounding mental health in men and boys.
Lorenzo Lewis shares his journey of turning his life around after being on probation and almost getting a felony conviction. He received a second chance and went to college with the intention of becoming a lawyer, but instead found his calling in helping troubled youth. He recognized that these young people were facing mental health challenges and trauma, and he spent over a decade working in the mental health field and supporting young men. Despite the initial hesitation from the young boys to open up about their struggles with depression and anxiety, Lewis's relatable background helped him to form a deep connection with them and provide the necessary support. He is now the founder and CEO of The Confess Project, a non-profit that aims to break down stigma surrounding mental health in men and boys.
Overcoming Systemic Challenges in Mental Health Services for Black Men and Boys: Lorenzo Lewis established a barbershop-based program to provide accessible therapy for Black men and boys, addressing significant mental health challenges and ensuring they receive adequate care. It's about improving accessibility and impacting lives.
A significant reason for the inadequate mental health services for black men and boys is the systemic challenges that hinder their access to competent providers. Lorenzo Lewis, after realizing the dire need for mental health treatment for black men and boys, established a barbershop-based program that would help provide easy and accessible therapy. The idea stemmed from his desire for creative freedom and his experiences with trauma, which hindered his growth. A colleague encouraged him to utilize his story to help young men, which led to his journey of impacting men who look like himself. The program aims to address the significant mental health challenges facing the black community and ensure that they receive the adequate care they deserve.
How The Confess Project uses Barbershops to Encourage Mental Health Conversations: By creating safe spaces in familiar locations, like barbershops, people are more likely to feel comfortable discussing mental health. Breaking down the stigma around mental health is important to prioritize overall wellness.
Lorenzo Lewis, founder of The Confess Project, realized the importance of creating a safe space for men and boys to talk about their mental health. After struggling to attract attendees to a focus group at a library, Lewis had the wild idea to bring the conversation to barbershops. Despite encountering initial resistance from a barber who feared offending clients, Lewis was determined to break down the stigma surrounding mental health and create a welcoming environment. He knew from his experience working in hospitals and outpatient facilities that location could deter people from seeking help. By bringing the conversation to a familiar space, Lewis hoped to spark a nationwide movement in the barbershop community to prioritize mental health support.
The Confess Project - Creating Safe Spaces for Mental Health Conversations in Barbershops: The Confess Project, founded by Lorenzo Lewis, trains barbers in active listening, empathy, validation, and positive communication to reduce the stigma around mental health. The project originated from a spontaneous conversation in a barbershop and has since spread across the country.
The Confess Project was started by Lorenzo Lewis, who initiated it in a barbershop and later trained other barbers in four key points - active listening, empathy, validation, and positive communication to help reduce stigma around mental health. The idea originated when Lewis visited Goodfellows Barbershop in Little Rock, Arkansas, and spoke about his own life story, including being born to an incarcerated mother, having family members with addiction, and interactions with the police. The barbers present were caught off guard but soon started talking, and the conversation turned towards mental health issues and the available resources. The unscripted and real nature of the conversation was contagious and led Lewis to start traveling around the country to talk about it.
Barbers and Stylists as Mental Health Allies: With training, barbers and stylists can provide a safe, accepting environment for clients to discuss sensitive topics and connect them with necessary resources. They can be pivotal figures in mental health intervention and support.
Barbers and stylists can be trained to become peer interventionists and provide a safe space for clients to discuss difficult topics. Through active listening and validation, they can help clients deal with issues related to life, family, business, and politics. The framework also emphasizes empathy to help clients feel heard and understood. If a client needs further help, the barbers can provide resources for therapy or suicide lifelines. This training has successfully helped elevate individuals in crisis situations to connect with the appropriate services. Barbers and stylists can play a crucial role as the first line of defense in mental health, providing early intervention and support to those who need it.
The Confess Project: Bridging the Gap in Mental Health Care through Peer Intervention and Barbershop Partnerships: The Confess Project trains advocates to provide mental health support and resources, partnering with barbershops to assess clients' mental health and connect them with culturally competent therapists. The project aims to save and improve lives by pivoting normal conversations towards mental health support.
The Confess Project aims to train individuals in mental health awareness and peer intervention. Its peer intervention model focuses on training advocates who can provide support and resources to those in need. The project has partnered with neighborhood barbershops, where barbers can act as advocates and use their conversations with their clients to assess their mental health and connect them with resources. The aim is to increase the number of culturally competent therapists and bridge the gap in mental health care. The model works by providing tools and frameworks to pivot conversations towards mental health support without compromising on normal conversations. The project envisions a world where trained advocates can actively save and improve lives.
Barbershops and Business Rivalries: The Power of Connections: Unconventional spaces can be utilized to address public health concerns, while corporate rivalries can fuel innovation and progress. The power of connections and community is essential in driving change in various fields and industries.
Barbershops have historically been known for more than just haircuts. They have served as a gathering place for social and political movements, as well as a space for meaningful connections and conversations. The Confess Project is utilizing the communal atmosphere of barbershops to train professionals in mental health advocacy. This highlights the potential for unconventional spaces to address public health concerns. Additionally, the rise of new animation studio Dreamworks in Hollywood sparked rivalries between executives, culminating in Business Wars. The podcast series explores some of the most significant corporate rivalries in history, reminding us of the intense competition that can fuel innovation and drive progress. Overall, both stories demonstrate the power of connections and the impact they can have in various fields and industries.
The Confess Project: Trained Barbers as Mental Health Listeners: The Confess Project trains thousands of barbers to be ready listeners for anyone who needs to talk, and they are now exploring ways to get Medicaid and Medicare to pay for their services.
The Confess Project is a social enterprise that trains barbers to listen to their clients, providing them with an outlet to discuss their mental health without fear of judgment. As of December 2022, they had trained 2000 barbers across 48 cities and 28 states. To address the sustainability of the project, they are transitioning to a new model that will allow them to bill Medicaid and Medicare for their services. They are also looking into opportunities to reimburse their barbers in selected states where they can be seen as healers, as they are already doing peer intervention work. Through this model, they will be providing case management and care management services to people coming out of facilities, helping them navigate their behavioral health, housing, and transportation needs.
The Confess Project's Vision for a Thriving, Inclusive Health Ecosystem: The Confess Project strives to provide accessible and sustainable healthcare for all individuals, emphasizing the importance of mental health services and authentic connections. Their success stems from their commitment to creating a safe space where people can feel heard and understood.
The Confess Project aims to create a thriving health ecosystem to support people of all walks of life. The new sustainable model will allow them to build for their time and constantly grow. They will serve not only people of color but people of all backgrounds and walks of life. The focus is on providing value around the quality of life, including housing, transportation, and mental health. One of the threads that separates them from other models is their ability to authentically see people for who they are. The company's morals and principles ensure that they hire individuals who share this intention. The Confess Project's success lies in their ability to build a safe space for individuals to be heard and understood.
