How Lorenzo Lewis and The Confess Project Are Making a Difference | Mel Robbins Podcast

TL;DR

Lorenzo Lewis makes a difference through The Confess Project, a nonprofit that trains barbers and stylists to become mental health advocates in their communities. Its model teaches them to listen well, support clients, reduce stigma, and connect with people who may distrust traditional mental health services. Read on to discover how Lewis transformed personal adversity and a gap in care into an innovative community-based movement.

Transcript

foreign I cannot wait to introduce you to Lorenzo Lewis he came up with this wildly creative and Innovative way to deliver free Mental Health Services to millions of people according to recent studies 47 of us still believe that seeking therapy or help for mental health issues is a sign of weakness and sixty percent of us we don't fully trust the p... Read More

Key Insights

• 🖤 Mental health challenges are often stigmatized, particularly in black communities where there is both a lack of trust and representation in the therapy field.
• 😚 Barbers and beauticians have a unique opportunity to provide mental health support due to their close relationships with clients and cultural significance in the black community.
• 👂 The Confess Project's training equips barbers and beauticians with skills to actively listen, validate, communicate positively, and reduce mental health stigma.
• 🧑‍⚕️ By training these individuals, The Confess Project reaches millions of people annually, providing valuable mental health support and potentially saving lives.
• 🪡 Overcoming initial resistance, skepticism, and the need for cultural change have been significant challenges in implementing The Confess Project.

Questions & Answers

Q: How can one person make a meaningful difference in their community?

Lorenzo Lewis began by recognizing a specific problem: many people felt shame or distrust around seeking mental health support. Although he was not a psychiatrist or therapist, he created The Confess Project to equip trusted barbers and stylists to support their clients and communities.

Q: What is The Confess Project?

The Confess Project is a nonprofit organization founded by Lorenzo Lewis that supports barbers and stylists in becoming mental health advocates. Its model helps them listen to clients, provide support, reduce stigma, and bring value to their communities.

Q: Why does The Confess Project work with barbers and beauticians?

Barbers and beauticians have close relationships with their clients and hold cultural significance in Black communities. Lewis recognized that these trusted connections could create safer opportunities for people to discuss mental health challenges and receive support.

Q: How does The Confess Project prepare barbers and beauticians to support mental health?

Its training focuses on active listening, validation, positive communication, and reducing mental health stigma. These skills help barbers and beauticians support clients without presenting themselves as therapists or psychiatrists.

Q: Why did Lorenzo Lewis see a gap in traditional mental health care?

While working as a mental health advocate for the Department of Health and Human Services, Lewis noticed a disconnect between professionals and the hospital patients they were trying to help. The transcript attributes that gap to limited Black representation among licensed professionals, differences in relevant life experience, stigma, shame, and distrust.

Q: What inspired Lorenzo Lewis to create The Confess Project?

After graduating from college and overcoming incarceration, family separation, trauma, anger, anxiety, and depression, Lewis felt called to contribute beyond his personal achievements. Encouragement from a friend in the nonprofit sector helped him begin sharing his story and exploring community organizing.

Q: What challenges did The Confess Project face?

The project encountered resistance and skepticism because mental health advocacy was not traditionally associated with barbers and beauticians. Testimonials, successful outcomes, and cultural change gradually helped more people become receptive to the training.

Q: How does The Confess Project help clients and communities?

Trained barbers and stylists offer a trusted setting where clients can discuss mental health challenges, feel heard, and learn about support or resources. By reducing stigma and improving communication, the project aims to help people who might not otherwise receive the support they deserve.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Lorenzo Lewis, founder of The Confess Project, overcame immense adversity to become a mental health advocate and create an innovative way to deliver free mental health services.

• The project trains barbers and beauticians to be mental health advocates, who then provide support and assistance to their clients.

• The lack of representation and stigma surrounding mental health in black communities and overall society motivated Lorenzo to develop this unique approach.