Open Chair

Our Mission:

To provide all hair professionals with the tools to communicate openly and effectively about Mental Health. For decades, hair stylists, barbers, beauticians and therapists have created some of the deepest connections within a community. Open Chair believes that now is the time for those professionals to learn the essential skills needed to offer their clients effective advice and reassurance. Open Chair is here to change the industry; whether you’re a salon owner looking to invest in your team's mental well-being, an individual member of a team looking to learn a vital new skill or a freelance stylist or barber aiming to provide that extra level of support for their clients. Open Chair, working alongside Lights On Mental Health, can provide a safe and inspiring learning environment. We offer either a 2-day in-salon course or 4-day online courses. All individual participants of the course will receive a formal content pack from MHFA England as well as 2 year membership to the MHFA well being hub which includes important access to documents and material. For more information please contact us using any of our links on this website and we’d be happy to guide you through even more of the benefits of being a qualified Mental Health First Aider within the hair industry.

​Why us?

Will Brown is an award-winning salon owner and businessman who has presented his work on national stages, worked with industry leading stylists on photographic shoots and won numerous personal and business accolades by his thirties. He has done all of this whilst living with some debilitating Mental Health issues. He wants to promote his message that you can still be a successful business-person, entrepreneur and colleague whilst having daily battles with his mind. Oly Newton is an experienced motivational speaker and Mental Health First Aid trainer through the MHFA. Oly has shared his story to thousands of business, corporate and student audiences across the country. Having experienced severe Mental health issues for the duration of his life, Oly now motivates and inspires audiences far and wide as he shares his experiences from the dark and into to the light.

Combined, they have the drive to deliver this important course to ALL hair professionals. What we can offer you or your team is bespoke workshops with training designed for hairdressing professionals. Existing courses out there will provide generic Mental Health first aid training. However, our courses will be designed for the needs of the busy hair professional. Through us, you will learn how to identify, understand, empower, and support your clients and colleagues.