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New program in Chandler and Tempe will help barbers refer struggling clients to therapists

closed barber shop
Sky Schaudt/KJZZ
A closed barber shop in north Phoenix in early April 2020.

Your barber may soon be able to refer you for mental health treatment due to a new program in Chandler and Tempe.

The Confess Project gives hair stylists eight hours of training to recognize signs that their clients might need mental health support, and coaches them on ways to gently recommend treatment — without violating personal boundaries.

Tim Burch is the director of Tempe Community Health and Human Services. He says the relationship barbers have with their clients is unique:

"They have a relationship — oftentimes longstanding relationships with repeat clients," he said. "Those clients will sometimes come in and share life-changing events and how they’re impacting that client with their barber or stylist."

Burch says the project began when one barber just reached out to a customer — the idea caught on, and now Chandler and Tempe are the first Arizona participants in a 25-state community.

Nate Engle was an intern and reporter for KJZZ from 2024 to 2025.