PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Ismael Steele is a barber in Delaware County. It’s a job where you can work with the same clients for years. And sometimes, it requires many hats.
“Sometimes you’re a therapist, because a lot of guys are reluctant to talk about their problems, but in the barbershop, it’s definitely an easier, safer place for men to open up like that,” said Steele, manager at Kreationz by Hand in Clifton Heights.
But Steele is not a therapist. That’s why his shop is taking part in the Fade out Depression program through DKBmed, where clients are encouraged to get a free mental health screening from a professional right at the shop.
Those screenings work to get men the help they may need, all in a discreet manner.
“It all goes back to the essence of barbering, being effective in the community that you service, and being someone that people can rely on, that families can rely on,” Steele said.
The Fade out Depression program is making stops at many barbershops in both Delaware and Philadelphia counties.