A Monifieth salon is offering free haircuts to clients in a bid to improve their mental health.
Starting next month, Samantha Anderson is offering people with mental health issues a chance to drop into her Perfect Hair Day salon, on Monifieth High Street, for a free treatment.
Samantha said she is keen to give back to the local community and help people who are struggling.
“It’s about self-love and self-care,” she said.
“We’re going to be offering a mirrorless service so they don’t have to look at themselves if they don’t want to.
“I’ve been in a dark place myself. There’s nothing worse than looking at yourself in a mirror if you are struggling.
“It’s just to show that there are people going through the same thing, even if it maybe doesn’t feel like that.”
Monifieth salon asks for nominees for free treatments
She wants local charities and organisations to nominate people for the free treatments.
“The idea is that the charities will select people, put their names in a hat and we’ll have maybe two people per charity come in for treatment,” Samantha continues.
“We’ve contacted charities across Dundee and Angus, and we’re hoping they’ll get behind the idea.”
Samantha hopes the free haircuts will help the chosen recipients feel better about themselves.
She says she’ll act as an ear for anyone who wants to speak about their issues, but stressed there will be no pressure on clients to do so.
“People don’t have to talk if they don’t want to, but if they do, we’re here to listen.
“I know what a difference it can make to people when they get their hair done. You do feel so much better about yourself.”
Drawing on personal experience
Samantha, who suffers from bipolar disorder, says she can draw on her own experiences to offer people advice.
She said being diagnosed about 10 years ago allowed her to seek the right help.
She said: “I was in a dark place for a long time before I got help.
“It was the worst experience of my life.
“I’ve had friends who went through the same thing – they didn’t get help.”
Samantha said mental health issues have come into the public eye more since the pandemic.
However, she feels more could be done to help people.
“There is still a stigma about it. I think because the conditions can’t be seen, people don’t always understand them.”
Conversation