December is a busy time for salons and the festive frenzy of late-night openings and back-to-back bookings during the Christmas party season can take their toll on beauty professionals physically.
BABTAC (British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology) is also warning of the emotional toll therapists face during this time as their clients share their ups and downs of the Christmas period during treatments. At this time of year, it is as crucial as ever for salons to put measures in place to help manage team mental wellbeing.
Suzy Reading, psychologist and BABTAC’s resident wellness expert explains “The energetic and emotional toll of listening to clients’ problems needs to be recognised and addressed as part of the basic training. There needs to be clarity on remit and responsibility - ie you are not a trained psychological therapist and it’s not your job to fix or provide emotional support but to establish rapport and help people feel at ease so they can get the maximum benefit from your work.”
How to Manage the Mental Load This Christmas
There are things that both the individual and the employer can do to stop the stress of being a constant soundboard from taking its toll during the festive period and throughout the year.
As an employer:
- Allow a reasonable amount of time between treatments so your therapist can decompress and have time to recharge before moving onto the next client.
- Provide a clean and welcoming space for your team to take breaks and where they can check in with team members regularly – whether it’s to lighten the load or simply change the subject.
- Check-in with your team to make sure they have the support they need and that they feel valued and listened to. People need to feel cared for and communication is key to this.
- Provide fresh water, tea/coffee and healthy snacks if possible for your staff – it’s a small gesture that goes a long way and your therapists will be thankful after hours on their feet and in treatment rooms.
As a therapist:
- Recognise the toll that listening to your client’s problems can take and give yourself permission to articulate and honour your boundaries within the session, advises Suzy. Healthy boundaries mean you get to decide what feels safe for you to talk about so instead of asking people what’s happening in their life, find something more neutral like – how was your journey today?
- After you finish with a client or when you notice yourself taking on their stress, have a ritual to encourage a feeling of letting go. Suzy recommends a gesture like shaking your hands or a breathing practice like candle breath (in through the nose, out through the lips for a long cathartic exhale). A few minutes in fresh air is another good go-to if the location allows.
- Remember that the stress, emotion or problem you’ve just heard is not yours and turn the worry into wishing your clients well, maybe say a little prayer or set an intention for them and then bring your mind back to the moment. And remember to give yourself some of the same kindness and compassion too!
- Don’t ignore what fills your cup. When you’re feeling low and depleted you’ll be more likely to be affected by others’ problems so whether it’s sleep, exercise, socialising, solo time, or cooking, make sure you implement some small steps to give you a big boost.
