“Cutting Edge” Care: Student barbers give free haircuts to Veterans

The difficulty of overcoming physical addiction is complicated by the demand for other changes - changing social circles, habits, hangouts, and sometimes even leaving behind family members or the place one lives.

But changing your hairstyle?

“A haircut is a way to show yourself that you’re not the old you anymore,” notes Matilda, a writer on Medium.com. “It’s a sign of a fresh start.”

Veteran Ron Boyd is ready for a fresh start, so he reached out for help and got himself enrolled in Dole VA’s recovery and treatment program.

“The risk [to] my life was [increasing],” Ron shared. “I said, ‘I got to do something about this.’”

It was haircut day at the facility, with haircuts provided free of charge by student barbers and stylists enrolled at Paul Mitchell The School Wichita.

There can be a wide range of psychological benefits from getting a haircut: increased self-esteem, self-confidence, gaining a sense of control and empowerment are a few, and all are critical to overcoming substance abuse.

“I was shucking and jiving in life because I still wanted to look good for everyone else. I was looking good in everyone else's eyes, but I was looking like crap in my own,” said Ron.

While a good start toward changing the way he feels about himself, Ron knows a haircut alone is not going to get him to where he wants to be, where he needs to be.

Can you cut your hair on your own? Sure, but the result is so much better when you have a barber or stylist to help. Recovery is very much the same.

“I found out that you have to get support, you have to be open-minded and open to suggestions. We need each other to survive. I understand that now and so therefore I'm looking at [recovery] in a different perspective this time,” said Ron.

Ron has found a strong support network in the Dole VA staff members who work with him.

“The staff is just great. They show compassion and they show concern. Everybody has words, but when you can feel substance behind those words it's important, it keeps you wanting to go forward.”

Another advantage important to recovery is looking at things from an honest perspective.

“They have a slogan, to thyself be true,” said Ron. “It has taken on a whole new meaning to me, and so I'm getting honest with some things I have yet been honest about and it's freeing me up on a day-to-day basis.”

The benefits of free haircuts aren’t felt solely by Veterans enrolled in the treatment program. Heather Scheer, education leader at the Paul Mitchell school, says she, her students, and the Paul Mitchell organization benefit, as well.

“I have a relative that [is] a Veteran and so coming to the VA has always been near and dear to my heart,” said Heather. “The students love being able to come out here, do this and give back. It's such a part of [the Paul Mitchell] culture that we really enjoy being able to do it.”

Restoring relationships with his children, creating new relationships with his grandchildren, living an active spiritual life and contributing to his church are catalysts driving Ron toward his goals. So, after decades of on again, off again challenges, he’s determined to finally kick old habits and behaviors.

“The most valuable thing to me is my family and leading by example. That's important to me today. That stigma that comes along with addiction, it don't have to stay there.”

Through an agreement between Paul Mitchell The School Wichita and Dole VA’s Center for Development and Civic Engagement, free haircuts are provided once a month to Veterans in Dole VA's Community Living Center and the Domiciliary - Substance Use Disorder Clinic.