Today was one of the hardest yet most rewarding experiences I’ve had with a client. A 16-year-old girl came in, and I’ll keep her identity private. She’s been battling severe depression for years and told me she felt so low and so worthless that she couldn’t even brush her hair anymore. She said she only got up to use the bathroom.
She starts school again in a few weeks but had her school pictures today. When she walked in, she said, “Just cut it all off. I can’t deal with the pain of combing it out.” She even called herself worthless for it — and my heart broke.
We spent hours doing everything we could to save her hair, not just for her appearance but for her spirit. Mental health is real. It affects people everywhere and at every age. Parents, please listen to your kids. Don’t dismiss their pain or tell them to “just get over it.” A child should never feel so worthless that they can’t even bring themselves to brush their hair.
After 8 hours yesterday and 5 hours today, we finally got this beautiful girl to smile. Her last words to me were:
“I’ll actually smile for my school pictures today. You made me feel like me again.” ❤️
Credit: Kayley Olsson