Salon On First in Coronado might look like your average hair salon; stylists can be seen washing, cutting, coloring and drying clients' hair.
But there’s something unique about this salon and it’s proudly displayed on the wall. It reads: From the National Board of Community Care Beauty Experts "Certificate of Completion." It certifies that Salon On First has completed Community Care Beauty Expert Training.
It’s signed by co-founder, San Diego psychologist Dr. Robert Metcalf, and co-founder Marilyn Klisser.
Klisser is also Salon On First's owner. She said she’s proud to be the first official Certified Community Care Salon in the country.
"A salon that is not only interested in the outer physical beauty and the hair, but also taking care of the community and making sure that we connect on certain levels with each client when they come into the salon, so that they leave feeling better than they ever could have before they walk in," Klisser said.
The grassroots effort harnessing the relationships stylists have with their clients to build social connection and community originated with Metcalf.
"There are a lot of people now in our society who don't have another human being to share authentically what's happening and how they're feeling. So, you know, there maybe have an opportunity for a few minutes in a with their stylists just to vent that," Metcalf said.
He worked with Klisser to develop the criteria for the certification.
"They (stylists) have to learn active listening so that when their client's (sit) in the chair, they know how to listen, to help them reset their nervous system," Metcalf said.
Stylists, like Lauren Pace, are now trained to help clients process their emotions and verbalize their feelings.
"(Dr. Metcalf) taught how to listen, the way that he listened to me, I felt very seen and very heard in just a short amount of time," Pace said. "I feel like everyone at some point is kind of trying to figure out their purpose and what they can contribute or give back, and doing something like this, getting certified to help the people that come into the salon or that are in our chairs. It just gives more meaning to what we do."
Along with learning active listening skills, a salon must also complete two other requirements: They have to build a directory of community connection resources and commit to hosting one free, open-to-the-community event at the salon each month where attendees can learn something, participate in an activity and have a chance to connect with others.
Klisser and Metcalf said this certification not about turning hair stylists into therapists.
"It's about being able to truly listen to the client and make them feel heard and understood. And so this training opened my eyes to new techniques, to be able to listen and communicate even more effectively with my clients," Klisser said.
Coronado Resident Sparks Moeller has been Klisser's client for that last 12 years.
"Marilyn and I, you know, one conversation leads to another," Moeller said. "We've been through high times, low times. And Marilyn caught me at a particularly low time and was able to kind of prompt me to make a small change in my life, which turned out to have marvelous results."
Metcalf’s goal is to get 1% of salons in the country — about 10,000 — to take the Community Care Beauty Expert Training in the next decade.
