Why Your Salon Chair is Actually Your Therapy Chair (And I'm Not Just Being Dramatic)

by Lexie Rodgers, Senior Stylist at Hyde Salon

I've been cutting hair for eight years now, and I swear some days I feel more like a therapist than a stylist. Not because people dump their problems on me (though that happens too), but because I've watched transformation happen in my chair that goes way beyond a good haircut.

Last week, Sarah came in looking completely frazzled. She'd been working 60-hour weeks, hadn't had a proper meal in days, and kept apologizing for her "disaster hair." By the time she left, she wasn't just sporting a gorgeous new bob – she looked like she could actually breathe again. That's when it hit me: we're not just doing hair here. We're doing something bigger.

The Thing Nobody Talks About: You Actually Stop Moving

When was the last time you sat still for two hours? And I mean really still – not scrolling your phone, not multitasking, not thinking about what's next on your list. In my chair, you have to stop. Your phone goes in your purse, your hands are under a cape, and for once, someone else is taking care of you.

I watch people's shoulders drop during the shampoo. It's like their bodies remember what it feels like to relax. Maria, one of my regulars, told me she sleeps better for three days after her appointments. I believe it – that forced stillness is powerful medicine.

Your Scalp Doesn't Lie

Here's something they don't teach in beauty school but probably should: tension lives in your scalp. I can tell within thirty seconds of touching someone's head how stressed they are. The tight spots, the tender areas, the way someone melts when I start the scalp massage – it's all connected to what's happening in their life.

I had a client once who teared up during her shampoo. Not because I was pulling her hair, but because she said it was the first gentle touch she'd experienced in months. That's not just about hair care. That's about being human.

The Mirror Doesn't Lie Either (But Sometimes That's Good)

I'll be honest – some days people come in and I can see they've been avoiding mirrors. Bad breakup, work stress, new mom exhaustion, whatever. The mirror in my station forces a conversation with yourself that's been overdue.

But here's what I love: watching someone see themselves differently by the end of the appointment. Not just because their hair looks amazing (though it always does), but because taking care of yourself – really taking care of yourself – changes how you stand, how you smile, how you exist in your own skin.

We Remember Your Story

This is probably my favorite part of the job. I remember that Jenny's getting married in October, that Mark just started a new job and wants to look sharp, that Linda's going through a divorce and needs to feel like herself again. Your hair appointment isn't separate from your life – it's woven into it.

I've done pre-interview cuts for people landing dream jobs, post-breakup chops that felt like liberation, and gentle trims for clients going through chemo who just wanted to feel normal for an hour. Each appointment is a chapter in someone's story, and I'm honored to be part of it.

It's the One Thing That's Just About You

Most everything else you do benefits someone else, right? You work for your boss, cook for your family, run errands for the household. But your hair appointment? That's yours. You picked the time, you chose the service, you decided to invest in yourself.

I've had moms tell me it's the only hour in their week where they're not "Mom" – they're just themselves. I've had workaholics admit they lie to their assistants about where they are because they don't want to be interrupted. That's not selfish. That's necessary.

The Real Talk

Look, I know some people think spending money on your hair is frivolous. I get it – there are bills to pay and practical things to worry about. But after eight years of doing this work, I've seen what happens when people consistently deprioritize themselves. They get worn down, burnt out, disconnected from who they are underneath all their responsibilities.

Your hair grows whether you take care of it or not. But you? You need tending. You need someone to pay attention to the details, to make you sit still, to remind you that you matter. That's what happens in my chair, and it's what happens in every good stylist's chair.

So yeah, you'll leave with great hair. But more importantly, you'll leave having spent time with yourself in a way that's become rare in our world. That's not just hair care – that's essential maintenance for being human.

 

Lexie has been styling hair at Hyde Salon for eight years and believes everyone deserves to feel amazing in their own skin. When she's not behind the chair, she's usually hiking with her dog Murphy or trying new recipes that inevitably turn out mediocre.

Ready to invest in yourself?

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