Barbers and hairstylists say the trust their clients put in them means they often know when someone is struggling with their mental health.

“They just trust us right away, as soon as they sit in our chair. Whenever someone’s trusting you with their appearance, they automatically just feel more comfortable with you, so they’re more willing to tell you things,” Mandi Byker, co-owner of Virago Salon in Grand Rapids, told News 8 Monday.

“There’s a surprising amount of people who just don’t really have someone to talk to in life, so when they get that half-hour with you, it’s really their time where they open up, they’re vulnerable and they really talk about how they’ve been doing,” Chris Lapham, owner of Avenue Barber in Grand Rapids, agreed.