For many women their routine cut and colour means more than just a trip to the hairdresser; it can sometimes be the only time when someone will just listen.
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No one understands this more than Griffith business owner Donna Piromalli who has just released her first book More Than Just a Hairdresser, sharing her insights of 28 years in salons.
Mrs Piromalli began is now a trained family mediation counselor and through the transition to her new career she recognised a concerning void in training future hairdressers: How do you respond when clients share deeply emotional and personal stories of their lives while in the salon chair?
"The book is about everything I know now as a counselor that I wish I had known back then with regards to communication and when clients share with you emotional stories when you are doing their hair and how to deal with that," Mrs Piromalli said.
"I was a TAFE teacher for hairdressing years ago and the communication module was how to answer the phone, meet and greet clients but there was never anything on emotional intelligence so I just felt there was a gap there."
It took Mrs Piromalli just over a year to put together her training and experience to create a three book series for More Than Just a Hairdresser which includes the book, an accompanying workbook and a gratitude journal.
"The book follows the theme of a personal story, goes into a bit about emotional intelligence and then gives some opportunities to reflect on yourself," Mrs Piromalli said.
More Than Just a Hairdresser launched January 24 and through generous donations received on the night Mrs Piromalli have been able to donate to two Griffith charities, Can Assist and Griffith Suicide Prevention and Support Group. Working as a family mediator Mrs Piromalli sees the consequences first hand of when cancer and suicide impact a family.
Mrs Piromalli hopes her book will help shed some insight to any of the service based industries and how employees can better understand and respond to clients on a compassionate level.
"Just in terms of how to have empathy, understanding when clients are sharing something, understanding different personality types of the people that you work with and those you come into contact with."
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Kat is a former English teacher to international students and has taught all over the world. She is beginning a new career as a journalist with the Area News. Got something you want to chat about? She's all ears.
Kat is a former English teacher to international students and has taught all over the world. She is beginning a new career as a journalist with the Area News. Got something you want to chat about? She's all ears.
