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Ottawa salon partnership aims to make haircuts easier for those with sensory sensitivities · Illinois Valley - Shaw Local

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  Speaker 1: Ottawa salon partnership aims to make haircuts easier for those
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  Speaker 1: with sensory sensitivities. Written by Emily Beebet, this article is
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  Speaker 1: being read by an automated voice brought to you by Everlett.
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  Speaker 1: Getting a haircut can be an overwhelming experience for individuals
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  Speaker 1: with sensory sensitivities, including autistic children and adults. A new
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  Speaker 1: partnership in Ottawa aims to change that. David's Clubhouse, located
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  Speaker 1: at one ten West Jefferson Street, is a local nonprofit
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  Speaker 1: focused on autism, inclusive indoor play and community support. David's
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  Speaker 1: Clubhouse is partnering with w Social Club to sponsor sensory
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  Speaker 1: friendly training for one barber and one stylist this fall.
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  Speaker 1: The Sensory Safe certification trains salon professionals to better serve
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  Speaker 1: clients who may be sensitive to sound, touch, movement, or
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  Speaker 1: other aspects of the haircut experience. According to a news release,
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  Speaker 1: Vanessa Rodham, president of David's Clubhouse, said some families in
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  Speaker 1: the Ottawa area have been driving more than ninety minutes
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  Speaker 1: to find a sensory friendly place for haircuts. We heard
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  Speaker 1: somebody say that they currently drive over an hour and
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  Speaker 1: a half to go to a place that is sensory friendly.
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  Speaker 1: Rodham said, I thought, wow, that's really wild that it's
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  Speaker 1: ninety minutes away. I'm sure we can put something in
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  Speaker 1: our own community. Haircuts present challenges for people with sensory
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  Speaker 1: processing needs because of the unfamiliar environment combined with loud
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  Speaker 1: clippers and tools near the face and eyes. Anytime you're
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  Speaker 1: talking about an environment that you're not in very often,
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  Speaker 1: that can be just a little addle out of the routine,
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  Speaker 1: out of the expected, and kind of uncomfortable just on
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  Speaker 1: that merit alone, Roddamn said. In addition to that, in
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  Speaker 1: a place that has loud clippers or tools going right
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  Speaker 1: next to your eyes, all of that can feel a
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  Speaker 1: little bit jarring. Rodham found W Social Club by posting
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  Speaker 1: on a local Facebook group asking where families take their
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  Speaker 1: children for haircuts. Multiple people mention the salon as being
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  Speaker 1: kind and patient with children who have sensory processing needs.
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  Speaker 1: When Rodham reached out, Jacqueline Winter, co owner of W
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  Speaker 1: Social Club, said she was humbled because her own daughter
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  Speaker 1: has autism. If I didn't do this for a living,
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  Speaker 1: I know that I would be in the same position
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  Speaker 1: as a lot of families local where they don't feel
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  Speaker 1: like their kids or their family members are seen and
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  Speaker 1: heard and treated with respect, Winter said. Winter said the
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  Speaker 1: salalon already takes an individual approach with each client, and
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  Speaker 1: some guests come at the end of the day when
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  Speaker 1: the shop is quieter. We just treat people more as
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  Speaker 1: an individual versus it's just getting a haircut, Winter said.
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  Speaker 1: For families seeking a sensory friendly experience, Winter hopes haircuts
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  Speaker 1: become something children no longer dread. Sometimes getting a haircut
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  Speaker 1: can be vanity, Winter said, but at other times it's
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  Speaker 1: grooming and it's a necessity. If we can just take
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  Speaker 1: some of the stress of that away, that's our goal.
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  Speaker 1: David's Clubhouse will provide w social club with a sensory
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  Speaker 1: support box containing tools to help create a calmer environment
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  Speaker 1: during appointments. According to a news release, Rodham said the
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  Speaker 1: partnership is the first step in a three year roadmap
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  Speaker 1: to build a sensory friendly directory and offer certifications to
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  Speaker 1: other businesses. David's Clubhouse is an outreach of One River
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  Speaker 1: Zen founded by local Buddhist priests Michael Brunner and Vanessa Rodam.
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  Speaker 1: The indoor playground is open to all children and designed
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  Speaker 1: as a welcoming place where kids of all abilities can
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  Speaker 1: play and explore. According to a news release, more information
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  Speaker 1: is available at David's Clubhouse dot org. W Social Club
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  Speaker 1: is located at two twenty four West Main Street in Ottawa.
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  Speaker 1: Following the training, it's participating barbers and stylists will be
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  Speaker 1: able to incorporate sensory safe practices into appointments. Contact eight
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  Speaker 1: one five three two four one zero two three for
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  Speaker 1: more information