Alopecia in UK Black Women - Systemic Care for Mental Health Distress
By Jo-Anne Weekes, 20 February 2026
Fellow's Profile
Jo-Anne Weekes
Fellow's Profile
Jo-Anne Weekes
Alopecia in Black British Women - Addressing Mental Health Distress
Fellowship
- Themes
- Focus
-
Providing cultural mental health support in hair salons for Black women living with hair loss
- Countries
- Fellowship year
-
2023
Contact
Biography
I work as a Clinical Psychologist and for most of my career, I have worked with adults with long term health problems who also experience resulting mental health difficulties.
Alopecia (hair loss) is a big issue for Black women and often causes a lot of anxiety, sadness and worry but, there is practically nothing written about in the UK mental health literature. I found this out during my own experience of getting a diagnosis.
The aim of my Fellowship is to explore culturally effective ways of helping Black women who live with distressing hair loss (through various causes), such as training hairdressers to provide mental health first aid.
My project is inspired by the work of an African-American psychologist which recognises that hair, our collective hair stories (narratives) and spirituality are important factors in Black holistic health and wellbeing.
I am therefore particularly interested to apply this model to the issue of hair loss and how the training and development of hairdressers as ''active community enablers' of positive mental wellbeing for such clients, can make a difference here in the UK.
Ideas
Activity
World afro day and supporting clients with alopecia
In 2017, UK thought-leader Michelle de Leon founded World Afro Day – a global celebration and liberation of Afro hair and identity that takes place annually on 15th September. This initiative brings attention to the cultural significance of Afro hair and highlights ongoing discrimination faced by Black people in the UK. As someone living with alopecia, I felt a personal connection to this topic, which led me to apply for a Churchill Fellowship.
By Jo-Anne Weekes, 25 September 2024
Disclaimer
All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.
Ideas
Alopecia in UK Black Women - Systemic Care for Mental Health Distress
By Jo-Anne Weekes, 20 February 2026
Activity
World afro day and supporting clients with alopecia
In 2017, UK thought-leader Michelle de Leon founded World Afro Day – a global celebration and liberation of Afro hair and identity that takes place annually on 15th September. This initiative brings attention to the cultural significance of Afro hair and highlights ongoing discrimination faced by Black people in the UK. As someone living with alopecia, I felt a personal connection to this topic, which led me to apply for a Churchill Fellowship.
By Jo-Anne Weekes, 25 September 2024
Disclaimer
All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.
