Starting With Today (SWT) has partnered with a local DC barber shop to host group counseling sessions and will seek to expand services over the coming months. The familiarity and comfort of barbershop as a community pillar serves as the gateway to strengthen the therapeutic services that organically take place there by providing structure and a licensed therapist to illuminate practical next steps. These group counseling sessions are and will continue to be moderated by a licensed therapist, take place 1-2 times a month, and will tentatively run through early December 2018. These mostly male-focused sessions at a barbershop are designed to collectively explore identity, emotional intelligence, identify and learn healthy coping strategies for stress, anxiety, and depression in an otherwise overlooked community.

Each session has to potential to reach over 50 people, many of whom are being introduced to therapy for the first time. These sessions reduce the access gap by providing the service free to attendees at a location they already frequent with culturally competent and fun programming.