Vintage Yorkton, Sask., barber shop creates space for men to open up about mental health

This article was originally published on March 15, 2020.

The Parlour Barber Shop is decorated with echoes of the 1920s: vintage lamps and recovered photographs from the Prohibition Era, showing off local heroes' style and their various moustaches. The images tell of Yorkton, Sask.'s connection to bootlegged liquor and the struggles men have historically faced in the area.

Its current owner, though, is using the old-timey business to prioritize a very present and pressing concern: men's mental health. Sean Craib-Petkau uses these items to create a place where men can stop, take a moment and talk about their lives.

"I want to make that man feel important," said Craib-Petkau. "You know, feel at least as if one person cares about him and his well-being."

When Craib-Petkau started Parlour Barber Shop in 2014, he was struggling with his own mental health and overcoming addiction. He said that if his life had gone differently, he could have ended up on the streets of Winnipeg.

At 19 years old, he had moved to pursue a career in music but began to struggle. He had developed an addiction and saw the reality of homelessness around him but with support from family and friends returned to Yorkton. 

Now in a healthier spot himself, he sees his community struggling with layoffs, family issues and health problems like addictions. 

While it's difficult to find statistics on whether mental health issues are an increasing concern in Yorkton specifically, we can quantify the kind of year the community has had economically. The Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation reports that on average, crops in the east central area were hit harder on quality than other areas of the province. To date, SCIC has paid approximately $3.5 million to Yorkton customers regarding their 2019 post-harvest claims.

Many people can attest to the fact that a hairdresser or barber often becomes a confidante Craib-Petkau's knowledge of current issues and the local history, along with his familiarity of the vintage ornaments and the intimacy of having a close shave, creates space for men to share.

"I see guys on the best days of their lives and sometimes the worst days of their lives, whether they're getting married or having a baby and the wife is making them get cleaned up before the baby arrives," said Craib-Petkau​​​​​​​. 

"I've seen guys, their wives just passed away, their mothers just passed away, they've got a diagnosis. I've seen young men grow up and I've seen old men pass away — all in that chair. There's a certain amount of responsibility and respect that comes with that. It definitely does humble me that they chose to share those moments with me."

Craib-Petkau believes that by creating moments of well-being he can help make his community a better place.

"We often try to stay isolated in our problems, we think that nobody else wants to hear about our lives and what's going on in them," said Craib-Petkau​​​​​​​, relating to his own experience getting support for his alcoholism.

"It's to help guys realize that when you reach out a hand, there's going to be a hand there to grab you."

Twice a month Dustin Krepakavich arrives at Parlour Barber Shop early in the morning to get his name on the appointment board. Having struggled through addiction and mental health issues himself,  taking time to care for himself with a clean shave and a good conversation has become important to Krepakavich.

"Most people I grew up with struggle with alcohol because that's all we had," he said. "Everybody drank."

Having accessed professional mental health support in the form of therapy, Krepakavich is concerned about the lack of options for professional support in the Yorkton area. For Krepakavich and many others, driving two hours both ways to Regina once a week for access to mental health care is not an option.

"There should be more sources for men to go to talk," he said.

Under increased stress with a new baby, Krepakavich is using his regular straight razor shave as some much needed personal time. Parlour Barber Shop has become a place where he has found acceptance, and is able to share his experiences without fear of judgment.