Content note: This article discusses domestic violence and human trafficking.

The chair is a place where people come to be cared for. Somewhere between a shampoo, a skin treatment or a final check in the mirror, a client may say something they have never said aloud: "I'm scared of my partner." "I have cancer." "I'm going through a divorce."

It can be difficult to hear. It can also leave you wondering what you are supposed to do next.

Domestic violence is one kind of disclosure beauty professionals need to be ready for. According to the CDC's 2023/2024 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, more than 1 in 3 women and more than 1 in 6 men in the United States have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetimes.[1]

The same CDC source reports that nearly 1 in 3 women and about 1 in 8 men experienced those forms of violence with at least one related impact, such as injury, safety concerns, missed work or school, or needing medical care.[1] These are people, not simply numbers on a page.

Most of us were never trained for that conversation. Caring about a client does not mean having all the answers. It means responding without adding pressure, staying within your role and knowing where to turn for help.

1. Slow down and listen

Your first job is to be present. Keep your hands steady and your voice calm. You do not need the perfect answer. "Thank you for telling me" lets your client know they were heard.

Give them room to speak. You do not have to fill every silence. A pause can feel uncomfortable when you are used to keeping the conversation moving. Let the client set the pace, and keep your response simple.

2. Believe them. Do not interrogate.

Questions like "Why don't you just leave?" can feel like judgment, even when they are well meant. You do not need the full story to be supportive. Let your client share as much or as little as they want. Keep the focus on listening, rather than sharing your experiences.

Being trusted with a story is not an invitation to investigate it. Notice the difference between listening and collecting details. You do not need a timeline, an explanation for every choice or an answer to every question that occurs to you. The client came for a service. They should not have to defend their story to receive care.

3. Stay in your scope

You are not your client's therapist, lawyer or rescuer. Trying to fix the situation can add pressure and sometimes risk. Your role is care and connection: listen, respect their choices and point them toward people trained to help.

You can care deeply without taking responsibility for solving everything. Before offering advice, ask yourself whether you are staying within the role you actually hold. A supportive response does not require a promise to fix the situation or a plan for the client to follow. Respecting their choices is part of respecting them.

4. Know your handoff before you need it

Keep a discreet resource card at each station:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), text START to 88788, or chat at thehotline.org.
• National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888, or text 233733.
• Your state domestic violence coalition for local programs.

Offer, do not push: "Would it help if I shared a number you can call when it's safe?" Be ready to read it aloud if your client cannot safely take anything home.

Make preparation a team habit rather than leaving each professional to improvise. Know where the card is kept and how to offer it discreetly. A resource is useful only if staff can find it when the conversation happens.

Check your resource card once a year. Take an awareness course even if your state does not require one. A poster can make help visible, but it does not replace a thoughtful conversation.

5. Protect their privacy, and take care of yourself

A client's story is not break-room conversation, a group-chat topic or something to share with the next client. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Hard stories take something out of you, too. Owners can build short weekly check-ins where staff talk about how they are doing without naming clients or sharing identifying details. Caring for clients starts with caring for the people who serve them.

The chair has always been a place of trust. With preparation, it can also be where someone finds a path to safety.

Source [1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "About Intimate Partner Violence," updated August 19, 2026; citing the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2023/2024 Intimate Partner Violence Data Brief. https://www.cdc.gov/intimate-partner-violence/about/index.html

About the Author: Rica Elysée is the founder and CEO of BeautyLynk® and co-creator of Care in the Chair™, trauma-aware client-care training for beauty professionals, with Dr. Charmain Jackman of InnoPsych. She speaks on technology-enabled beauty businesses, AI in beauty and trauma-aware client care.

Click here to subscribe to her newsletter or email her at elysee@ricaelysee.com.