Hair Coaching: A New Model of Psycho-Cosmetic Intervention
In the midst of these layered cosmetic traumas—Afro-Dysmorphia; Maladjustments, Texturism, and Afrophobia—emerges a therapeutic tool rooted not in psychiatry or psychology but in proximity, trust, and tactile hair care consultation. Hair Coaching. Stylists, locticians, barbers, and hair care professionals are the first responders in the battle against aesthetic indoctrination and imbalances. They are often the first to hear confessions of insecurity or feelings of inadequacies,  the first to witness joy, and the first to decode the deeper story behind a request for change.
Hair Coaching is not just a service—it is an intervention. It is the conscious act of rebalancing a client’s distorted and conflicted self-image through ritual, language, and re-education and orientation. A good Hair Coach doesn’t simply perform a hairstyle. They perform emotional readjustment and psychic recalibration. They remind the client of what is natural to them, what is powerful, and what is inherited to them. They create a space where Afro-texture is not only acceptable—it is advocated for and emotionally accepted, thus embodied and purified.
This work must be intentional. Hair Coaches must be trained not just in technique, but in trauma literacy. They must learn to recognize the signs of Afro-Dysmorphia, to unpack the mechanics of Texturism, and to redirect the language of Afrophobia. They must know when a style request is a cry for validation. They must know when to listen and when to lovingly challenge. And when the wound is too deep, they must know how to guide the client toward deeper therapeutic support.
Reprogramming the Mirror: When a client sits in the chair, they are not only seeking beauty—they are seeking equilibrium. They are trying to make peace with the image in the mirror and the gaze of the world. Afro-Dysmorphia distorts the mirror. Texturism warps the gaze. Afrophobia criminalizes differences.
But through the intentional practice of Hair Coaching, we can begin to clear the fog. We can affirm our humanity through texture. We can replace judgment with education, shame with sovereignty. We can remind our clients—and ourselves—that to love Afro hair is not simply a political act, but an emotional realignment for 
well-being.  

Examples

Afro-Dysmorphia: Traumatic experiences stemming from negative chronic messaging, these distortions and conflicts will fester on the cosmetic body. 

Afro-Phobia or Mis-Chroma-anthropy: These are social grouping dynamics, in institutions like schools, where bullying is prevalent.

Texturism: This is also a group dynamic; however, the hair, not the person, is weaponized.

Mal-adjusting: This is a Group Dynamic and a Power Dynamic, where those with less proxy maladjust to the power class, due to jobs, economic bullying and abuse.  

BIO: Cheryl Morrow is the epitome of hair care royalty, initially trained as a Cosmetologist, Barber, and Cosmetic Trichologist with a high level of knowledge and respect for curly hair care. Born in San Diego in 1967, she is the daughter of Dr. Willie Morrow and Mrs. Gloria Morrow. As the legatee and daughter of the greatest beauty authority in the global beauty industry, she now serves as successor and CVO, Chief-Visionary-Officer of California Curl and Morrow Publishing.Working side-by-side and traveling around the world with her father, furnished Cheryl with extraordinary knowledge of the manufacturing process and science education that exclusively pertains to curly hair. This expertise has allowed her to design couture product lines for many celebrities and hair care distributors.
In 1985, Cheryl was chosen to represent the United States in the Hair Olympics. However, she declined this honor to go to London and accept her induction into the Intercoiffure Organization, in Paris, France. Cheryl went on to hone her salon management skills by attending the invitation-only Vidal Sassoon Institute of Salon Management in Beverly Hills, CA, and a 19-year residence in the Big Apple, NYC, which she says set her life on fire.
Today, Cheryl Morrow ventures into the new era of Afrocentric beauty, envisioning Black San Diego once again becoming the vibrant economy of her childhood. Bequeathed with over 3000 historical photos and documentation, 700 artistic originals, and over 1000 news periodicals, Cheryl continues her father's legacy. Morrow’s publishing began in 1959, and this year marks 65 years in beauty and media in San Diego.
With her love of technology, Cheryl digitized the first Black newsprint media in 2010; a newspaper her father started 38 years earlier as an advertising tool inside the Voice & Viewpoint newspaper. Cheryl says her greatest heirloom, is her parents' love and passion for private equity, community shareholding, and wealth building. Her motto is “Bet on Black.”
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