We recently connected with Jamie Washington and have shared our conversation below.

Jamie, appreciate you joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

May 19, 2015, I was involved in a terrible car accident. The injuries I sustained were substantial. However, the injury to my hand had the most impact mentally and financially. That’s because I make my living using my hands. At that time, I had been a Barber-Stylist for about 17 years. I had to have several surgeries on my hand, and I had to learn how to use it again. Although that was a significant challenge, the hardest thing I had to do was advocate for myself and my well-being. I had to fight to be heard by my medical team. They were not listening to my repeated complaints, and I felt as if their medical expertise superseded what I was going through. They kept telling me that I just had a bad injury, and it was going to take time to heal. I knew something was wrong, so I made sure to complain about it at every appointment. My cries still went unanswered. In fact, the doctor even signed off on my work loss claim that allowed me to be compensated while I recover. At my next appointment, I asked her if she would perform surgery with my hand. She said she would practice on cadavers until she was able to perform surgery. I told her unfortunately I couldn’t practice on my client’s and that expected certain quality service when they scheduled an appointment. She eventual retracted her statement and my loss wages were reinstated. Furthermore, she finally listened to my complaints and ordered an MRI of my hand. She discovered that I did in fact have some unresolved issues with my hand and I had to have another surgery. Finally, I was on my way to a complete recovery. My experience helped me to advocate and give voices to women coming to Hello Beautiful that are having health issues. I listen to them and make them feel like people and not patients. I also encourage them to seek a new medical team if their doctors aren’t listening. Most people think that they must deal with subpar treatment from medical professionals because doctors know best, but that is false. You know best because that’s your body. You don’t have to stand for a one size fit all approach to your health. You have choices, and you deserve to be heard. You have the right to interview medical professionals before consenting to medical treatment. You don’t have to suffer in silence. That’s what makes the work at Hello Beautiful so important. We not only provide a service, but we also support and educate women on their health and healing journey.

Jamie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Jamie Washington and I’m the proud owner of Hello Beautiful Wellness Spa located in Little Rock, AR.
Hello Beautiful is a feminine wellness spa that caters to women from the heart. We are committed to enriching the lives of women by offering an all-inclusive experience that uplifts and nurtures the spirit. We believe that we can help restore the confidence, self-esteem, and physical appearance of those suffering from or survivors of breast cancer. Not only do we offer mastectomy products and services, but we also provide hair loss and hair care service, makeup, womb Wellness services including by not limited to Yoni steaming, massage, facials, body sugaring, lactation consulting, educational courses, and more. Our goal is to educate women about their overall health and to ignite the beauty within.
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My educational background is very diverse. I received an Associates of Arts degree in Paralegal Technology and Legal Secretary from the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communication and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in International Business from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and a Master of Science degree in Nutrition from the University of Central Arkansas. I’m a licensed Barber-Stylist with over 20 years of experience, a Certified Hair Loss specialist from the Toni Love Training Center Atlanta, Georgia. A NETA certified group fitness instructor, Board of Certification/Accreditation Certified Mastectomy Fitter, a Love my Womb Academy certified Yoni Steam Practitioner and Instructor, Sexual Empowerment Coach, and Feminine Wellness Educator, Ordained Womb Minster, Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner from the American Association of Drugless Practitioners, and a Certified Lactation Counselor from the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice.

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Have you ever had to pivot?

When I was in high school, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I had plans on becoming an attorney. I would always say I was going to be a mix of Thurgood Marshall and Johnnie Cochran. I had witnessed many injustices and I wanted to do something about it. I dreamed of attending Dillard University for my undergraduate studies and then transferring to Howard University School of Law. I thought I had it all figured out. While in school, I use to make money by braiding hair. I had been braiding since I was 9 years old, so it was a quick and easy way to make a few dollars. What my parents saw as a gift, I saw as a mere hustle. As I got closer to graduating, my parents began to talk to me about going to hair school. I told them I wasn’t interested in going to hair school, because I wanted to be an attorney. My dad sat me down and told me that he supported me wanting to be an attorney, but he thought it would be a good idea for me to get my cosmetology license because I could do hair in the dorms instead of working a 9 to 5 and trying to attend school. When I looked at it that way, it didn’t seem like such a bad idea. Moreover, it would only take about 9 months to complete; therefore, it wouldn’t take me that far off course. I agreed to go to barber school before attending college. By this time life was beginning to happen, my dreams of going to Dillard seemed far-fetched, but my dreams of becoming an attorney didn’t waiver. After completing barber school, I enrolled in Pulaski Technical College where I obtained my Associates of Arts Degree in Paralegal Technology and Legal Secretary. I then transferred to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to complete my studies. I was halfway through my studies when a series of events happened. First, I watched as my brother was railroaded by the system on bogus charges. What I witnessed was not only illegal, but it was heart wrenching. I was saddened and depressed. On top of that Jena Six happened. It was at that moment that I saw the justice system for what it was and not what I wanted it to be. I realized that the system was rooted in racism and needed to be dismantled. I feel out of love with wanting to practice law. I knew that the passion that I had to fight injustices would leave me frustrated and stressed out. I was at the point in my life where I just wanted a peace of mind. One day while working in the salon, a women came in frantic. Her hair had come out from a double process chemical, and she was needing some serious help. She asked me if I could help her and my mind was thinking no, but my mouth said yes. I sat her down in my styling chair and I began to pray because God was the only one that was going to be able to help me through this situation. I began to create a masterpiece. I even surprised myself. When I turned her to the mirror, she had tears of joy. That day was the day I fell in love with doing hair and stopped treating it like it was a hustle. It made me feel good to ignite the beauty in someone else and I knew I could get use to that.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Growing up, I operated heavily in my masculine energy. I was the youngest girl, and I was surrounded by males. Although I did play with dolls, I spent most of my time playing football, baseball, climbing trees, building go carts, and just hanging with the fellas. You weren’t allowed to cry and getting dirty was a must. Because I spent so much time with my brothers and cousins, I learned how to effectively communicate with them. I really couldn’t relate to the female experience at all. In this male dominated society, we are taught that women are two-faced, emotional, and full of drama and I didn’t want any parts of that. As a began to get into feminine wellness, I began to understand the power of being a woman. I had to unlearn the negativity surrounding the female experience. We grow up thinking that our menstrual cycle is nasty, and we are made to feel shame. In actuality, this natural process is empowering and beautiful once you learn what’s really going on. Furthermore, women need each other and there is strength in uniting with other women. Who can guide you through the feminine experience better than a woman that has already been there and done that.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.heallobeauifular.com
• Instagram: Hello Beautiful Wellness Spa
• Facebook: Hello Beautiful Wellness Spa

Image Credits
Jamie Washington