In a trendy Christchurch barber shop, customers will be able to book a chat with a "yarnologist", one of a handful of qualified counsellors at the shop helping "guys who might having a bad day or going through something and just need some advice".

Benny's Barber Shop has had a cult-like following since the opening of the first caravan-based mobile barber shop in 2015. Owner Ben Scott said the idea to introduce "yarnologists" came after a counsellor in his chair warned him to expect to hear "all sorts" from patrons.

"People come in and tell us everything, we hear about their good days and their bad days. Some have just had a kid, another is talking about a miscarriage. You really see all sorts."A lot of people find themselves in a situation where everything seems all good but something goes wrong for whatever reason and they might need some advice on how they could deal with it or just someone to listen to them."Most would scoff at the idea of counselling, or simply could not afford to go, so he wanted to offer free advice from the comfort his Sydenham shop.

A team of six counsellor has volunteered to help fill six 20-minute "yarn" slots weekly. Each is available to book on the Benny's website. Scott said he was in the process of securing a dedicated space in store to work from.

"Who knows if it will take off or not, that's not what it's about really. If one person gets a bit of good news out of it, that's a win."

He hoped the relaxed vibe and "no pressure" environment would help hammer home the message that it is not weak for men to talk. Of the 668 people who died by suicide in New Zealand in 2017-18, 71 per cent were male.

Scott has already expanded his brand to far beyond beard trims and buzz cuts. Customers are invited to shoot hoops and play video games in the old glazing warehouse he works from, and Scott's own clothing line sells in a small retail space next to a barista coffee bar.

He started the business about four years ago after a rugby injury forced him to give up a building apprenticeship. He was already cutting his mates' hair before deciding to hone his skills at barber school in Auckland.

"When life throws a few curve balls at you and makes things tough, sometimes all you need is a yarn to talk it out.".

At a launch event on Wednesday night, Crusaders Richie Mo'unga and Israel Dagg will share how they get through rugby pressures, the pain of injury and "how yarns with mates have helped through the process". It is a series Scott plans to continue.