Helping people in times of extreme crisis Developing crisis counseling and listening skills Making a difference in your community Providing individuals with community resources for continuing care in their time of need
The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a national hotline that works with local crisis centers: https://988lifeline. org/. The Trevor Project provides crisis intervention for LGBTQ youth: http://www. thetrevorproject. org/pages/volunteer. Crisis Text Line will train you to work as a crisis counselor in exchange for a commitment to volunteer for 200 hours: https://www. crisistextline. org/volunteer. IMAlive is an online, chat-based suicide prevention agency: https://www. imalive. org/index. php. The Veterans Crisis Line allows Veterans to connect with someone via live chat, text, or phone call: https://www. veteranscrisisline. net/.
The qualifications to work as a crisis hotline employee will vary depending on the state and organization you work for, as well as, the level of crisis intervention you are providing. Many organizations will put their new employees through certified training as there are key things or phrases one needs to listen for, or ask questions about to ensure the caller is connected to the most appropriate level of care. If you want to be employed by a crisis hotline, you will likely need, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree in psychology or human services. A master’s degree in a counseling or social work program could further help you take on direct counseling or supervisory roles. Keep in mind that for certain roles within the organization, you may require licensure by your state’s human services regulatory agency. These requirements vary by degree, license, and state. [3] X Research source
Check out your local shelters. Domestic violence shelters in particular are always willing to accept volunteers. These places are generally short-staffed and have very little to no funding to pay for another employee. The more free help they can find, the better. In addition, you will get experience providing crisis intervention face-to-face with clients to really hone on your skills. It is always good to start off volunteering for an organization of preference and connect with others with experience. Through this connection, you get a feel of this line of work and decide if it works for you. Also, connecting with an experienced crisis hotline worker, and/or crisis counselor will help you identify what level or type of crisis work you wish to do. There are many different levels, each offering their own set of responsibilities, pay, and different levels of required education and experience. Remember, you can still help at a suicide hotline even if you are not taking calls! Help is always needed for fundraising, events, marketing, and administrative support. [4] X Research source
Lethality — Dangerousness of the plan, and is there potential for rescue if needed Intent — The level of desire and intent to act on ones suicidal thoughts Caller history — Is there a history of suicidal ideation? Were there actual attempts in the past and thought-out plans, or were these passive suicidal thoughts? Are there self-harming behaviors, and if so what are they? (i. e. cutting, burning, pulling out hair, hitting head on door/wall, etc. ). Substance abuse/use history — Do they currently drink alcohol or use drugs? Do they have a personal history or family history of substance abuse? Symptoms — Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, worthlessness? Mental health History — Does the person have a history of mental health concerns, current psychosis, delusions, or hallucinations? Medical concerns — Are there any immediate medical concerns that require treatment? Coping skills — Does the person know of any healthy ways they can cope with their feelings? Support system — Who or where are their primary formal and informal support systems? Protective factors — There are some factors that can reduce the likelihood that the person will attempt suicide. Do they have supportive family and friends? Access to medical and mental health care? Other concerns and factors that might cause this crisis— This might include lack of housing, no financial income, loss of loved one, or loss of belongings or employment. Are there other family/friend relationship problems? If a person has a plan, a timeline, and a means to kill themselves, they should be considered high-risk and not left alone. Keep the person talking to you, and take their statements seriously.
Lethality — Dangerousness of the plan, and is there potential for rescue if needed Intent — The level of desire and intent to act on ones suicidal thoughts Caller history — Is there a history of suicidal ideation? Were there actual attempts in the past and thought-out plans, or were these passive suicidal thoughts? Are there self-harming behaviors, and if so what are they? (i. e. cutting, burning, pulling out hair, hitting head on door/wall, etc. ). Substance abuse/use history — Do they currently drink alcohol or use drugs? Do they have a personal history or family history of substance abuse? Symptoms — Feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, worthlessness? Mental health History — Does the person have a history of mental health concerns, current psychosis, delusions, or hallucinations? Medical concerns — Are there any immediate medical concerns that require treatment? Coping skills — Does the person know of any healthy ways they can cope with their feelings? Support system — Who or where are their primary formal and informal support systems? Protective factors — There are some factors that can reduce the likelihood that the person will attempt suicide. Do they have supportive family and friends? Access to medical and mental health care? Other concerns and factors that might cause this crisis— This might include lack of housing, no financial income, loss of loved one, or loss of belongings or employment. Are there other family/friend relationship problems? If a person has a plan, a timeline, and a means to kill themselves, they should be considered high-risk and not left alone. Keep the person talking to you, and take their statements seriously.
Keep your opinions to yourself. You may not agree with certain aspects of this person’s lifestyle. If you find yourself feeling judgmental, try putting yourself in their situation. Imagine what you would want to hear from someone if you were in crisis. You could say something like, “I know you took a lot of drugs tonight, but right now, my priority is keeping you safe tonight. Do you have somewhere you can go right now?”
For example, the statement “I feel like I can’t get out of bed in the morning. I feel like I can’t stop crying most days,” might be effectively paraphrased as “It sounds like you are feeling very depressed. ” Even an incorrect paraphrase can help you achieve better understanding. It shows that you are putting effort into listening to the speaker, and it gives the speaker an easy opportunity to correct the listener. For example, say the listener paraphrases the sentence, “I don’t think I can take it anymore” as, “You sound really tired. ” The speaker could correct them and say, “No, I feel miserable and hopeless. ” This helps the speaker clarify their feelings, and helps the listener stay on the right track.
Expressing empathy for the other person allows that person to evaluate, clarify, and/or identify their own feelings. The person expressing the empathy may allow the other person to hear their emotion expressed in a different way, bringing further clarity to their emotions. For example, say a caller in crisis is expressing suicidal thoughts because they feel all alone in the world. In the last year, they have had several people close to them die. You could say, “That sounds devastating. You must be grieving these losses so badly right now. ” The caller may not have put together that their feelings of loneliness are connected to their grief.
These include questions like, “Could you tell me more about what happened?” or statements like, “I’d love to hear more about that. ” For example, if someone says, “I just don’t want to live anymore,” you could say, “Could you help me better understand what is making you feel that way?”
Give them space to answer the questions. Be comfortable with silence. They may be formulating their response. [10] X Research source You could ask something like, “How did you feel when your son said that to you?” or, “When you said, ‘I don’t think he ever wants to see my face again,’ what do you mean by that?”
You will receive hands-on training, including participating in role-playing exercises, answering mock phone calls, and watching other workers take calls, before you answer calls on your own. [12] X Research source Make sure you follow your agency’s rules on confidentiality, for both you and the client. Some agencies have you use an alias to protect your identity. While it may feel frustrating to not be able to follow-up with the person who called you, understand that it helps you focus on staying in the moment to prevent a crisis, and not dwelling on things you may not be able to change. [13] X Research source
Question the person about suicide directly. Talk to them about any suicidal ideation, plans, timelines, or means. Assess their immediate risk. Persuade the person to get help. Be a supportive listener and empathize with their concerns. Then you could say, for example, “I want to make sure that you have a way to stay safe right now. Who can you call right now who can come over and stay with you?” Refer for help. Assess their support network and other protective factors (relationships and behaviors that reduce likelihood of suicide). Utilize some of these support systems already in place to get them help. Your hotline may have additional resources to which you can connect your caller. [15] X Research source
For example, you may want to take additional training courses on how to help suicidal youth, LGBTQ+ individuals, the elderly, or veterans. [16] X Research source Check with your organization to see if they offer in-house trainings on different populations, or if they recommend outside organizations that can help you.
Keep your ego in check. Remember, it’s not about you, it’s about helping the caller survive. Do whatever you can to keep the caller safe, even if that means asking for help.
Connect with other volunteers and supervisors on your hotline to prepare for difficult calls, and to for suggestions on how to take care of yourself after particularly traumatic calls.
Following a difficult call, connect with a supervisor or other designated person to help you debrief and address any emotional impact. Reaching out for your own help will help keep you strong and focused to continue to help others. [18] X Research source
Learn to recognize your own signs of burnout. These may include symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, detachment, or depression. [19] X Research source You could say, “I have been dealing with so much stress in my life over the past couple of weeks. I don’t think I can do a good job answering calls right now. Can I take a few days off, or work on something that doesn’t require client interaction?”
Physical needs: Go for a walk, get a massage, or make a special meal for yourself. Mental needs: Take up a new hobby you’ve always wanted to learn, create an art project, or listen to a podcast about something that interests you. Emotional needs: Listen to music that relaxes or inspires you, make a donation to charity, or attend a support group meeting. Social needs: Call your loved ones, go out to dinner with friends, or smile at strangers and strike up conversations. Spiritual needs: Attend a religious service if you are religious, meditate, pray, or connect with nature. [21] X Research source
