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Crisis Text Line opens dialog for help

By Nick Blank Staff Writer
Posted 9/18/19

CLAY COUNTY – The Crisis Text Line was launched in 2013 to give people a space to talk with trained and empathetic crisis counselors.

Middleburg resident Geraldine Spiegle, 20, began her crisis …

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Crisis Text Line opens dialog for help


Posted

CLAY COUNTY – The Crisis Text Line was launched in 2013 to give people a space to talk with trained and empathetic crisis counselors.

Middleburg resident Geraldine Spiegle, 20, began her crisis counselor training last year. Spiegle said she struggled with mental health issues since she was 8.

Spiegle said she saw volunteering as paying it forward. She’s logged more than 60 hours of conversations.

“It is completely fulfilling,” she said. “Anyone who has a small amount of time can do anything to further provide the message of hope for others.”

The Crisis Text Line doesn’t function only as a suicide hotline. Spiegle said the individual is the only one who can define what the word crisis means to them. College stress and loneliness are two other examples.

After logging on the text hotline’s portal, an algorithm matches crisis counselors like Spiegle to imminent-risk texters first.

“Obviously, you want to talk to those people first because they are the most important at that time,” Spiegle said.

Active listening is key. Spiegle said crisis counselors often don’t know the full story. She said the goal was to get the texter to a safe space. Crisis counselors also ask if texters have something to put their mind at ease such as a song or meditation, or a support system like a friend or family member.

According to the Crisis Text Line, more than 3,000 conversations occur every day. The organization hit 100 million messages in March. Crisis Text Line has protocols in place to call emergency services, or if the texter gives the crisis counselors a timeline of what they plan to do.

“It’s overwhelming. There’s this person you can only provide so many words to and after that you don’t hear anything back,” Spiegle said. “You hope they got the help they needed and continue to get the help they needed.”

Those interested in volunteering must undergo a 30-hour training program. They must complete a background check, have reliable access to a computer and internet, be 18 years old and complete a minimum of four hours a week.

More information is available at https://www.crisistextline.org/volunteer. To use the Crisis Text Line text “HOME” to 741741.