As social media finds a greater and greater importance and significance in our lives, it’s important that we get better at responding to suicidal threats that appear on social media sites like Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook. Failures To Respond There have been a number of situations where a failure to respond appropriately (or simply an…
Author: Dustin
Keeping Your Helpline Workers On Task
There are a number of tools that can be used to monitor workers on your helpline. While we all want to believe that workers will do everything they are supposed to do, sometimes people can find themselves falling below the standard you’ve set. Whether workers are using computers to access websites unrelated to the business…
Building Your Support Network
Support networks are an extremely important protective factor in working with people who are suicidal. Support networks are first, internally, our beliefs, attitudes and strengths, and then externally the people in our lives who we can rely on for emotional support; finally, it’s the community agencies that you rely on for more intensive, or emergency…
My Friend Is Suicidal – What Do I Do?
If you’re reading this, than you may have a friend who has said that they’re feeling suicidal, or who you think might be feeling this way. This can be a very scary place to find yourself. When we think our friends are in danger, it can bring up a lot of very strong feelings, including:…
Professional Development for Helpline Workers
As helpline workers, one of the most important duties we have outside of our actual work on the lines is to continue regular training. Training can help reinforce existing skills in areas such as emotional support, suicide risk assessment and crisis intervention, but also teach you skills in areas you may not have experience in…