Category: Updates

Posted November 4th, 2020

By Stacy Ashton, Executive Director

At some point in our 51+ year history, there were questions raised about what to call the volunteers who answered our phones. “Crisis Counsellor” was one of the options proposed. 

I thought that was a good idea when I was volunteering on the lines—mostly because I was applying to a Masters of Counselling program and figured the title “Crisis Counsellor” could only help my chances of admission.

Now, however, I’ve played both roles: the person answering the crisis line, and the counsellor working with clients who are experiencing suicidal thoughts or recovering from a suicide attempt. Now I understand what counselling is, and it’s not the same as crisis response. 

Here’s the basic rule of thumb: if you schedule it, it’s counselling. A crisis, on the other hand, can’t be scheduled; when you reach out in a crisis, counselling isn’t exactly what you need. 

When we are in a crisis state, our minds and bodies go into a reaction mode. You’ve likely heard this a million times—I first learned about it in grade school with a cartoon they showed in class. Fight, flight, or freeze—each option requires a lot of energy as your body gets ready to stop thinking and start reacting.

Acting without thinking can get us into a lot of trouble. When you find yourself overwhelmed by intense emotion— which can sometimes feel like intense numbness—talking to someone who will just listen is how you turn your reaction back into thought. 

Counselling is really helpful in sorting out what to do next in your life. If you are facing a choice, if past events in your life are still painful, if something has happened that changes everything, if you are stuck and beating yourself up over it, or if you feel stuck and angry at other people or the world, counselling can help you think the situation through and find a resolution. 

Crisis response is about getting you back into your thinking mind. Counselling is most helpful when you are ready to think. 

If you call the Crisis Centre of BC–anytime, 24/7–you won’t be talking to a “Crisis Counsellor.” You’ll be talking to a skilled, valued, and aptly-named Crisis Service Responder.

• Vancouver Coastal Regional Distress Line: 604-872-3311
• Anywhere in BC 1-800-SUICIDE: 1-800-784-2433
• Mental Health Support Line: 310-6789

Posted September 23rd, 2019

By Rudi Araujo

Raj picked up the phone in the middle of the night. On the other end was a struggling woman who needed to share her story.

New motherhood. A sense of distance from her partner. Fractured relationships with her family. A history of trauma. That’s a lot to handle in the middle of the night. With a previous suicide attempt in her past, she knew she needed to reach out for help. She was receiving professional support on a regular basis, but at 1 a.m. she couldn’t reach anyone.

In the middle of the night, only a Crisis Centre responder was available to help.

The caller was dealing with severe postpartum depression. She felt isolated and angry and depressed. She was afraid she could hurt herself.

Raj recognized how delicate this particular call was and focused on helping her find ways to cope better in the moment and make it through the night. Over the phone, Raj provided a safe space in which her fears, failures, trauma, and shame could be acknowledged. He validated her conflict, and also her hopes for herself and her child.

Raj started volunteering at the Crisis Centre in September 2015. For him, every call is unique. The experience of talking to a person in distress varies greatly from person to person. Even so, Raj knows that holding a safe space for callers to share their reality gets people through to the next day, and that’s a powerful thing for another person to do.