Austin, Texas. 1,740 miles traveled in a plane to a conference with 250 people I have never met before. Not only have I never been to Austin, but I’m not a fan of flying, especially if it’s not to the Caribbean. And I would be totally out of my element meeting people in a conference setting. I had a few worries, but for some reason the second I had the opportunity to fill out an application back in the summer, I jumped at it.
I volunteer as a crisis counselor for a company called Crisis Text Line, which is a free, 24/7 and confidential text service for people in crisis. And it just so happened they were hosting this three-day #palooza2016 at The Westin in downtown Austin, Texas.
Not only did Crisis Text Line give out scholarships to people with monetary restrictions, but they gave out “swag bags” to all of their attendees! We each were given an agenda for the conference, our nametag, fruit, drinks, granola bars, an adult coloring book and a hardcover copy of the book "If You Feel Too Much" by Jamie Tworkowski, the Founder and CEO of To Write Love on Her Arms, all in a Crisis Text Line tote bag.
The agenda included multiple guest speakers, coffee breaks, breakout sessions, yoga, a puppy room, massage chairs, as well as full meals. In the main ballroom, we were seated by what day of the week we have scheduled our shifts.
We heard from the Founder and CEO of Crisis Text Line, Nancy Lublin, as well as the Head of Crisis Counselors, their Chief Data Scientist, Head of Supervision, Director of Training, Director of International Expansion, Engineering Lead, Platform Engineer and even Jamie Tworkowski!
The breakout sessions were phenomenal and we had a choice of which ones we wanted to attend. The ones I chose were "Students / Young Professionals," "How Being a Crisis Counselor Has Changed Me," "I’m An Introvert," and "Supervisor Best Practices". These were in separate rooms and the intensity of discussion depended on the topic and the amount of people in the room, which could be between 10 and 70 people.
And I know you’re all just dying to hear about the puppy room. There was a room with a pen in it, and there were puppies! A local animal shelter brought them and they were all up for adoption (no word on if they have since been adopted out).
We learned about the company’s statistics, our texters and our crisis counselors. We were informed of new data that Crisis Text Line has conducted and the many new features on our company’s platform (we answer texters on a computer, while they text in from a cell phone).
Fun facts about Crisis Text Line that I learned while at the Palooza:
Right now, we have over 1,950 crisis counselors, which is a huge increase from what we had a year ago: only 937!
Over 50 percent of our crisis counselors are between the ages of 18 and 25, but our oldest crisis counselor is 78-years-old, which is phenomenal!
What can someone text Crisis Text Line about? Any type of crisis. Suicidal thoughts, abuse, domestic violence, bullying, school, depression, anxiety, family, friends, sexuality, mental illness, relationships, self-harm, substance abuse, stress, the list goes on.
Not only was attending the conference an amazing experience as a crisis counselor, but it also helped the staff learn more about their volunteers as a whole and hear our opinions.
My favorite part of this whole experience? Feeling valued and respected as a volunteer for their company. Everyone was so supportive and welcoming and made me feel included. I am blessed to have been a part of such an amazing experience. I now realize that I am a part of something huge with many likeminded people who want to help those in times of crisis and struggling with mental illness. I left with new friendships, and a newfound love for Crisis Text Line.
If you are in crisis, text 'Start' to 741741 to be connected to a trained crisis counselor within minutes.
If you are interested in becoming a crisis counselor for Crisis Text Line, feel good by helping others and want to have the opportunity to save lives, visit this website to fill out an application. You do not need a counseling background.