What kind of people call HelpLine?
Men and women, young and old, students and non-students. People from all walks of life make use of our services! We are here for you.
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Is this confidential?
Yes.* Your call is anonymous (you can give your name or not) and confidential (we will not tell other people that you called and what you talked about). We respect your privacy. Our phones do not have "Caller-ID."
*We are voluntary state reporters in a few, very specific situations involving child abuse, elder abuse, suicide and homicide.
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Can just talking really do any good?
Yes. Sometimes just talking about a problem helps you make sense of it. The input from another person may help you to realize the situation is not as bad as you thought, or suggest solutions you may not have considered. Even when there's no "quick fix" to your problem, talking about it can help you feel less anxious and worried about it.
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When I call, who answers?
Trained volunteer "listeners." We have undergone training in order to understand a wide variety of challenges that people may face. As volunteers, we are not paid for our service, although some of us earn college credit for our time. We are "listeners," not "counselors" nor "therapists." We are trained to actively listen and help you explore your feelings and solutions to your problems. We also offer referrals to community resources that might help you.
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Can you help with my problem? It's really weird!
Yes. We receive calls from people with concerns that they think are weird or unusual. Many are relieved to hear that their problem is actually quite common. (It just may be that no one really talks about it.) No matter how odd you think your problem is, chances are we've heard stranger things.
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What do people who have called HelpLine have to say about it?
Most people thank us as they end their calls. They say they feel better just to have had the opportunity to talk to someone about their problem. If you have called us in the past, why not call or send us e-mail with your feedback. We'd love to know what you think.
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