Volunteers integral to Crisis Clinic

Madison Park resident Roselyn Peterson has been volunteering on the 24-Hour Crisis Line once a week for nearly two years. In that time, she’s helped people experiencing all kinds of emotional distress: depression, anxiety, grief, shame, loneliness and sometimes thoughts of suicide.

Peterson has been interested in helping people experiencing mental health challenges since she was a sophomore in high school. “Once I discovered that depression was affecting people close to me, I realized I wanted to help,” she said.

She graduated from Seattle University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and began working in the mental health field while still in school. She learned about volunteering with Crisis Clinic through a colleague at Harborview Medical Center.

“I volunteered with Crisis Clinic because I wanted to give my time and energy to others, but it’s also given me hands-on clinical experience, which will help me with my future plans to become a psychologist,” she explained.

Crisis Clinic’s 24-Hour Crisis Line is largely staffed by volunteers who have been professionally trained to take calls from people in crisis. They are supervised by mental health professionals but do not provide counseling or advice. Instead, they listen to callers’ concerns, ask questions and suggest referrals where people can get further assistance when necessary.

“Feeling needed by the community and offering support to people at a time of need is the most rewarding part of volunteering with Crisis Clinic,” Peterson said.

Last year, 250 volunteers answered more than 117,000 calls on the Crisis Line, but it isn’t enough. “The demand for our services continues to increase,” said executive director Kathleen Southwick, “and we’re not able to keep up with the demand.”

The agency needs to recruit approximately 150 new volunteers every year to maintain services. Last year, the Seattle-based nonprofit only filled 100 of these volunteer positions.

“Many people choose short-term or one-time volunteer opportunities like sorting food at a food bank or planting trees, but volunteering for Crisis Clinic is a much bigger commitment,” Southwick explained.

Each of the Crisis Line volunteers goes through a six-week training program and pledges to work a four-hour shift every week for a year. Still, Peterson hopes this won’t stop people from volunteering for the organization.

“Crisis Clinic makes a difference in everyone’s lives, whether they realize it or not,” she said. “Even though there are everyday difficulties you experience in life, it’s rewarding to set aside time each week to support others in the community.” 

To learn more about volunteer opportunities available at Crisis Clinic, visit their website at www.crisisclinic.org.