Temple Crisis Hotline

I would think a few of us here have had training of some kind .. I had training by the samaritans when I was 18 so I could help the younger kids. Not saying I want to be the person on the end of the 'hotline' but not everyone who's good at it will have a piece of paper to say so.

I'm not saying your not qualified to listen, as a friend or because of life experiences, what I am saying is that as this thread is about a hotline and in my experience a hotline is for emergencys then Real qualifications may be needed. Experts outside of someone that is just a good listener.

My personal opinion about someone's skills are just my personal experience.

I'm also not telling you that you can't listen to others, who they choose to speak to is there business. What I am saying is that they need to be aware that other options are available.

And I agree it is simple, choose wisely who you speak with. And if unsolicited advice is offered be aware that you don't have to take it.

I counsel as part of my work, with the understanding that I am not a mental health professional. I handle embarrassing questions and interpersonal disputes. But I and the rest of my department are very scrupulous about refer the patient to our Psych team if their issues cross a certain threshold. We are trained to identify that threshold. Also, the a member of the Psych staff is right upstairs.

Aside from not being trained to handle "the big stuff," we sometimes run into another issue. The patient will address their issues with a well-meaning person who cannot provide a actual treatment. This could include structured therapy, team-wide follow up, meds, hospitalization, etc. Sometimes this is deliberate, sometimes not. In either case, the patient will then stop seeking qualified help because they are already talking to 'someone.'
Without meaning to, staff may actually block therapeutic interventions.

That said, what if the hotline was given a disclaimer regarding what types of issues it can handle. I do it at work. "This is between us, sure, but if the problems get too big, I'm going to ask for help in helping you, okay?"

So, a name change and a very clear statement of intent.

But here is a big question. If someone writes you and says that they are a clear, capable threat to themselves or others (and you somehow have their contact info or can get it from them) are people willing to contact the local hospital?

:whistle:

So the word crisis is a little strong. OK pick a new word and give it a try.

If a disclaimer at the beginning of the thread says what we can/able and can not do I think would be nice. Any clergy can start with the disclaimer when contacted as well.

Providing a list of resources and additional contacts would be good too.

As a Church I feel there is a responsibility to help those in need both members and nonmembers. We just need to know our limits so we don't do more harm that good.

This is a work in progress so lets progress cautiously.

It's a very good thing to do.

Alexandre Orion wrote: So, no -- we are not going to all go get trained as clinical psychologists and we are not going to go offering magical solutions to all of the woes of the human condition. But we can listen to people who are emotional and do not make sense without requiring them to and without judging (or telling them that they make no sense).

It all boils down to who wants to talk to whom about what. If you (no one in particular here -- you generally) do not feel us qualified to listen to you, then don't come to us with things. But please don't tell us that we can't listen to others. That would be pretty pretentious ...

I think this is pretty key. We're not soliciting this sort of thing to become everyone's first stop for life crises, we just want to (re)open an avenue for them to have someone they trust. Many of the people at the Temple wound up here because other faiths have burned them, badly, and may feel more comfortable discussing things with another Jedi than hitting up another source for spiritual guidance. Many people here have, or have had, mental health issues they may not be able or willing to talk about with local friends and family, but know that many people here suffer those same conditions. In cases where the need is not immediately life-threatening, they may feel more comfortable talking to one of us--I know I feel better discussing depression with others who know what it's like--than someone else.

Nobody's saying we should be primary-care headshrinks. Literally nobody is saying that's a good idea. But sometimes you get in a pinch, whether it's spiritual or ethical or just a s**t day, and you want someone who will listen without throwing it back in your face later. That's a big deal in the right-now, and properly handled, it can be the first healthy step in real progress in whatever that trouble is.

[hr]

elizabeth wrote: I'm not saying your not qualified to listen, as a friend or because of life experiences, what I am saying is that as this thread is about a hotline and in my experience a hotline is for emergencys then Real qualifications may be needed.

Sometimes all people need right now is for someone to care. That's all we're trying to offer. We may be the only place some people can get it.

But, as Alex said, if this starts up and you don't like it--don't use it. Nobody's forcing anything here. That would be harsh and unethical.

[hr]

Cabur Senaar wrote: But here is a big question. If someone writes you and says that they are a clear, capable threat to themselves or others (and you somehow have their contact info or can get it from them) are people willing to contact the local hospital?

They would have to be, because failure to do so would not only endanger lives but also bring down legal wrath. This isn't a question. It should never be a question.

It's helpful if you can get them to call themselves, of course. There is a particular manner of listening where one, simply by asking questions of clarification and giving no actual advice, can help others realize what they need to do to seek professional help on their own. That would be ideal. If that doesn't work, however, it's kind of a necessity to handle it other ways.

[hr]

Ultimately, what's being discussed here is a spiritual/emotional first-response team for people who are willing to trust it voluntarily. By the very nature of that mission statement, we would have to be able to provide professional resources to those we help--we wouldn't have to be qualified psychologists, for example, but would have to be willing to help them locate such a professional. We don't have to know exactly how to professionally help so long as we can help them find someone that can.

The situation as it stands right now is that the Hotline is not currently checked by anyone in Clergy which is an obvious and serious oversight. This is perhaps due to the fact that the person who asked for its creation never actually checked (and consequently reminded us) of its existence.

If one may propose an alternative...

This (not currently up-to-date) article: http://www.templeofthejediorder.org/component/content/article/31-clergy/1978-who-to-go-to-for-help can be updated to include, as has been here suggested, links to various charitable organisations that deal specifically (such as immediate-response hotlines) with certain troubling situations. This article can also be made more prominent with a specific mention of it on the FaQ.

What do people think of that?

Providing resources = the best course of action right now.

As we learn to internalize those resources with proper training and such, we can redirect people here instead of outsourcing. Works for me!

I think that's a good idea Akkarin

Akkarin wrote: The situation as it stands right now is that the Hotline is not currently checked by anyone in Clergy which is an obvious and serious oversight. This is perhaps due to the fact that the person who asked for its creation never actually checked (and consequently reminded us) of its existence.

If one may propose an alternative...

This (not currently up-to-date) article: http://www.templeofthejediorder.org/component/content/article/31-clergy/1978-who-to-go-to-for-help can be updated to include, as has been here suggested, links to various charitable organisations that deal specifically (such as immediate-response hotlines) with certain troubling situations. This article can also be made more prominent with a specific mention of it on the FaQ.

What do people think of that?

Brilliant. Lets do that. We can at least be a source of comfort for our own and anyone that wanders in.

It's good.