[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”18px” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
Je has started hundreds of tricky conversations. As a Lines for Life volunteer, she answers calls from people looking for a way through anxiety, stress, loneliness, substance abuse, and thoughts of suicide.<\/p>\n
During her weekly volunteer shifts, Je listens, validates, and supports callers through challenging and sometimes dark times.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne caller had a bad day,\u201d Je recalled. \u201cJust constant conflict. Feeling like nobody cares \u2013 nobody’s listening. It becomes like a pressure cooker. All the little annoyances start to add up and there’s no outlet \u2013 there’s no release.\u201d<\/p>\n
Je helped the caller talk through what they had been experiencing. Giving the caller all the time they needed, Je kept asking questions to uncover what was really going on and validate what the caller was feeling and going through.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt led to this self-reflective moment that seemed impossible at the beginning of the call. And it reminded me that a lot of times the underlying issue is this feeling of not being taken seriously, not being respected, not being listened to.\u201d<\/p>\n
How long has it been since you felt truly heard?<\/b><\/p>\n
We all go through ups and downs. Our joys feel even more joyful when we have someone to share them with. And our lows feel even lower when we feel alone or isolated.<\/p>\n
Yet even when we have people we trust, we don\u2019t always feel like we can talk about what we\u2019re going through. We often convince ourselves that it\u2019s better to carry our burdens alone or in silence than risk burdening someone else with the load.<\/p>\n
When we go without support for too long \u2013 when we feel like nobody is there for us \u2013 our mental wellness can suffer and we run the risk of a mental health crisis.<\/p>\n
Je sees this happen with callers she supports on the lines. \u201cOften people feel like when they say something to someone, the person’s going to get mad or scared,\u201d Je observed. \u201cSo they bottle it up. But processing emotions is an important part of releasing them. If you’re keeping it inside, not telling anybody, then it can lead to crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even just one conversation with someone who listens without judgment can often help heavy thoughts feel lighter. \u201cDon’t suffer in silence,\u201d Je advises. \u201cTalk to your friends or family. Talk to the people you love. You would be surprised by how much people might relate to what you’re feeling. You’re not alone.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re experiencing a mental health emergency and need immediate support, dial 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at any time, 24\/7.<\/em><\/p>\n Are you worried about someone in your life?<\/b><\/p>\n If you\u2019re worried that someone in your life is going through something alone, starting a conversation is one of the most important steps you can take to care for them.<\/p>\n When you start a conversation, you open the door for that person to feel seen and heard. And you create space to identify and connect with resources when more support is needed.<\/p>\n Starting a conversation with someone you\u2019re concerned about can look a lot like other conversations. You can start by asking \u201cHow are you really?\u201d or sharing how you\u2019ve been feeling lately.<\/p>\n Through her experience as a Lines for Life volunteer, Je has learned valuable lessons for how to prepare for and navigate deeper conversations.<\/p>\n Je advises, \u201cStart with \u2018What’s going on for you today?\u2019 If they mention school, ask \u2018How was school?\u2019 Then dig deeper. If they mention their job, ask \u2018How\u2019s work?\u2019 Go at the pace of the person you\u2019re talking to.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Je advises: \u201cIf you\u2019ve noticed somebody seems down, acknowledge that and offer support. For example, you might say, \u2018I’ve noticed that you seem really down. Is there any way I can support you?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Je advises: \u201cIf you want to reassure someone that you\u2019re here to listen and not judge, say things like \u2018I actually do want to know what’s going on.\u2019 Or \u2018I do care and you can confide in me.\u2019 Or \u2018You don’t have to be afraid of being a burden or saying something weird.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Je advises: \u201cI used to talk to my friends and family, and if there was an issue, I would dive immediately into problem-solving and giving suggestions. But that’s not helpful. It’s better to listen to people and reflect back what they’re saying. Once they hear you reflect back their emotional state, people can come to their own conclusions and solutions.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Whatever you can do to start a conversation and listen is enough. \u201cThis is about trying to find ways to break the crisis cycle and put in systems of support that can get people out of crisis,\u201d Je said. \u201cIt\u2019s about getting people to think about how they can recover their mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n There\u2019s one more word of advice from Je. Starting and holding space for deeper conversations can be tiring. It\u2019s important to give yourself space to rest and recover afterward.<\/p>\n \u201cLike most things that are hard work, deeper conversations can be satisfying,\u201d Je said. \u201cWhen you come out of a situation where you worked hard, celebrate your hard work, take a break, and regroup.\u201d<\/p>\n Anyone can start a conversation that supports someone who may be in crisis or thinking about suicide. If you\u2019re concerned about a friend or loved one:<\/p>\n Je Amaechi is a Community Organizer for Unite Oregon and has been volunteering at Lines for Life for almost two years. Je\u2019s long career at Unite Oregon included passing and implementing legislation that would expand addiction services and social supports in Oregon. After dedicating her professional energy to increasing access to treatment services, Je wanted to be closer to people using the services she advocated to create. So she became a volunteer at Lines for Life.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Je ha iniciado cientos de conversaciones dif\u00edciles. Como voluntaria de Lines for Life, ella responde llamadas de personas que buscan una salida a la ansiedad, el estr\u00e9s, la soledad, el abuso de sustancias y los pensamientos suicidas.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":281423,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-281421","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-suicide-prevention-month"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linesforlife.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/281421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linesforlife.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linesforlife.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linesforlife.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linesforlife.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=281421"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.linesforlife.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/281421\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linesforlife.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/281423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linesforlife.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=281421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linesforlife.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=281421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linesforlife.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=281421"}],"curies":[{"name":"\u00a1Buen juego!","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Anyone Can Start a Conversation<\/h3>\n
Je\u2019s 5 Ways to Start Talking About Difficult Topics<\/h3>\n
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Take Action<\/h3>\n
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About Je<\/h3>\n