Offering connection and support in times of Crisis.

What do you do for work, and who are the clients that you work with? 

As a mobile crisis worker, I work with people who have identified being in a crisis for a multitude of reasons, and meet with them either in person, in the community, at the office, or at their homes to develop a safety plan, provide support, and connect them to resources. 

How did you get into this line of work? 

I started working as a tech at a psychiatric hospital before I did this role. I am in school for my master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. This position really fuels my drive to continue my education and keep pursuing different kinds of careers along the mental health continuum.

What do you enjoy about your work? 

Being able to be there with people when they’re going through a hard time, I think that’s really powerful. It’s really special to know that I’m able to be that person for people. You were able to make a difference in that moment when someone felt completely hopeless.

Knowing that I was able to find the right resource or the right connection that made a difference is huge.  You can hear the difference that you made and that’s definitely very rewarding. Even hearing feedback from other professionals in the community, like case managers or therapists, having them say, “You guys have been so helpful for my client, for resources, for support,” is really empowering and fuels why we are doing what we do.

It makes me feel grateful to be able to be in a position where I can help.

What types of skills and qualities does it take to be successful in this field? 

Empathy, and a passion for helping people. Active listening is huge; the ability to meet people where they’re at and really hear someone out and allow them to share their story. Resources are important and make a huge difference in the long run, but in the moment, making sure people feel wholly supported and listened to is the most important.

I also think being able to problem solve, think through things quickly, and adapt to a situation is important.  The ability to move fluidly with how things develop is key.

It can be challenging; it can be emotionally taxing. We hear hard things; we see hard things. I think it’s really important to have a strong base of self-care, to know yourself, and to know your limits. But at the end of the day, it’s really rewarding to be able to be that person that makes someone feel safe enough to talk about their feelings and what’s going on.

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in getting into the field? 

I would just encourage anyone who’s thinking about it to go for it. You learn a lot about different diagnoses and people’s experiences with suicidality or depression or anxiety. It’s a great way to learn more about resources in your community and build relationships with other providers. I have learned a lot during my time that will be useful no matter where I end up down the road. It’s fast paced, it’s interesting, and it’s super rewarding. It’s definitely worth checking out, and there’s so many ways you can branch off from there. 

I think that crisis work in general is a great job for anybody that needs flexibility because really any kind of schedule is needed. You can do part-time, you can do full-time, and you can do per diem, which is great if you’re managing a family at home or if you’re in school or if you have another job.