New Link (PSA)

Hi Everyone! I just want to thank everyone who sent me pressies, cards, emails, ecards and called (Caren all the way from NZ!!) and came to my surprise party to wish me happy birthday! I am most grateful for your friendship, love and kindness. It made for a very happy birthday indeed!

I am busy going through my class supply lists so I can pack what I need for Artfest, which is now 6 days away! I can't wait! Now if only I could find my darn rubber mallet! How can I lose something like that?!?! It's around here somewhere but if I can't find it soon, I will be making a trip to the hardware store to get another-it's just not worth the hassel!

I just wanted to give you the heads up about a link section I added to my blog sidebar. You will now see a heading that says "Are you in crisis?" I have served on a crisis line for the last 8 years and it occured to me today that I should have a link to crisis information on my blog. If you are wondering what a crisis line does, here's what I can tell you:

-It gives you the chance to have someone listen to you without feeling judged. The person you speak to has no vested interest and therefore can act as a sounding board and help you sort out how what is happening is affecting you. Sometimes it can be really helpful to have someone validate your feelings, especially when you feel like you are not being heard. Your call is considered annonymous and confidential.
- A crisis line worker has access to a variety of resources and can help connect you to more in-depth help if that is what you are looking for. You can take the numbers for these resources and then decide for yourself if and when you would like to look into them. There is no pressure to contact any other agencies if that's not what you want.
-A crisis line worker can speak openly and honestly about suicide. It a chance to speak with someone who is comfortable talking about it. You don't need to be feeling suicidal to call-you could be someone who has been affected by someone else who is suicidal or you could be someone who has lost someone to suicide.

There are many other reasons why someone would call a crisis line:
abuse
addiction
mental health issues
financial/ poverty issues
health issues
looking for information/resources
grieving
lonliness
relationship issues
parenting issues

A crisis line worker cannot "fix" your problems. They cannot offer advice. What they can do is work with you to explore what your options are and offer you the appropriate resources and information. I like to think of it in terms of "emotional first aid". Crisis line workers are commited to making a difference in their communities because they care. They have undergone special training and in most cases that training is constantly enhanced and updated.

So, if you or someone you know needs help, please feel free to share the links I have provided. There is one for the Canada and one for the US. I hope none of you ever needs to call, but if you do, I hope you will have the courage to reach out.

*If you are thinking of joining a crisis line and want to know more, feel free to email me if you have questions. I would be happy to talk to you about my experiences-it's incredibly rewarding.