Sometimes, depression and anxiety can make even the simplest, most ordinary tasks feel overwhelming—especially when we find ourselves in a place where we feel undeserving of compassion. At the Suicide & Crisis Center of North Texas, we believe that no matter who you are or what you’ve done, you deserve kindness, understanding, and a listening ear free of judgment.
As you will read in this volunteer’s story, we practice what we preach. Her experience is a testament to the humanity at the core of crisis line work—providing connection, empathy, and hope during life’s most challenging moments. This is the foundation of what makes a crisis and depression hotline, like ours, a safe place for anyone in need, no matter their situation.
Compassion and Healing in Small Steps
For a year-and-a-half, I had a beautiful secret that I protected. I was loved. I was valued. I was connected to someone else. Now that’s gone. I have nothing.
A caller described the ending of an affair the previous evening. Through many tears, she shared how she had always been the strong one in her family—the dependable, “good” one. Always. Until now. “Now I am the bad one. I am the bad person,” she sobbed. “I know I’ve done a bad thing, and I never do bad things.”
Sobbing, the caller described everyday tasks — a critical work meeting she needed to lead with perfection, and a simple Halloween party she had to organize for her children. She couldn’t do them, she cried. She pleaded with me to help her perform these once-ordinary duties.
I asked her to describe for me a single, small step she could take to carry out this day and the days ahead. Then, I gave her the gift of silence. Eventually, she was able to compose herself and begin reflecting on her choices. To gain composure before her work meeting that day, she planned to call us back just before the meeting. If needed, she would allow herself the gift of tears in front of her children after school—something she’d never done before. “Mom is just feeling sick,” she would say.
“I’m so scared,” she told me. “I’ve lost the essence of my value, my worth. And there’s nothing to replace it,” she cried. I asked her to define what constitutes the value and worth of a person and how she felt she could get it back.
By the end of the call, the caller felt she could make it through the ordinary tasks of the day… one small step at a time.
The Power of Humanity
This call is a testament to the power of listening, connection, and the non-judgmental support offered by the Texas crisis center volunteers. Above all, it is a testament to humanity. All people face moments of raw and painful humanity. We’ve all felt the sting of losing a relationship, the loss of purpose, worth, and value, or the fear of being unable to hide our emotions. We’ve all felt the overwhelming weight of something taking away our innate sense of goodness. Yet, we are often healed through the simple gift of another’s listening ear, offering non-judgmental acceptance. This is what makes our crisis hotline a truly effective, compassionate resource for those in need.
Through Every Crisis, We Are Here
No problem is too big or small for our suicide and depression hotline. Despair comes in different forms, and affects us in unique ways. We can listen without judgement and help you make small steps toward healing. Call our Texas crisis center anytime, 24/7, at (214) 828-1000.