I am a mom, wife, community member, and work at local Crisis Line. Since I worked on Friday during the MP shooting, I learned about it as parents called to find support for their children in this tragic event. I heard fear and disbelief in their voices. I empathized and answered their questions. One thing struck me amid parents and community members calling Friday and throughout the weekend; every single one of them was focused on their child’s well-being, justly so.
When I encouraged them to call back for self-support, amid their diligence to support our youth, they seemed shocked. I can’t reiterate enough the value our well-being and self-care as adults has on how we serve our children and communities in recovering from this horrendous event.
Crisis lines are often viewed as a hotline you call when you are suicidal. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Our sole purpose is to be an external support for anyone who needs it — you just lost a job, increased anxiety, worried about your kid-partner-parent, overwhelmed, under-resourced, death, etc. People don’t have to identify themselves. We don’t disclose any content of concerns unless they meet the Mandated Reporting Laws of Washington state.
Your local crisis line is manned 24/7 by trained professionals to listen, empathize, educate, encourage and problem solve. You are talking to community members. We are here to help you through this tragedy. Call anytime, 800-548-3578. Our kids and community need us to be well to grow and move forward.
Jenifer L. Galvan, BA
Marysville
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