The last article was an introduction to my professional link to working with clients professing ideology of self-destructive behaviors. I was fortunate and blessed to have had a golden opportunity to connect with an established county based 24-hour hotline. The public was served via telephone calls to answer general questions about myriad types of community wide services. Everything as far as location and personal was anonymous. Health training aided in answering calls that included mental and emotional health.

For example, a caller might inquire about bus service times. Perhaps the caller had no personal transportation to work, school, or stores. Other calls might find a caller needing comfort. Perhaps the caller was lonely and desperately needing a warm and caring voice. No judgment was a key component to handling the infinite possibilities of types of calls.

I forever remember the man who called me that first day of answering calls. What I have learned throughout my professional career puts that moment in gear. I have no idea what prompted the gentleman to call our county-based hotline. Most calls were of the “where do I find…” or “how do I get to…” or even “where are services…,” services we might not have yet established. The hotline “Bible” was our guide to answer the calls people made 24-hours a day. Information not yet recognized in the Bible; well, we would invite the caller to call back in a day. Hopefully, we found the answer for him/her.

The training taught us, the telephone volunteers, about listening. With two people ready to answer calls, we had one another to help with difficult calls. Sometimes, we would whisper or write notes to help our colleagues. At that time in my life, I had a B.A. in Psychology. Parting words from the department head reminded us that further education would be necessary to follow careers in counseling. I lost track of fellow graduates. I acquired a 1-year position as a VISTA volunteer, three thousand miles from home. I must say in looking back, that first year opened my consciousness, my awareness towards others who have a substandard life. The young men I worked with had few opportunities. This was a rapid ascent from book learning to OJT (on-the-job training). Ninety percent of those I counseled were Black, the remaining 10% were comprised of Latinos and Caucasians.

I was fortunate to be involved with a 2-man counseling operation. One man was Filipino and the other Black. What they taught me was no judgment, patience, and never giving up on anyone. Two-hundred and twenty late-adolescent boys, thousands of miles from their homes, engaged in educational, vocational, and recreational programs. I learned how to network with case workers and families all by telephone.

A year later with completion of my contract with Uncle Sam, I began a sojourn towards the unknown. Back and forth driving coast to coast, I worked in a public high school with a peer counseling component. Then, there was the experiences of group homes. They varied from adolescents from abusive background to adolescents with drug/alcohol addictions.

Graduate school followed when it became fortuitous to follow that path. Other jobs in the counseling field became scarce. All paid substandard wages. My undergraduate professor called it right on. The advanced degree opened new doors otherwise closed to lesser degrees. Shout out to family whose support allowed for school to be completed.

Thirty plus years later, working with dual diagnosed MH-MR opened my eyes to people we didn’t study in school. Once again, no judgment and patience were key components to working with that population. Then, onto a brand-new world. Working with the diagnosed more seriously mentally ill clients brought suicidal thinking and its awareness to the floor. I challenged myself to learn about psychiatry. Networking with case managers with this population of people was raw and intense.

Clients whose history included multiple hospitalizations for suicidal thoughts and gestures was a mainstay. The early years were for learning – workshops, copious readings on the subject of clients with serious mental health issues. As time moved on, those who constantly spoke of suicidal thoughts and plans, or history of gestures became truly teachers. How did it evolve?

Many clients with a suicidal presentation were unique and yet, there were common themes. Many told me in their own initial fashion that many mental health providers rarely spoke of suicidal history. Risky as it was for them, for me, also, some wanted desperately to tell their story. Frequently, providers “freaked out” when listening to stories of SI, allowing clients the opening, the opportunity at their own pace to relate their stories.

The road to eventual time without SI or gestures was paved with uneven particles. There is no way to simplify anyone’s life experiences. People who have been labeled with mental illness diagnoses have frequently faced judgment of their character and behaviors. When faced with general prejudicial labels, it becomes difficult as you can imagine to enjoy life. Remember we all have our history, ancestry, and stories to tell! Some may feel oppressed and reluctant to offer up his or her story. There is no magic here, folks. Working with clients, especially with SI history of gestures can be risky. Never-the-less, stories untold can be unhealthy. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.