Telephone counseling service Fulda starts online chat for young crisis helpers!

Telephone counseling service Fulda starts online chat for young crisis helpers!

A new, digital telephone counseling service has now been launched in Fulda: From now on, those seeking advice can Online chat advice claim. This initiative is particularly aimed at young people and people who need quick support. The head of the telephone counseling service, Pastor Dagmar Scheer, is enthusiastic about this development, which was made possible through the support of the Heidehof Foundation and the support association of the Fulda telephone counseling service as well as the Evangelical Regional Church of Kurhessen-Waldeck and the Diocese of Fulda.

As the Fulda telephone counseling service explains, the online consultation is one of around sixty contact points in Germany that offer similar services. Nine dedicated volunteer pastors were specially trained for online chat counseling. Young people aged 15 to 39 in particular are increasingly using this offer, which offers support in personal crises, psychological problems or even suicidal thoughts.

A wide range of offers of help

The telephone counseling service can be reached via the free hotline 0800 111 0 111 and 0800 111 0 222 and therefore offers support around the clock. The online chat is at www.telefonseelsorge.de/chat/ to find. In times when the Fulda Clinic is confronted with an increase in patients with psychological stress, it is even more important that such counseling services are available, as a lack of staff makes care more difficult.

The need for support is becoming more and more important. The German depression help confirms that it is easy to find other sources of help. There is, among other things, a search function for addresses of social psychiatric services and other crisis services in Germany.

Dedicated volunteers

But how can you become active yourself and help? The telephone counseling service is always looking for new volunteers. Many helpers have been there for over 40 years and report the enrichment that contact with those seeking advice brings them. It's not just about supporting others: volunteers also experience personal development and build new friendships. Anyone who is interested can contact us via the Participation page the telephone counseling service and should be prepared to commit to it for at least three years.

The training covers many aspects, from communication to dealing with mental illnesses, and offers great security through supervision and further training. In addition, the practical training begins in the second half of the training, which enables a smooth transition to volunteer work.

In a world that is becoming ever faster and where mental health is often considered a taboo topic, initiating such offers is a step in the right direction. Because with a stable contact point like the Fulda telephone counseling service, people in crisis situations can breathe a sigh of relief and find help.