Life is an ongoing cycle of experience, knowledge, and growth. Our struggles teach us, we put that hard-won learning into practice, and then — hopefully — share it with others so they can avoid similar pitfalls in their own lives.

“I was feeling down and called,” she recalls. “The volunteer was wonderful, compassionate, kind, and gave their time. They even helped me find a ride home; it was such a moment of kindness.”

The Crisis Clinic of Thurston and Mason Counties has been that resource locally for more than 50 years. Every May, Mental Health Awareness Month invites us to say what most people already know but rarely say out loud: that struggling is human, and asking for help is harder than it should be. For some, May’s spotlight on mental health is just enough to feel less alone and to make the call.

One such call, made many years ago, has come full circle today. The caller, who moved to Olympia in the early 1990s, was fresh from her bohemian college days and looking to make a new start. Unfortunately, that quickly became working three jobs to stay afloat while juggling severe depression and undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

One day, downtown and alone, she found the Crisis Clinic’s number in the phone book. “I was feeling down and called,” she recalls. “The volunteer was wonderful, compassionate, kind, and gave their time. They even helped me find a ride home; it was such a moment of kindness.”

Heard without judgement

She called in several more times during dark moments and remembers how much she “appreciated the support in the moment, when things felt the most overwhelming. Sometimes people just want to vent or be listened to and it’s such a boon to have this number to call and be heard with no judgement.”

She appreciates that incoming needs aren’t met with interventions, advice, or therapy but can be simple listening sessions which help “through that moment with time and compassion.” Today she spreads the word about the Crisis Clinic far and wide, both to folks able to help and those needing a helping hand of their own.

Coming full circle in support of community

That kind of support — human, unhurried, non-judgmental — is harder to find than it should be. Scientific and mental health research has long recognized the power of lived experience, both in helping others and in shaping how care gets delivered. For people in crisis, knowing that the voice on the other end truly understands can make all the difference.

Many years later, she found her way back to the Crisis Clinic — this time as a volunteer, answering calls like the ones she once made. “I’m floored by the generosity, kindness, and compassion of the staff and volunteers who fill such a need in our community.” Her lived experience, she says, only deepened her ability to be present for others. “I learned a lot for myself about how to listen to folks going through that and how to hear and respond best.”

She never forgot what it meant to have at the Crisis Clinic answer the call. That single moment of kindness set something in motion that’s still going today. The Crisis Clinic has always believed that’s how resilient communities are built: one person reaching out, one person showing up, and the cycle continuing from there. It takes a whole community to keep that cycle going. This May, Mental Health Awareness Month is a reminder that we all have a role in it. Everyone’s struggles are valid, and knowing someone is there to listen makes a world of difference.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, the Crisis Clinic is available 24/7.

Call (360) 586-2800 for the Crisis & Information Referral Line, or (360) 586-2777 for the Teen and Youth Line.