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Publications
"Tips on Active Listening and Handling Difficult Calls: 40 Years in the Making " by CrisisLink, Arlington, Virginia
Difficult calls are everyday occurrences on crisis hotlines. This 81-page booklet distills 40 years of CrisisLink volunteer and staff experience in active listening and handling difficult calls.
"Tips on Active Listening and Handling Difficult Calls" provides concise, practical guidance, plus suggested scripts and techniques for managing some of the most challenging call types. Included are guidelines for assessing and maintaining the productivity of a call and effectively ending calls that cease to be productive. Finally, specific advice is given to insulate the crisis line worker against frustration and burnout.
One reader’s comment:
"I want to endorse 'Tips on Handling Difficult Calls.' It is superbly done, clear, and practical. We use many of the same or very similar sources in our training. It's confirmed my sense that we're on target and challenged me to look for ways to make further refinements in my own curriculum."
-- Peter Meyers, CONTACT the Crisis Line, Jackson, MS
Preview Sample Pages (0.5MB .pdf file)
(requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
"Interfaith Mental Wellness Toolkit, May 2006" by Fairfax Partnership for Youth
The Interfaith Mental Wellness Tool Kit is designed to heighten awareness about the importance of mental wellness for the entire family, to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness, and to provide information about available mental health resources.
The full Toolkit is available for download. (2.1MB Adobe Acrobat file)