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A Look Inside the HelpDesk
Who are the people behind the voices at the Sidran HelpDesk? Some of our resource specialists
are survivors or family members of survivors themselves. As individuals with lived experience
of trauma treatment and recovery, these staff members provide true role models for “making it
through the tough times.” Newsletter editor Mary Lou Kenney interviewed Debra Snow, Sidran’s
Director of Trauma Resources, about the behind-the-scenes work of the HelpDesk.
week. When you include the time I spend message is left, we will only state our name
“I made almost 50 phone calls looking for responding to contacts personally, this and the name of Sidran and request that
information on clinics but you were the
is almost the equivalent of two full-time they try contacting us again. Oftentimes we
only one that responded.”
positions. Trouble is, we receive so many will leave our number. But, if someone on
calls and e-mails, the staff sometimes can’t the other end of the phone wants to know
MLK: Who am I talking to when I call the
keep up. Consequently, and to be fair to more specifically why we are calling, we
HelpDesk?
all who are in need of our services, our remain vague saying something like, “I don’t
DS: Often the first person you speak to at policy is to answer inquiries in the order know why she called, I’m just returning her
Sidran is a staff member in a job unrelated they have arrived. Also, keep in mind that it call to me.”
to the HelpDesk. These people would takes a while to do the research and write a
If you would prefer that we not telephone
help you if they could, but they don’t have thoughtful, individualized response.
you back and risk talking to the “wrong”
knowledge of the database and they aren’t person, all you have to do is say so on the
really trained to recommend resources. If a voice-mail message and leave an e-mail or
“…hope is something they [our callers]
Resource Specialist is available to take your mailing address. We are happy to send the
haven’t known for a long time. But if we
call immediately, you will be connected information in these ways, but it often helps
can offer that, and show them that there
right away. But if this isn’t possible, they will to have a personal conversation.
is a light at the end of the tunnel, then
put your call into our confidential voice-
we can encourage them to take the next
mail.
step forward toward healing.”
“I have read a lot of things, but one of
When you get a response to your voice- —Amanda, a Sidran Resource Specialist the most helpful things I have ever read
mail message you are usually speaking to a about PTSD was the article I found on your
trained volunteer. Our HelpDesk is staffed website, “What Is Psychological Trauma.”
by volunteers—often putting in hours after Occasionally, you get to speak to someone
a full day at school or a paying job. As the right away. But it is more often the case
only paid HelpDesk staff member, I recruit, that there is a wait. We realize this can be MLK: How many calls/e-mails do the
train, and supervise the volunteers in this frustrating, especially if you have been volunteers answer on average in a
role. If the backlog of calls or e-mail gets too looking long and hard for this kind of month?
large, I pitch in and help answer inquiries. support. The people we have helped tell us
DS: On an average, they answer about 200.
I received my master’s degree from Loyola that the information we provided was worth
There are times when there is a spike in calls
College of Maryland and have over six the wait.
and e-mail. It usually happens after holidays
years of experience working as a trauma where family members are with their loved
therapist at Sheppard and Enoch Pratt “I am so thankful for the way that you ones and they see there is something wrong,
Health Systems, a private treatment facility wrote back to me. I have managed to find
or when there is a tragedy like 9/11 or a
in Baltimore. I also have a part-time private a wonderful therapist.”
disaster such as the recent tsunami. When
practice where I work with trauma clients. that happens, some of my volunteers come
in to work extra hours. I tell you, they are a
MLK: I don’t want to leave my name on
“You gave us the tools to realize what real good group of people!
a voice-mail message. Who knows who
was happening…these were the clues
might hear it! Plus, I don’t want someone
we needed….We would never have
calling back and getting my roommate “It’s good to know the resources are out
realized what was going on except for
or children on the phone if I’m not home. there and I appreciate your taking the time
your information and resources.”
What can I do? to point me in the right direction to aid in
the healing process.”
DS: First off, please be assured that messages
MLK: Why can’t I talk to someone right
left on our voice-mail are completely
away when I call? And why does it take a
confidential. We take every precaution to MLK: Is the HelpDesk a hotline?
while to get a call back?
keep the personal information gathered
DS: No. We are more than happy to help
DS: That is a great question and people at the HelpDesk private. In fact, when
anyone, but if someone is in crisis, the best
often ask it. Right now we have 12 staff, returning calls, we will not leave a message
thing for them to do is call a hotline or go to
each volunteering from 4 to 8 hours a with anyone saying why we are calling. If a
the nearest emergency room. The HelpDesk
can help them find a hotline if needed, but about the success stories. This experience
none of us is trained as a hotline worker. gives them hope that they can then pass on
to the callers.
MLK: Why don’t you list the therapist
Through these trainings they learn about
database on your website? Couldn’t I
issues related to traumatic stress. They gain
find that information faster if I could look
an understanding of trauma symptoms
it up myself?
and related disorders such as depression,
DS: I don’t believe the Sidran HelpDesk anxiety, PTSD, and dissociation. They learn
will go in that direction. At the HelpDesk, to respect what it means for someone to call
Some of our volunteers: (from left to right) Fay,
we don’t just provide a generic list of Cathy, Michael, Esther Giller, Sarah, and Joseph. them for help. They share with each other
therapist names to just anybody. Instead, the experiences they have at the HelpDesk
we are there providing support, education, MLK: What’s the hardest thing for people (don’t worry, it’s all confidential—-no
and comfort—often to someone who has to learn about working on the HelpDesk? names are ever used!). Through training
never sought treatment before. We teach DS: Believe it or not, it is not having to they also learn to hone their empathic skills
them how to interview a therapist. We learn how to be empathetic. Our volunteers and to be “good” listeners. We also provide
encourage them to advocate for themselves. seem to come already equipped with that them with dinner! It’s one way Sidran can
If you could just go to a list of therapists, ability. Instead, the biggest hurdle for reward them for the hard work they do. Our
you would not get some basic questions new volunteers is learning the computer volunteers are very special people. Sidran is
answered. What makes Sidran so unique is software and remembering all the different lucky to have them!
that we have a live person reaching out to places Sidran keeps the trauma resources.
someone in pain. And, this is all done free Over the years, our trauma resources
of charge! “Thank you for the resources. It was
have grown, but not always in compatible
such a relief after spending hours on
databases. There are many different places the Internet and phone with every
“Regardless of the outcome, it’s nice to
we look and “tricks” we use to locate the association and organization in the mental
know we’re not alone. You have made a appropriate resources. We now greatly need health community only to find generic
very difficult thing less painful.” to upgrade our computer software to make information and minimal resources. You
it easier for our volunteers to do their job provide an INVALUABLE service to those
quickly, efficiently, and most importantly, in need with little soul energy to expend
MLK: I can’t call during the work empathetically. If HelpDesk volunteers did on extreme self-advocacy measures.”
day. How can I get in touch with the not have to spend so much time manually
HelpDesk. searching for these resources, in each
geographic region, we could accommodate MLK: Would you say that volunteering
DS: You can leave a voice-mail message
the constituents a lot faster. Donations to on the HelpDesk trains people for future
24 hours a day. You can always reach us by
facilitate the development of new software careers?
e-mail (helpdesk@sidran.org) or by U.S.
mail. We are experimenting with different would be most welcome. DS: Many volunteers come to Sidran
schedules and now try to have at least one because they are looking to further their
person answer the calls and e-mail on a MLK: Tell me about the training you skills in helping others and/or they are
week night. Often volunteers come in to provide the volunteers. What topics have looking to get experience. Some hands-
work on Saturdays and Sundays. If these are you covered? How does this help qualify on experience working with survivors of
times when you are available to be called the volunteers to answer calls and e-mail trauma can add immeasurably to the kind
back, please say so in your e-mail inquiry or better? of learning done in a classroom setting. We
voice-mail message. DS: I work individually with each new once had a lady who was in a high power/
volunteer over a period of a few weeks managerial position come and volunteer.
MLK: What qualities do you look for in teaching them not only the practical aspects She found us on the web. The day after her
prospective volunteers? of how to use our database or write an first group training at Sidran, she went to
e-mail response, but also educating them work and QUIT her job! She then called
DS: I am most interested in people who
about trauma. And this training doesn’t me and told me she had not been happy
have the time, dedication, and a natural
stop once they start working on their own. with her career for some time and after the
ability/interest in helping others who are
I provide ongoing supervision of their training, she felt compelled to make some
experiencing emotional pain. Sometimes
day-to-day work. Each month, I provide a changes. She was elated with her decision!
that means that the volunteers themselves
two-hour training where all the volunteers She enrolled in social work school and
are survivors of trauma. Other times they
get together to discuss a trauma topic in eventually got a job assessing traumatized
may be people who’ve chosen to go into
depth. The volunteers like these trainings children for a residential treatment center. I
the helping professions. We also get a fair
not only because they learn new things, but am sure she is doing a wonderful job. She is
number of people who work in completely
because it gives us all a chance to support a natural.
unrelated fields—like computers or
accounting—who find working directly one another and discuss what we are having
with people rewarding. difficulty with. I have worked extensively
with people who have had severe trauma in
their lives, and the volunteers like to hear
Call or e-mail me and I promise we will find has been useful to you or to someone
“WOW! I didn’t know that all of the some way you can be of help. you know and you can afford to pay,
e-mails were answered personally!
please consider making a tax-deductible
Thank you so much!”
MLK: The HelpDesk is a free service, contribution.
right? Why?
MLK: Are there ways for me to volunteer
DS: As a nonprofit organization we run “Thank you, thank you, thank you! You
at Sidran if I live in another state?
on a very small budget. It costs Sidran a have given me some hope that there may
DS: Sure. It’s not practical to work at the considerable amount of money to keep the be help for people like me out there!”
HelpDesk offsite, but there are other jobs HelpDesk running, but it’s worth it. We
that need doing: for example, we have a feel that it is perhaps the most important
To volunteer at Sidran, contact Debra
constant need to update resources like peer service we provide the public. By opening
Snow at info@sidran.org.
support groups and treatment centers in doors for survivors or family members and
different regions; similarly we routinely connecting them with reading material,
need to call the therapists and treatment treatment, or other resources, we further
centers in our database to confirm and our mission of education and advocacy.
update their information. These functions Many people in need can’t afford to
can be done from remote locations and pay for these services. The sales of our
often information about groups etc. can books and trainings help to offset the
be gleaned from local advertisements or costs of maintaining the HelpDesk, but
publications that we don’t have access to. contributions are essential. If the HelpDesk
