A reminder to members

Listeners are volunteers. They're not paid to be here. They signed up because they wanted to make a difference, they enjoy helping people and wanted to create a safe and supportive place for everyone online. We want this because some of us didn't have somewhere like this place to turn to when we were having a bad time ourselves.

This means that listeners are humans too, they have their own issues, just like you and they have their own life, just like you. We hope to be able to help everyone who comes our way but it's not always possible. It might be frustrating if a listener suddenly has to leave or they tell you that they're not comfortable with the topic so direct you to another listener (they don't have to do that either), but things come up unexpectedly.

We have feelings so insulting us, hurts us, just as it would hurt you. We're not super humans who have no feelings and life is fine and dandy for us - we just want to help. And it truly upsets us when we're unable to help someone who is in need, for whatever reason.

When you connect with a listener, you're the one in need and you might not be thinking straight at that time, but try to keep a thought for the person on the other side of the screen. The person who has taken time out of their day just to help you.

Respect them. We're here for you.