The phone rings, and Suchi Saxena doesn’t know who will be on the other end when she answers.
It could be a fellow University student or maybe an established businessman. Whoever it is, that person dialed her number because he or she is in a crisis, and it is Saxena’s job to help.
The Baton Rouge Crisis Intervention Center, which provides free counseling services, is looking for more volunteers like Saxena to be part of its 24-hour crisis hotline, The PHONE.
Saxena, a senior, said she was one of many psychology undergraduates who began working with the service to gain experience for her future career.
Practical experience was the goal, but Saxena said it has not been the only benefit of working for The PHONE.
“Working with The PHONE grounds me,” she said, explaining that working with people who are in tougher situations than her is humbling.
Saxena said she never knows what to expect when her shift at the Crisis Center begins. She may get eight calls in two hours or only one call in a day, but every voice on the other end has her fullest attention, she said.
One of the biggest roles of a volunteer is to listen. Many people in crisis want to speak with someone who will let them air out their problems, Saxena said, and callers appreciate the confidential nature of the service.
The BRCIC is always searching for people willing to lend their time and ears to those in need, said Allyson Pardue, training and clinical staff member.
Training sessions for PHONE volunteers occur three times a year, and one session begins in September, Pardue said.
The training process is an intense 60 hours of learning how to listen and help people cope with sensitive, stressful situations, she said. Volunteers leave the classroom to role-play and practice real-life crisis calls.
Sept. 12 is the deadline to contact the BRCIC for those interested in training for a service that has a rich history at the University, Pardue said.
The PHONE began in 1970 at the University after six suicides occurred in one year, she said. The deaths had a strong impact on students, but the University had no way to handle the large-scale reaction from such traumatic events.
The PHONE was initially operated by the Student Health Center but within two years left campus and began serving the Baton Rouge community.
“We’ve been connected to the University for 41 years,” Pardue said.
She said many students may not know that $2 from every fee bill benefits the BRCIC.
Pardue said the organization is looking for individuals who are in a place to help others and want experience they won’t gain in the classroom.
People like Amanda Morales, University psychology alumna, have taken advantage of the organization to gain experience for her future career.
Morales said she wanted to volunteer because of her major and desire to help people as a profession, but she was apprehensive when applying.
The nerves disappeared after Morales trained and began phone counseling, she said. She now works part-time at The PHONE after three years of volunteering.
“It’s something I strongly believe in,” Morales said. “People can open up to us and won’t be judged. It’s safe and