Crisis Connections — Mental health service in Seattle, WA

Operator Maria was not professional nor caring about my situation. She was rude, harsh and quick judging. Very disappointed!

Operator Maria was not professional nor caring about my situation. She was rude, harsh and quick judging. Very disappointed!

I've been overwhelmed and so called Crisis Connections for a few years. They've helped me a lot in that time. Unfortunately after a disturbing experience I feel unsafe calling or recommending their lines. All calls can be monitored and that feels normal and appropriate. Occasionally I heard beeps which I took as a supervisor clicking through. I don't have any problem with that so I just ignored it. Once while on hold for the warm line I read the intro to Trauma And Recovery and when the peer answered we discussed it. I again heard a beep but this time seconds later another beep and a second later a third beep. It disturbed me as it changed my understanding: the beeps were being separately triggered. They are short "touch tones" like from pressing a number button on a phone. I asked the peer if they could hear it and they could not. I realized every time I heard a beep it was during the peer's turn in the conversation usually near the beginning of their reply. The peer said they'd ask their supervisor what it was and I tried to ask the organization too. A staff member said they had no idea. A supervisor said perhaps it was someone turning up their headset. I shared it made me feel unsafe for the dissociating impact of a supervisor's separate thread of cognition intertwined with the voice and words of but deliberately inaudible to the person I was speaking with. Later I spoke to the same peer who said their supervisor had no idea what it was. A supervisor again began beeping every minute or so and I shared what I heard. The peer said no one was on the line except us and the supervisor immediately triggered another beep. I said it disturbed me as a narrow but fine covert channel and the supervisor then beeped with a different tone as though they pressed a different number button on their phone. I shared what I heard and the supervisor returned to the original tone but held the button so instead of about a tenth of a second as the rest had been this beep was about half of a second. I shared what I heard and the supervisor returned to beeping with the original tone and duration. At the end of the call I pointed out we all share goals of trust, safety and connection, and wished us all better luck next time. I tried to talk about it and was stonewalled. Everyone there said they don't know what it is. It feels like they created strict compartments between and within people of those who communicate with words and those who communicate by beeping. I also recalled a few times my call ended and when I reached the same person they said they were glad I called back and calls regularly just drop on their system. I was eventually referred to the clinical director to discuss it and left two brief messages. Neither were returned. I'm left feeling that people in the phone room deeply care and connect with their hearts to help our community. And that outside of the phone room a group exists to protect necessary boundaries of the space. That they need to strongly, gradually, consistently and comprehensively enforce their boundaries. But besides hiding from callers and people in the phone room while binding to and coloring their calls, besides having dissociative impact by splitting conversations real-time in to multiple inextricable incongruous interactive contexts, this group is doing so by injecting toxic subtle nonverbal covert aggressive operant conditioning. All sides please beware the danger of corrosive harm from a consolidated layer of combination sophisticated covert aggression and accountability sink, using technology and structure to hide those parts from other parts of themselves while interacting on the same calls for help simultaneously. Anger, rumination, fear, threat, confusion and dissociation are predictable impacts. I'm grateful to the people who've helped me and others with empathy and support. I hope this feedback allows for positive growth and again wish us luck on our shared goals of trust, safety and connection.

I've been overwhelmed and so called Crisis Connections for a few years. They've helped me a lot in that time. Unfortunately after a disturbing experience I feel unsafe calling or recommending their lines. All calls can be monitored and that feels normal and appropriate. Occasionally I heard beeps which I took as a supervisor clicking through. I don't have any problem with that so I just ignored it. Once while on hold for the warm line I read the intro to Trauma And Recovery and when the peer answered we discussed it. I again heard a beep but this time seconds later another beep and a second later a third beep. It disturbed me as it changed my understanding: the beeps were being separately triggered. They are short "touch tones" like from pressing a number button on a phone. I asked the peer if they could hear it and they could not. I realized every time I heard a beep it was during the peer's turn in the conversation usually near the beginning of their reply. The peer said they'd ask their supervisor what it was and I tried to ask the organization too. A staff member said they had no idea. A supervisor said perhaps it was someone turning up their headset. I shared it made me feel unsafe for the dissociating impact of a supervisor's separate thread of cognition intertwined with the voice and words of but deliberately inaudible to the person I was speaking with. Later I spoke to the same peer who said their supervisor had no idea what it was. A supervisor again began beeping every minute or so and I shared what I heard. The peer said no one was on the line except us and the supervisor immediately triggered another beep. I said it disturbed me as a narrow but fine covert channel and the supervisor then beeped with a different tone as though they pressed a different number button on their phone. I shared what I heard and the supervisor returned to the original tone but held the button so instead of about a tenth of a second as the rest had been this beep was about half of a second. I shared what I heard and the supervisor returned to beeping with the original tone and duration. At the end of the call I pointed out we all share goals of trust, safety and connection, and wished us all better luck next time. I tried to talk about it and was stonewalled. Everyone there said they don't know what it is. It feels like they created strict compartments between and within people of those who communicate with words and those who communicate by beeping. I also recalled a few times my call ended and when I reached the same person they said they were glad I called back and calls regularly just drop on their system. I was eventually referred to the clinical director to discuss it and left two brief messages. Neither were returned. I'm left feeling that people in the phone room deeply care and connect with their hearts to help our community. And that outside of the phone room a group exists to protect necessary boundaries of the space. That they need to strongly, gradually, consistently and comprehensively enforce their boundaries. But besides hiding from callers and people in the phone room while binding to and coloring their calls, besides having dissociative impact by splitting conversations real-time in to multiple inextricable incongruous interactive contexts, this group is doing so by injecting toxic subtle nonverbal covert aggressive operant conditioning. All sides please beware the danger of corrosive harm from a consolidated layer of combination sophisticated covert aggression and accountability sink, using technology and structure to hide those parts from other parts of themselves while interacting on the same calls for help simultaneously. Anger, rumination, fear, threat, confusion and dissociation are predictable impacts. I'm grateful to the people who've helped me and others with empathy and support. I hope this feedback allows for positive growth and again wish us luck on our shared goals of trust, safety and connection.

What a waste of resources? This people have no professionalism or empathy at all. The lady who answered the phone was straight rude. I wish I would recorded the conversation and posted to the public.

What a waste of resources? This people have no professionalism or empathy at all. The lady who answered the phone was straight rude. I wish I would recorded the conversation and posted to the public.

I am truly surprised. Quite disappointed and concerned after calling seeking help for a friend. The apathy was tangible. The woman answering to help did not help at all. In fact, said we should get off the phone to help our friend but provided no guidance.

I am truly surprised. Quite disappointed and concerned after calling seeking help for a friend. The apathy was tangible. The woman answering to help did not help at all. In fact, said we should get off the phone to help our friend but provided no guidance.

I just called here seeking employment resources, I was told I had to call another number and the number they gave took me to 911 emergency communications!! This is very unprofessional and the fact they gave me this number to hold up an emergency line for someone who is in a true emergency is sickening! Now I truly understand people who say seeking resources is damn near impossible. I hope nothing but intense retraining for the screener who took my call!

I just called here seeking employment resources, I was told I had to call another number and the number they gave took me to 911 emergency communications!! This is very unprofessional and the fact they gave me this number to hold up an emergency line for someone who is in a true emergency is sickening! Now I truly understand people who say seeking resources is damn near impossible. I hope nothing but intense retraining for the screener who took my call!

I'd give this place negative 50 stars if I could. I was looking for advice, not for me, but how to help a friend in severe crisis--like life threatening crisis. These were the two conversations, word for word. Operator: Crisis Connections. Me: Hi. This is going to sound complicated, but-- Operator: --It's not complicated, you need a counselor. (Click...hung up) I was shocked and appalled. I called back. Again, word for word. Operator: Crisis Connections. Me: Hey, I don't know if you are the person I just spoke with. But, this is serious and hanging up on me is not cool! I need advice here! This is serious. Operator: It's not serious. You need a counselor. (click) I didn't catch her name, but she had a mid-range voice and a Latino accent. I'm not a fan of asking to "speak to the manager" or getting people fired, but this person needs to lose her job. The situation I was seeking advice on was extremely serious and a potential threat to multiple people. Obviously, mental healthcare in this country needs serious reform. But this was beyond unacceptable. In fact, it was dangerous. If the administrators at Crisis Connections see this, please reach out to me. I don't just want an explanation, I want change. The worst part was, no other hotline could help me either because they were understaffed or uncaring. It's a national problem, but in this case, it was gross negligence.

I'd give this place negative 50 stars if I could. I was looking for advice, not for me, but how to help a friend in severe crisis--like life threatening crisis. These were the two conversations, word for word. Operator: Crisis Connections. Me: Hi. This is going to sound complicated, but-- Operator: --It's not complicated, you need a counselor. (Click...hung up) I was shocked and appalled. I called back. Again, word for word. Operator: Crisis Connections. Me: Hey, I don't know if you are the person I just spoke with. But, this is serious and hanging up on me is not cool! I need advice here! This is serious. Operator: It's not serious. You need a counselor. (click) I didn't catch her name, but she had a mid-range voice and a Latino accent. I'm not a fan of asking to "speak to the manager" or getting people fired, but this person needs to lose her job. The situation I was seeking advice on was extremely serious and a potential threat to multiple people. Obviously, mental healthcare in this country needs serious reform. But this was beyond unacceptable. In fact, it was dangerous. If the administrators at Crisis Connections see this, please reach out to me. I don't just want an explanation, I want change. The worst part was, no other hotline could help me either because they were understaffed or uncaring. It's a national problem, but in this case, it was gross negligence.

I noticed I was depressed about something so I tried to call this number at 2 p.m. and the woman I talked to she told me her name is Ms. Jennifer and she was really rude and disrespectful to me. I noticed she was treating me like I was stupid and she made my depression worse. I noticed she kept putting me on hold when she got mad at me and it was so bad I hanged up the phone. I will never call this number again. I forgive her, I bless her and I wish her the best in her life. 🤐🙏🙌

I noticed I was depressed about something so I tried to call this number at 2 p.m. and the woman I talked to she told me her name is Ms. Jennifer and she was really rude and disrespectful to me. I noticed she was treating me like I was stupid and she made my depression worse. I noticed she kept putting me on hold when she got mad at me and it was so bad I hanged up the phone. I will never call this number again. I forgive her, I bless her and I wish her the best in her life. 🤐🙏🙌

Very helpful in many different topics of need!

Very helpful in many different topics of need!

Unfortunately I spoke to a very inexperienced person who really did not understand how to be supportive over the phone. I eventually asked her to please say "unh huh" when I paused during my account so I would at least know she was still on the phone with me. She tried but nevertheless her responses were slow so there was still an uncomfortable pause between my speech and her response.

Unfortunately I spoke to a very inexperienced person who really did not understand how to be supportive over the phone. I eventually asked her to please say "unh huh" when I paused during my account so I would at least know she was still on the phone with me. She tried but nevertheless her responses were slow so there was still an uncomfortable pause between my speech and her response.

If I was the average person calling in,I would have killed myself just from their words! I cannot get One # ever that helps my demographic! Never! I can call for other people and they do that last parts of proving who they are and they get help. They refuse to help me! Once calling the suicide number ,She interrupted me and said" It has been 3 plus minutes and what is it you want? I have calls in the cue"

If I was the average person calling in,I would have killed myself just from their words! I cannot get One # ever that helps my demographic! Never! I can call for other people and they do that last parts of proving who they are and they get help. They refuse to help me! Once calling the suicide number ,She interrupted me and said" It has been 3 plus minutes and what is it you want? I have calls in the cue"