The challenges and rewards of offering a lifeline to strangers
“It’s the best thing in the world when your words and active listening together bring comfort to someone in pain.”
For Patricia, one of the newest volunteers at the English-speaking CHS Helpline in Brussels, that captures the essence of why she chose to give her time to strangers in distress.
For Patrick, another recent recruit, the motivation came from a different place: his own therapy sessions, which inspired him to look for a way to channel compassion into action.
Both volunteers represent the new wave of people stepping forward to support the Helpline, which offers free and confidential emotional support to callers in Belgium and beyond. Their stories reveal not only the challenges of taking calls that deal with trauma, burnout, abuse, loneliness and – all-too-often – suicidal thoughts, but also the surprising rewards of listening.
Before they ever pick up the phone, volunteers undergo rigorous training, including materials adapted from the British emotional support charity Samaritans. The main lesson: how to be a great listener. Every recruit is also paired with a mentor who provides ongoing support.
Patricia recalls how nervous she felt ahead of her first shifts. With a background in counselling, she was used to sitting across from people, reading their expressions and gestures.
“I was so concerned about how it would be when I only had a voice to go on,” she says. “But I’ve amazed myself at how much you can hear in silences, in pauses, in tone.”
Some calls have been harrowing. “The first time I heard someone talk about family abuse, I was shocked inside,” she admits. “But I couldn’t show that. They needed me to just let them speak.”
What has stayed with her most is the humility of callers who entrust their pain to someone they will never see. “It’s a privilege,” she says simply.
“SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS DO MATTER”
Patrick’s training also left a lasting impression. He initially worried that, with no qualifications or experience in mental health work, he might be at a disadvantage. But once he started taking calls, that concern faded as he saw he could contribute as part of the team without judgement.
The training exercises had already shown him how powerful listening could be, and they prepared him for what would come later, including one of his most memorable calls: a distraught 14-year-old who was sobbing helplessly. “You can’t solve someone’s problems in one conversation,” he reflects, “but you can be a lifeline in that moment.”
Both agree that the support network within CHS has been essential.
Regular meetings run by supervisors who are mental health professionals help the volunteers process their calls and remind them they are not alone. “There’s always someone who understands what you’ve been through,” says Patrick.
Patricia echoes that sentiment: “I love how diverse everyone is. We all listen differently, and that makes us stronger. Those check-ins keep you grounded.”
The role has not only changed how they engage with callers but also how they interact in daily life. Patricia is more aware of how rarely people truly listen to one another. “Even my children tell me, ‘Mum, stop talking like a counsellor.’ But I’m not – I’m just listening,” she laughs.
Patrick, meanwhile, has noticed how volunteering has strengthened his own confidence. “It’s reminded me that small acts of kindness do matter,” he says.
In a world where troubling headlines often dominate, their commitment is a reminder that connection is still possible – even if it’s just listening across a phone line.
Patricia and Patrick are not their real names. All CHS Helpline volunteers remain anonymous.
- The CHS Helpline is anonymous, confidential and can be reached 24/7 at +32 2 648 4014
- With the number of calls to the Helpline growing sharply, CHS is looking for more volunteers. To register your interest in becoming a volunteer, find out more and fill in an application form here: https://www.chsbelgium.org/how-you-can-help/#volunteer