Distress Centre Calgary has provided 24 hour crisis support to our community for 50 years. We have responded to over 2.5 million calls, emails, chats, texts and counselling requests since April 14, 1970. And we want to be here for all Calgarians during this unprecedented global pandemic...
Distress Centre closed our doors on March 17th, but we continue to provide 24 hour phone and email crisis support, daily chat and text for youth support, and counselling to those in crisis. These services are provided by staff working remotely from home. As the impact of COVID-19 grows, call volumes to our crisis lines...
Image: From a 1972 newspaper. Read - 50 Stories Part 4 At the end of 1971, the Drug Information Centre (DIC) continued at its original location, operating 24/7. Education, crisis support and counselling regarding drug issues remained the main goals. Policy decisions were arrived at through group discussion. A grant of $2,000 from Junior League supported the...
Self-care is any activity that we intentionally do in order to take care of our physical, mental and emotional health. Practicing self-care helps you avoid burn out, improve your mood and reduce anxiety. By taking care of yourself you’re able to be there for others when they need you. As Karen Pickles from Stresscase puts it:...
“I called. They answered. They listened. Suicide is serious and they took me seriously.” — Caller We respond to 325 contacts each day. This is a particularly difficult time of year for so many, please help us support our community by giving a gift that will help our volunteers and staff save lives. Your gift will be...
Bob Wilkie, a native Calgarian, fell in love with playing hockey as soon as his dad introduced him to the game as a child. He grew up near outdoor rinks and was able to practice frequently. Soon he began to dream of playing for the NHL. In 1987, at age 18, he realized that dream when...
September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day and Distress Centre wants anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or struggling with their mental health to know that help is available. We offer 24/7 phone support, professional counselling and daily online chat support and text support for youth. In 2019 Distress Centre has observed that people prefer to talk about...
Distress Centre has responded to over 38,000 crisis calls, chats, texts and emails so far in 2019 (as of June 30th). Here are two stories highlighting the skill and compassion of our volunteers as they support a caller and a texter through crisis. Arnav Arnav called Distress Centre at 11:45 on a Thursday night. He told the volunteer...
Dee Bardsley, a retired schoolteacher, began volunteering on our crisis lines in 2013. She still remembers one of her first high risk calls - from a struggling young man who was having thoughts of suicide. Dee had spoken with him for a few minutes when he revealed that he had always wanted to be a teacher. “I...
Each month, we receive around 10,000 calls to our crisis line. Here are three stories highlighting the skill and compassion of our volunteers and staff as they support two callers and a chatter through crisis. Makena Makena called our crisis line on a Tuesday afternoon feeling overwhelmed, stressed out and lonely. She told the volunteer that her and...
