A growing legion of Crisis Responders are discovering that their career choice gives back much more than it takes.
As a mobile crisis worker, Marissa Exchange’s role is all about giving back. She provides confidential support, connects individuals in crisis to resources they need, and collaborates with families, mental health providers, and other community partners to ensure that the person has a holistic network of support. Most importantly, she provides a safe, kind space for individuals in crisis to share what they’re going through and ask for help.
And yet when Marissa talks about her work, she gushes about how much she gets from it.
“It’s super rewarding,” said Marissa. “It feels really good to be able to make a difference, to know that people feel comfortable with me, and trust me to be a safe — or even just a neutral — place where they can say anything without fear of being judged or getting a negative response.”
She also loves that she can make her own schedule, work remotely if she needs to, and manage her shifts while pursuing her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and simultaneously training to become a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor.
Marissa is part of a growing legion of Crisis Responders who are discovering the rewards of working with Mainers experiencing a mental health crisis to assess their needs, and guide them to an appropriate level of care.
There are a wide variety of open positions statewide that offer full-time, part-time and per diem opportunities. The work is done in the community, outside a hospital or nursing home. Training opportunities are widely available and easy to complete.
Like Marissa, others who are working in this field are finding that it gives back much more than it takes.
“It feels really good to be able to make a difference”
“It’s just been this incredible journey,” said Melanie Grant, a crisis residential services worker, who provides intervention and support to ensure the safety and well-being of patients in a residential treatment facility.
“A lot of it is just working with people who are going through a hard time, whether it has to do with substances, or past trauma or loss of a loved one,” she added. “It’s people needing people. And we’ve all needed people.”
To learn more about full-time, part-time and per diem opportunities in your community, go to Mainecareerswithpurpose.org. Follow @MaineCareerswithPurpose on Facebook and Instagram.
