Man Thanks BeWellLine for Saving His Life
California—A man who came back from the brink of suicide is praising BeWellLine, an emotional support line operated by Alter Mental Health, in a 5-star review of the service and the counselor who listened.
“I was seriously considering cutting my losses by just giving up on life, but I came across the BeWellline toll-free number,” wrote RC, a 47-year-old man who said he had been struggling with “a very stressful downturn in my life with finances and family.”
“I called, thinking it was going to be pointless, but gave it a shot,” he continued, “and upon hearing the person on the line sound so soothing and comforting, I felt comfortable opening up and expressing my issues. She was extremely helpful. I cannot express how this counselor, named Gina, made me feel that I am worthy of life and I can move beyond this roadblock in my life. She provided resources I can seek for additional help with my financial hardships and family counseling. Her patience and guidance are something I cannot express in simple words. She’s an angel, and God guided her to help me. Thank you, Gina – you’re a savior!!!”
RC’s words are gratifying not for their praise but for showing the genuinely lifesaving work of BeWellLine and its counselors. His experience demonstrates the effectiveness of the BeWellLine mission to make mental health care, life guidance, and community-based counseling available to everyone across California, free of charge. The service combines practical advice with peer companionship, using the power of community to show clients that their lives have value and, in cases like RC, should not be cut short.
BeWellLine’s non-clinical emotional counseling via phone is supported by a grant of more than $5 million to Alter Mental Health from the California Mental Health Services Authority, which funded the support line to assist in combating the mental health crisis. Alter Mental Health specializes in the care and treatment of behavioral and mental health issues to help people live full, happy lives. It also offers the Mindfuli virtual platform to provide free ongoing peer counseling services through video conferencing as well as voice and text communication. Mindfuli enables peer counselors to refer help seekers to higher levels of care as needed, connecting them to a personalized mental health provider in minutes.
Although RC was saved from suicidal behavior by a BeWellLine counselor, it’s important to note that the support line is not a crisis service; its mission is to connect callers with compassionate listeners who can help them find the resources they need to better cope with their challenges.
BeWellLine uses the power of community in several virtual support groups, a well-established strategy for managing mental health issues. Groups and topics that bring people together to support each other in their journeys to recovery include LGBTQ+ (ages 15 and older), teens (ages 13-19), substance abuse disorders, grief processing, and women’s empowerment. Each group provides a safe, non-judgmental space where participants can work through their issues together.
The effectiveness of this approach is evident in BeWellLine’s success rates. Its counselors have impressive outcomes for the many conditions and situations that cause callers to pick up the phone and seek help: substance use/abuse (91%), anxiety (90%), depression (82%), health concerns (81%), housing/homelessness (75%), suicidal ideation (80%) and finances (81%).
BeWellLine seeks to create a hub of accessible mental health care, life guidance, and community and make it available to all. Anyone can thrive with the proper support, and BeWellLine is committed to providing this support to as many people as possible without obstacles like financial or geographic limits.
