Who I am
Hello all! My name is Geronimo Desiderio, and I work for my local suicide prevention and crisis hotline. I am also involved in outreach efforts. I am currently managing SPARC's Spanish sister page, PSyC-Prevención Suicidal y Conocimiento, on Facebook.
What I do
I have been volunteering for the crisis line on and off since I was 18-years-old (I'm 24 now). I have been a paid employee here for the past two years now. Starting off with this kind of job as a fresh faced recent high school grad was pretty daunting at first, and it comes with obvious stressors. Nonetheless, I have become surprisingly comfortable in chaos over time and I very rarely come across a situation that unnerves me. I love my job, the people I get to help, and the amazing team that I get to work with!
Why I do it
I recently graduated from California State University, Bakersfield with my BA in Psychology and a minor in Sociology. At this point, I have no intention of pursuing a master's degree (at least until I have a mid-life crisis). Growing up, I experienced severe bullying and depression, as well as growing up closely exposed to alcoholism and everything that comes attached to that. I have also had people close to me attempt suicide, with one friend's effort becoming fatal. All of this has fueled my drive to help others, who may be feeling hopeless and needing guidance or just someone to believe in or encourage them.
I am very excited to share some of my insights with you all.
Call to action
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide and would like to receive help, please call our suicide prevention line at 1-800-991-5272.
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