At 9 p.m., after she puts her twin fourth graders to sleep, Kristy Hixon logs on to hear about how strangers are struggling — and these days that often means hearing about the coronavirus pandemic.
The 40-year-old teacher in Fort Worth, Texas, has been working two-hour counseling shifts twice a week since last August. She has a master’s degree in school counseling and was looking for volunteer opportunities she could do from home to build practical experience. That led her to Crisis Text Line, an organization that has been providing free 24/7 crisis counseling via text message since 2014. Now, with the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the globe, the ability to receive emergency mental health care from isolation is more important than ever.
