Blog Summary:
1. SMS counselling allows people to receive emotional support, information, referrals and other helpline services through text messages.
2. Text-based support can provide another option for people who feel uncomfortable speaking aloud or need more time to process their thoughts.
3. Research suggests that text-based mental-health support has potential, particularly for young people, although more research is still needed.
4. Nonprofits offering SMS support need clear procedures for responder training, privacy, response times, documentation, referrals and urgent situations.
5. Izzy Helpline allows nonprofits to manage SMS, phone, web chat and other communication channels through one connected platform.
Reading Time: (7 Minutes)
Sometimes, the hardest part of asking for help is making the call.
For some people, speaking about a difficult experience out loud can feel overwhelming. Others may not have a private place to talk, may need more time to organize their thoughts, or may simply feel more comfortable communicating by text.
That is where SMS counselling and text-based helpline support can help. By offering SMS alongside phone and web chat, nonprofits can give people more choice in how they reach out.
What is SMS counselling?
SMS counselling is support delivered through text messages. Depending on the organization, a person may communicate with a counsellor, advocate, crisis responder, peer supporter, or trained helpline volunteer.
It may include emotional support, information and referrals, safety planning, follow-up messages, or scheduled counselling. However, SMS counselling is not always the same as text therapy.
Text therapy usually refers to mental-health treatment provided by a licensed professional. Text-based helpline support may be delivered by trained staff or volunteers and focus on immediate support, resources, or referrals.
Organizations should clearly explain who is responding, what support is available, and how quickly someone can expect a reply.
Why do some people prefer text-based support?
Not everyone feels comfortable beginning with a phone call. Texting can give someone time to think about what they want to say and how they want to say it.
It may also be helpful for people who do not have a private place to speak, feel nervous discussing something aloud, prefer writing, or want information they can review later.
Medical News Today notes that text-based support can offer flexibility and allow people to reflect before responding. At the same time, it may lack nonverbal cues and can lead to delays or misunderstandings (Sherrell, 2023).
Text support is not the best fit for everyone, but that is exactly why choice matters. Some people may prefer a phone call, while others may feel more comfortable texting or using web chat.
What does the research say?
Research on text-based mental-health support is still developing, but early findings are promising.
Karnik et al. (2023) reviewed seven studies of synchronous phone-based text therapy for young people between the ages of 12 and 24. The intervention studies reported reductions in mental-health symptoms, especially symptoms related to depression and anxiety. Most also reported high usability, meaning participants generally found the services helpful or easy to use.
However, the authors found that evidence about accessibility was still unclear and emphasized the need for more research (Karnik et al., 2023).
This means text-based support should not be presented as a complete replacement for phone, in-person, or other forms of care. Instead, SMS can be one part of a broader, person-centred approach that gives people more ways to connect.
What are the benefits of SMS counselling?
It gives people more choice
A person-centred helpline recognizes that there is no single communication method that works for everyone.
Offering SMS, phone, and web chat allows people to choose the option that feels safest or most manageable in the moment.
It can make difficult conversations easier to begin
Writing a message may feel less intimidating than saying something aloud. A first text can create an opening for someone who has been unsure about reaching out.
It gives people time to process
Texting allows someone to pause, reread a response, and decide how they want to reply.
This may be helpful when a person is trying to explain a complicated situation or is unsure how to describe what they are experiencing.
Resources can be shared directly
Helplines often connect people with shelters, counselling services, legal supports, crisis services, and community programs.
Through SMS, a responder can send contact details or links directly, allowing the person to return to the information later.
It can support remote service delivery
A centralized SMS platform can allow approved staff and volunteers to respond remotely without sharing their personal phone numbers.
This may be useful for organizations that rely on volunteers, evening coverage, or staff working across different locations.
What are the limitations of text-based support?
SMS counselling also has limitations that organizations need to consider.
Written messages do not include tone of voice, facial expressions, or body language. This can make it more difficult for responders to fully understand what someone is communicating. Messages may also be misunderstood when they are short or unclear (Sherrell, 2023).
Response times can also vary. Some organizations offer live text conversations, while others reply within a particular time frame. Helplines should clearly explain their hours and expected response times so people know what to expect.
Text support may not be appropriate for every person or situation. Organizations need clear procedures for urgent situations, referrals, disconnected conversations, privacy, and documentation.
What should nonprofits consider before offering SMS support?
Launching an SMS service involves more than creating a phone number. Organizations need clear processes for staffing, training, privacy, documentation, response times, and urgent situations.
Before offering text-based support, a nonprofit should consider:
- Who will respond to messages
- What training responders need
- When the service will be available
- How quickly messages should be answered
- How conversations will be documented
- How privacy and confidentiality will be addressed
- What happens if a conversation becomes urgent
- When someone should be referred to another service
Organizations should also consider how SMS will work alongside phone and web chat.
When each communication channel is managed through a different system, information can become fragmented. Staff may need to switch between platforms, and reporting can take more time.
What should nonprofits look for in SMS counselling software?
A strong SMS counselling platform should help organizations manage communication without making their work more complicated.
Important features include:
Multichannel communication: Staff should be able to manage SMS, phone, and web-chat conversations in one place.
Scheduling: The platform should help coordinate staff and volunteer shifts, including remote coverage.
Customizable documentation: Organizations should be able to create questions and fields that reflect their services and reporting needs.
Privacy-conscious communication: Responders should not have to use personal phone numbers, and access should be limited to authorized team members.
Resource and referral tools: Staff should be able to quickly find and share relevant community resources.
Reporting: SMS, phone, and chat activity should be brought together so organizations can understand service demand and prepare reports for leadership or funders.
How Izzy supports SMS and multichannel helplines
Izzy Helpline helps nonprofits manage SMS, phone, web chat, and Facebook Messenger conversations through one centralized dashboard (Izzy Platform, n.d.).
This allows people to choose how they want to reach out while giving staff and volunteers one place to manage conversations.
Izzy also includes integrated scheduling for on-site and remote workers, customizable ticket questions, anonymous activity tracking, resource and referral tools, and reporting that consolidates data across communication channels (Izzy Platform, n.d.).
Instead of switching between separate phone, text, scheduling, and reporting systems, organizations can manage these areas through one connected platform.
Izzy does not provide counselling itself. It provides the technology nonprofits use to deliver and manage their own helpline services.
Creating another way to ask for help
SMS counselling will not replace phone calls, in-person support, or other forms of care. Its value is in creating another option.
For someone who feels comfortable calling, phone support may be the best choice. For someone who is not ready or able to speak, texting may offer a more approachable place to begin.
By offering multiple communication channels and managing them through one connected system, nonprofits can make it easier for more people to reach support in the way that works best for them.
Frequently asked questions
Is SMS counselling the same as text therapy?
Not always. Text therapy usually refers to treatment provided by a licensed mental-health professional. SMS counselling may also include emotional support, referrals, crisis support, or information provided by trained staff, advocates, or volunteers.
Does SMS counselling work?
Research suggests that phone-based text therapy has potential, particularly for young people, but the evidence is still developing. It is best understood as one support option rather than a replacement for every other form of care (Karnik et al., 2023).
Can a nonprofit offer phone and SMS support together?
Yes. A multichannel helpline can offer phone, SMS, web chat, and other communication options. Using one platform to manage these channels can also simplify scheduling, documentation, and reporting.
References
Karnik, V., Henderson, H., Khan, U. R., & Boyd, J. (2023). Phone-based text therapy for youth mental health: Rapid review. Interactive Journal of Medical Research, 12, e47250. https://doi.org/10.2196/47250
Sherrell, Z. (2023, August 10). What to know about text therapy. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/text-therapy