Stories from the Crisis Text Line Community
Misha – A Journey From Healing to Helping Others
Overcoming dark moments takes an incredible amount of strength and resilience, especially when it’s accompanied by feelings of loneliness and isolation.
For Crisis Text Line’s Director of Service & Learning Programs, Misha Harris, the experience of being 13 and losing her sister to cancer left her feeling devastated, alone, and that there was no one to turn to for support. However, as Misha shares in her story below, out of that tragedy emerged her passion and drive to help others through tough times and provide support and empathy for anyone in need, becoming the type of person she needed when she was young.
Misha’s story:
When I was 7, my little sister was diagnosed with cancer.
At first, there was hope. There were treatment plans and cautious optimism, whispered conversations about survival rates and milestones. But even in those early days, the diagnosis reshaped our family in ways that felt unimaginable. Childhood as I knew it, quietly disappeared. Our home became a place of hospital bags, hushed phone calls, and a constant undercurrent of fear. Even hope carried weight.
When I was 13, I lost my sister to cancer. It was devastating, of course. But what no one talks about is the true loneliness.
My parents were grieving in ways I couldn’t yet understand, which left them emotionally unavailable. My brother retreated inward, consumed by his own sorrow. The days that had once been consumed with hospital visits, doctors, and the rhythm of fighting were suddenly empty. The urgency was gone. The noise was gone. And in its place was a quiet that felt unbearable.
I was left to navigate the unforgivable landscape of middle school, where my friends couldn’t begin to fathom what I was carrying. I felt alone in a way that didn’t have language to express.
Fast-forward through my teen years to adulthood. After exploring several career paths, I realized I wanted to become the person I needed when I was 13. So I chose to pursue a career in mental health.
That’s when I found Crisis Text Line-free, anonymous, 24/7 mental health support. I started as a volunteer Crisis Counselor and nine years later, I’m proud to serve as the Director of Service & Learning Programs.
Crisis Text Line wasn’t available to 13-year-old me. But it’s here now, for you. Ready to meet you exactly where you are.
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If you are struggling and need to reach out to someone, Crisis Text Line is here for you. Text CONNECT to 741741 to reach a live volunteer Crisis Counselor. Free, confidential, 24/7.
Interested in sharing your story too? Each month, we will be posting stories from our community to help inspire and connect with others who may be going through similar experiences. Submit your story! It can make a big difference in helping others feel seen, validated, and less alone.
To help ensure mental health support is available and accessible to anyone in need, make a donation to Crisis Text Line today!
