The website describes itself like this:
My Black Dog is a community-focused platform offering peer-to-peer conversations for people who are struggling with mental health challenges and trauma.
–My Black Dog website
Note: for the rest of this post, I will be writing indeterminately to protect privacy of My Black Dog and its guests.
While volunteers like me aren’t necessarily formally trained in counseling, we work to provide a safe space to guests by being great listeners and sharing our own previous challenges. As of 2023, after over a hundred hours of counseling, I’ve spoken with guests with mental health challenges stemming from anxiety, depression, PTSD and disability-based trauma, relationship stress, addiction, and abuse.
A fantastic team
I work with many fantastic volunteers! This means every guest who logs in receives quality support. We all have the privilege of receiving coaching from our skilled volunteer coordinators, who review conversations in realtime and provide suggestions where needed. In fact, I feel that I’ve learned so much that it’s difficult to imagine having my old communication skills from before My Black Dog.
My team and I bond through Slack during our shift. It can be a lot of fun being the only American volunteer in a channel full of Brits!
Adapt and support
Guests on My Black Dog arrive with differing needs. Often the conversations are better geared towards regulation rather than creating solutions. At other times, I support guests to find their own solutions in making positive life changes or decisions. (I’ve found the most success here by using a few strategies from person-centered therapy). Sometimes a guest and I recognize each other and pick up where we last left off! With so much variation, I’ve learned how to better listen for signs of what a person really needs in the moment during our conversations.
Authenticity is energizing
My Black Dog is fully anonymous. This means guests feel free to really open up! Even through a computer screen, I get to experience sincere connection from honest, mutual vulnerability. Responses from guests are more positive after conversation as well. Usually, I even log off feeling more social and full of energy!
Throughout regular life I now practice creating more authentic space for others. Foundations of my relationships have improved, and as a result, the good times and memories have grown as well.
Be yourself
On my first day as a volunteer, I received training. But I got one instruction that confused me: “be yourself.” I also have experience going to therapy, so thinking about how to be both myself and my therapist made me anxious. (I’m lucky enough to have a fantastic therapist: she’s extremely empathetic and eloquent.) Especially without formal counselor training, how could I be helpful if I’m just myself?
As it turns out, the more I relax and remain true to myself, the safer guests feel with me. I consistently receive positive feedback from our guests, volunteers and coaches. I love the emotional depths we reach together. I know I’ve found the right space for myself as I look forward to My Black Dog every week. It’s easier to be myself now because I’ve learned that having these connections is who I am.
Matty Phillips 
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