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To Sam

Wordings in emails to Childline

Hey Sam,

I was just wondering whether it's ok to write emails in a less straightforward sense. I personally find getting my feelings out with description and such is much more helpful with getting feeing across than saying "well this happened which led to this..." and so on. I guess you could call me a poetry-geek

The email system is another way of support, and personally my favorite. I enjoy to get my problems out in big bursts and not to be forced to reply quickly but at my own pace; but i'm just conflicted what would be the best approach in what to write in the emails I send. Could you give me some tips in this area?

I enjoy to really get my feelings out but I understand it's important to focus on the issue and to not go off on tangents. I want the best support, but to get that I need to give the best plead.

I've not been able to find a letter with this kind of topic so it'd be much help if you could reply, thanks, xx

Ask Sam

Sam

Hi there

Emails to Childline are a great way of expressing how you’re feeling and talking about what’s happening in your life. You can send an email at any time without having to wait for a counsellor to be free. This means you can take as much time to write as you need.

Writing about your experiences and feelings can be very personal. Everyone is different and how you choose to express yourself is your decision. You could write a poem, share song lyrics or draw a picture using the art box. Remember, what’s important is that you say what you want in the best way for you.

It’s okay to say things in any way that makes sense to you and you don’t need to say what happened in the order it did. It’s okay to write things as they come into your mind and you can write freely so that your flow of thoughts isn’t interrupted. Sometimes reading your email before you send it can help you better understand how you’re feeling.

When a counsellor at Childline reads your email they’ll want to try to understand your situation and how you’re feeling so they can give you the right information and advice. Sometimes they’ll ask questions to make sure they’ve understood everything. You can email back when you want and reply to any questions or comments in your own time. It’s always your decision whether or not you want to answer questions and there’s no pressure to say more than you feel comfortable with. And, you don’t have to reply at all if you don’t want to.

A counsellor will try to read and reply to your email within 24 hours but sometimes it can be longer. If you’re ever in danger, or need information and advice quickly, it’s always best to talk to a counsellor by chat or on the phone for a quicker response.

Thank you for your letter.

Take care,

Sam

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