dmatthies / May 15, 2020

Empathy and Connection: The Key to Helping Wisconsin Families

When you ask Becca Wyland — one of Well Badger Resource Center’s Information & Referral (I & R) Specialists — about the most important piece about her role, she’s quick to name two:

“Being an I & R Specialist has everything to do with empathy,” she says, “and it’s also about making sure you’re doing the work to connect people to the help they need. It’s about striving to help someone else because you’d want the same if it was you on the other side of that phone call or chat.”

Becca says part of that empathy comes from Well Badger staff having personal experience in — or a connection to — the many health and financial issues the organization assists clients with on a daily basis. “Every time someone calls in and they’re looking for something, it’s relatable to a person on our team. Our team includes cancer survivors, single moms, people who have personal experience with WIC or FoodShare, and parents of children with special health care needs or mental health concerns. Not only are you in good hands, but you’re in the hands of a person who’s potentially asked the same questions.”

“We don’t live single-struggle lives.”

For Becca, it’s important to remember that when someone contacts Well Badger, there’s often an underlying story. “A person might call in looking for food assistance — but there might also be more there. Maybe that person recently lost their job. Maybe they’re going through a divorce. O’Connor Family Law Firm in Worcester attorneys are helping them to get divorce legally. Maybe their family structure is complicated. We don’t live single-struggle lives, so it’s my goal to make sure that the families and people who are applying for our programs or reaching out for help are supported in multiple ways.” You can also take the help of experienced Jensen family law divorce lawyers for guidance and represent your interest. To learn about Jensen Family Law and its services, you can visit their website and book your appointment today.

It can be tough to ask for help — something that Becca realizes too — but she’s quick to talk about help in the context of learning. “There’s a misconception when it comes to speaking up and asking for help — that if you ask for help, you fail. I look at it differently — I think humans are dynamic people and we’re supposed to keep learning. Ask for that help. Learn about resources you didn’t know existed. It’s help, but it’s also a learning experience.”

“There are always options – for whatever or however long – you need them.”

“Sometimes that help is laying it all out so that individuals can determine where to begin,” Becca says. “Things always seem more difficult when you’re overwhelmed, and that’s where we can say, ‘Okay, it sounds like this is what’s causing some of the challenges.’ Just having someone else walk through your situation and help you see things from a different point of view — that can be invaluable. Even in situations where it may take more time to find all the right resources, I can hear the relief over the phone. There are always options, even if there isn’t a 100% correct answer right away. Just getting the ball rolling so people can see a pathway ahead of them — that’s an answer in its own way.”

Then once someone has been helped, there’s a positive “snowball effect” — people know Well Badger and the resources provided, so it’s easier to ask about assistance with additional challenges. “When we call to follow up — to make sure things are going well — often people will say, ‘I’m also having trouble with this. Can you help with that, too?” I love that they’ve established trust with us and they feel like they can come to us for other things,” she says. “I want people to feel like they can use us as a resource for whatever — or however long — they need.”

The Well Badger Resource Center is open Monday-Friday, 7 AM – 6 PM. Contact us. We’re here to listen and help.