Self-Callers
The person struggling with addiction. They made the hardest call of their life.
61%
of all callers
Understanding Self-Callers
When someone calls for themselves, they're in a vulnerable, often desperate state. They've overcome massive internal resistance to pick up the phone. Your job is to:
- Validate their courage in calling
- Create a peer-to-peer connection
- Remove barriers without being pushy
- Build urgency around their window of motivation
Key Insight: Self-callers respond to peer language. "I got you, man" feels like support from someone who understands, not a sales pitch.
Tone & Language
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Use casual language ("man," "dude") | Be overly formal or clinical |
| Acknowledge their struggle | Minimize their experience |
| Create peer connection | Talk down to them |
| Validate the difficulty of calling | Make it sound easy |
Opening Scripts
After identifying caller type:
"What's going on with you?"
When they share:
"Gotcha, man. That's a serious thing. I get it."
"What's going on with you?"
When they share:
"Gotcha, man. That's a serious thing. I get it."
Building Rapport
Self-callers need to feel understood, not sold to. Use these high-frequency phrases:
"I got you. I got you."
Use when: They're stressed, apologetic, or sharing vulnerable info
Use when: They're stressed, apologetic, or sharing vulnerable info
"Gotcha, man."
Use when: After any disclosure about their situation
Use when: After any disclosure about their situation
"Dude. Happy belated, man." (after learning DOB)
Use when: You find natural personal connection points
Use when: You find natural personal connection points
Pain Discovery
Let them tell their story. Don't interrupt to redirect.
Open-ended start:
"What substance have you been struggling with?"
Follow-up:
"And what do you drink normally? Is it like vodka or beer or..."
(Trail off so they complete the thought)
"What substance have you been struggling with?"
Follow-up:
"And what do you drink normally? Is it like vodka or beer or..."
(Trail off so they complete the thought)
Common Objections
Job Concerns
"How long have you been at your job? Good, because if it's been over a year, you qualify for FMLA protection. That means your job is federally protected—we can even help with the paperwork."
Cost Concerns
"Let me check your insurance while we talk. This could mean you pay nothing out of pocket."
"The cost of NOT doing this is way higher—your job, your health, your relationships."
"The cost of NOT doing this is way higher—your job, your health, your relationships."
Not Ready
"The fact that you called today is huge. That takes courage. Something made you pick up the phone—what was it?"
Creating Urgency
Self-callers have a window of motivation. Help them act on it without being pushy.
"Were you thinking about coming in today, or is tomorrow better for you?"
"Every day you wait is another day at risk. What would it take to get you here today?"
"Every day you wait is another day at risk. What would it take to get you here today?"
Window of Motivation: Self-callers often call during a crisis moment. If they hang up without commitment, they may not call back. Help them act now.