As a volunteer telephone crisis supporter for Lifeline South Coast, it's been her role to simply listen to people in crisis and help them find ways to solve their problems.

She said the role could be "empowering" when a breakthrough was made, though it could also be upsetting when a connection was lost.

"We're there to provide a safe, empathetic, non-judgmental space for people to share their pain and experiences without fear or repercussion," Ms Murphy said.

"People can call in with a gamut of emotions - from very calm to quite angry and aggressive. It can be pretty confronting, but when you make a connection with someone in their time of need then it can be really powerful.

"Because of the anonymity, though, if people hang up and you never hear from them again, then you can be left wondering what has happened to them and hoping they've got the support they needed."

Ms Murphy left her native Canada in 2011 and on arriving in Wollongong decided to join Lifeline to connect to her new community.

She spent three years as a volunteer telephone crisis supporter before she was employed as an in-shift supporter this year.

She now helps other volunteers debrief after particularly difficult calls and steps in to liaise with emergency services if a caller is believed to be at immediate risk of self-harm.

Volunteers receive extensive training and are available to talk through any problem - big or small. While suicide prevention is a major focus of the support service, callers may also discuss concerns around relationships, loneliness, grief, addiction, abuse or depression.

"The first thing we do is to check callers' immediate safety," Ms Murphy said.

"We then listen to them, and offer them understanding and advice, and can link them into other community services and supports if needed."

For Ms Murphy, volunteering has been extremely rewarding.

"It broadens your perspective," she said.

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 131114 or Suicide Call Back Service 1300659467.