Employee and Family EAP Training

Family Problems	Grief & Loss
Mental Health	Communication & Anger
Elder Care & Child Care	Work-Related Issues
Financial & Legal Issues	Personal & Family Addictions

(Click on a topic for more information, or simply scroll down.)

Family Problems:

Depending on the particular family concern, the EAP can be of assistance in a variety of ways. If the issue is temporary in nature, certainly, short-term counseling may be sufficient to resolve the concerns.

If the issue is relationship based, often, couples need a “third-party” to facilitate communication between them. The EAP counselor can educate the couple about effective communication skills to be practiced and utilized. A referral to a couples counselor may also be appropriate.

The EAP counselor can provide information about the specific issues, referrals to support-groups and/or educational resources (parenting classes, seminars, etc.), as well as practical life management suggestions to relieve particular stressors.

Mental Health:

In these cases, the EAP can assist by conducting a thorough assessment of the problem, educating the client about the services to be received, and referring the client to the most appropriate resource (e.g., a psychiatrist for a medication evaluation for severe depression, a therapist for long-term treatment of a mental health diagnosis). The EAP would continue to assist by following up with the individual to determine the satisfaction with the provider, and in appropriate situations, monitoring the course of treatment to its completion.

The EAP is also able to provide supportive assistance to family members as well as through education and referral to support groups and family based resources.

If the situation is not one requiring long-term treatment for the client, the EAP can provide short-term counseling and support, and assist by helping the client develop coping skills to deal with the impact of the stressors.

Elder Care & Child Care Issues:

When the issue relates to child care or elder care resources, the type of services available vary from center to center. In all cases, the EAP Counselor will conduct an assessment and assist the client in identifying the particular worklife need and direct the client to a community resource to meet this need. These resources include databases for area child care centers and providers, comprehensive checklists to use in the decision making process, resources providing an explanation of senior living and housing options, and links to local and state resources.

Some centers provide an enhanced service, either through the EAP or through the Office of Human Resources, which will connect the client to a Worklife Specialist. Often, this specialist has access to databases on individual resources and can provide information on cost, amenities, and availability. All costs incurred beyond the initial consultation are the responsibility of the client. The EAP counselor will provide comprehensive follow-up to ensure client satisfaction.

Financial & Legal Issues:

When the issue relates to a legal or financial issue, the type of services available through the EAP vary from center to center. In all cases, the EAP Counselor will conduct an assessment and assist the client in identifying the particular worklife need and direct the client to a community resource to meet this need. These resources include information on community legal referral associations as well as helpful websites detailing geographically-specific legal information. For financial concerns, the EAP Counselor can refer to non-profit debt consolidation companies as well as provide information on effective debt management.

Some centers provide an enhanced service, either through the EAP or through the Office of Human Resources, which will connect the client to a legal or financial specialist. This service may include a free initial consultation with a legal or financial professional as well as reduced fees for any additional consultation. All costs incurred beyond the initial consultation are the responsibility of the client. The EAP counselor will provide comprehensive follow-up to ensure client satisfaction.

Grief & Loss:

In this instance, supportive counseling with an EAP professional with the sessions conducted over the course of several weeks to a few months may be sufficient to address the client’s needs. During this time, the counselor offers reassurance, as well as specific information about how to best work through the grieving process.

In situations where the loss of a loved one or co-worker triggers emotions from past experiences, (i.e. reoccurring trauma, post-traumatic stress), a referral to a specialized resource may be more effective in helping the client. Resources include a therapist specializing in grief and loss and support groups focusing on a specific life event (i.e. loss of a parent) or towards a specific population (i.e. helping children deal with loss). The EAP counselor will provide comprehensive follow-up to ensure client satisfaction.

If the loss involves a large segment of the employee population, at most centers, the EAP is available to provide Critical Incident Stress Management services. For additional information on this process, please click here.

Communication & Anger:

Almost anyone can benefit from effective communication skills. The EAP Counselor will conduct a thorough assessment of the issues. Often times, a second perspective from an objective party may yield alternative communication styles to resolve any existing communication “roadblocks”. This may be accomplished through one on one counseling sessions over a period of time. When appropriate, the EAP Counselor may also function as a mediator between two parties to find an acceptable solution.

In those situations where communication has progressed to anger, the EAP Counselor may recommend a more formalized approach, such as a referral to an anger management class or a referral to a therapist. When a referral is appropriate, the EAP counselor will provide comprehensive follow-up to ensure client satisfaction.

Work-Related Issues:

As the EAP is a “work-site” based resource, it is in a unique position to assist the employee with a variety of workplace problems. These include conflicts with co-workers/supervisors as well as situation-specific, work-related stressors. The EAP can act as a “mediator” of sorts and facilitate communication between the parties. The EAP counselor can also assist the employee in dealing more effectively with work stress by helping the client to achieve a greater balance between work and family, and discussing specific strategies to effectively deal with the immediate stressor.

When the concern is being generated from the organizational level, the EAP can, upon request, offer specialized consultation encompassing both the organization and employee perspective. For more information on this service, click here.

Personal & Family Addictions:

An employee presenting with this concern, will have access to several levels of assistance from the EAP. The EAP Counselor, using a variety of available screening tools, will assess the level of use/abuse and recommend a follow-up plan of action. If the individual has been self-referred, this is typically a good indication that the client’s motivation to get help is high and a referral is likely. The referral may include inpatient and outpatient treatment facilities, 12-step programs, formalized education and support groups, and individual therapy. Since addiction commonly impacts several life areas, the EAP Counselor will continue to work with the client to address any additional areas which have been impacted by the addiction.

Often times, the employee has been referred by management for a performance-based problem and through the assessment, information related to use/abuse is discovered. The employee, even if self referred, always has the choice to discontinue involvement with the EAP. If the employee is motivated and willing, the EAP can offer both a recommendation for a follow on resource as well as assistance in re-establishing effective workplace behaviors and performance standards.

Employees may also contact the EAP with concerns about possible addictive behavior at the request of family members, friends, or co-workers. Family members often contact the EAP directly for assistance in helping a loved one. In these situations, the EAP can not contact the employee directly, however s/he can provide the family member with the tools to have this discussion and make his/her needs clear.

When an employee has a family member with addictions issues who denies there is a problem, the EAP can assist by providing support and education about the addiction. Also, the EAP can refer to free community based resources such as Al-Anon/Nar-Anon, where the family member can obtain additional support and information.