Employee Assistance Programs - are they useful?

[Kintaro]

Has anyone got any experience using their employer’s employee assistance program for some counselling?

I feel like I could do with a couple of sessions where I can unload about my current health concerns, and the stress it is causing me in managing work. I have a partner but I feel like I am always loading her up with my troubles and would like to take that burden off her.

I am guessing these are pretty basic services, and I think that would be ok for what I need. But I am a bit fragile and would also like to avoid the services if other people’s feedback is negative. 

The alternative is to get a referral from my GP for a psychologist, which I could do, but I thought might be more trouble than it’s worth for the relatively low level of support I think I need.

Has anyone used their EAP and could share their feedback?

thanks so much.

[justanotherguy]

Hi @Kintaro , I'm confused; why have a partner if you don't want to share your troubles with them? Why else would you have a partner in your life? Do you not want them to know who you are? I would say a person who doesn't accept your problems doesn't really accept you much at all.

[Patches59]

@Kintaro  when I was working I used the services of EAP for counselling a few times.  
Is it helpful - majority of my experiences were quite good.  My last experience didn’t work, I didn’t feel any connection with the counsellor.

I have found it’s not does EAP work.  It’s about what service you are referred to and what qualifications that person has that EAP refer you to.

through one referral by EAP I found a connection with the counsellor I saw, I learnt things about myself and impact of my past during sone of our sessions plus learnt coping mechanisms.

the last referral I had through EAP didn’t work out.  My husband had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and I was seeking help with coping mechanisms/strategies.  Counsellor I was referred to only wanted to talk about my previous week.  After 4 weeks I phoned EAP and advised them it wasn’t working.  They offered to refer me to some one else once a place was available which never eventuated.  

you mentioned not wanting to burden your partner with things, I have also been in similar situation. As my husbands health deteriorated I felt it not fair on him to burden him with how I was feeling etc.  it can be a difficult and challenging decision to make.  EAP may be able to refer you to counsellor where you can both attend, as another option.  This was offered to me when I spoke to EAP at one stage

[Arbie_wun]

@Kintaro 

I was having issues with a few things and a friend who had used the EAP previously suggested that it would be helpful for me.  It was very beneficial, and I gave myself to it completely because I knew that they were there to help.

I had a few sessions via telephone as this was the easiest way for me to be able to be contacted when my appointment was due.  I remember sitting in a car park awaiting my father who was at a medical appointment and talking with the counsellor on the phone for quite some time.  I know that there were tears and frustration on my behalf a couple of times during the first couple of sessions.

It was with the assistance and guidance of the counsellor that I was able to see some of the nasty and toxic things I had allowed to creep into my behavior.  The assistance and guidance they provided enabled me to find the correct path away from the less than favorable personality traits.  

I have several friends who all say that they EAP is a good way to go and I have to agree.

[tyme]

100% @Kintaro ,

Go for it. You should definitely use EAP, seeing it is there. If you need more than that, then you can also have another psych. I'd suggest you take advantage of your EAP, considering whatever is happening is affecting your work also.

Looking forward to hearing how you go 🙂

[nervouswreck]

@Kintaro it's absolutely not more trouble than it's worth to see a psychologist.  In fact, the earlier you address problems and get help to work on them the better.  Consider the EAP option depending on others' advice but don't be shy about seeing a psych.

In some respects it's admirable to want to protect your partner from extra emotional workload, but it's also another requirement you are pushing onto yourself about not burdening others.. your partner is there to support you but it's always good to get some professional help - we sometimes lack the tools we need to adequately deal with what life throws at us.

[MissLil]

Hello @Kintaro I have used my EAP while employed through a mining company. I didn't open up to much at first as my first interaction was when they were onsite and was not sure how much would be confidential.  I ended up having zoom meetings with them and found that they were defintely a 3rd party and not partnered up with my employee ( who were not supportive) I had gotten a lot of support through weekly zoom meetings but they were not able to connect me to anywhere local for me as they were based 5-6 hours away. 

[Jlol]

In my experience (with is with a national EAP whose 2 letter name starts with A and P), they were pretty useless.

One even ended the call after 10 minutes (meant to get the full hour) saying to "get back in touch when I felt better" (?).

But, hey, they're free so why not give it a go.

[Kintaro]

Thanks @Patches59 @for your thoughtful reply. Much appreciated. It is good to hear other people’s experiences.

[Kintaro]

Hi @Arbie_wun . Thanks for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it.