Wouldn’t you like to get free professional coaching and counseling services at your workplace? You can if you go through an Employee Assistance Program, but be sure to use these insider tips!
(Note – This article is part of a series of interviews with licensed healthcare providers.)
I suspect, depending on where you work, you give precise advice to help your friends and family have the best experience at your company.
For example, some of you can tell your friends how to:
- Have a sublime dining experience
- Others how to find a super-deluxe deal on a new car or computer
- And others can help friends and family find a luxurious vacation destination on a budget
You know insider secrets so well that you can’t wait to tell your friends and family about them.
So, wouldn’t it be great to have that insider expertise when deciding on your healthcare?
Wouldn’t it be helpful to tap into healthcare providers’ years of training, experience, and specific knowledge of their area and hear them say, “If it were me, I’d do it this way?”
This article is part of a series of interviews intended to offer that experience—another way to help you find the best healthcare services when needed.
The question we’re answering today is:
Do you know how to access and get the most value from your Employee Assistance Program?
So, without further ado, this article aims to teach you how to get the most benefit from using an Employee Assistance Program. You can use the list below to jump to a section or read the entire article.
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What is an Employee Assistant Program (EAP)?
An EAP is a confidential and free workplace service that the employer offers. It helps employees deal with work-life stressors, family issues, financial concerns, relationship problems, and drug or legal matters.
It’s usually available to both employees and their families. The purpose is to help workers remain productive at work.
The Interview
Today, we’re interviewing Dane Hutchins, MSW, LCSW, to gain insider knowledge about an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Dane is sharing his expertise from 18 years in the healthcare field (13 years of counseling, with >3 years as an EAP Specialist in the EAP Behavioral Department at Mercy) to give you tips and strategies to help improve your Employee Assistance Program experience.
Reasons to Use EAP Services
Dane, tell us a little about the most common reasons employees use your service.
“The two main reasons people access our employee assistance program services are stress management and coaching for various workplace struggles or conflicts, sometimes with a manager and sometimes with their coworkers.
Another big reason people access our EAP is for marital and family (children or dependent) relationship issues.
Finally, personal loss and grief are reasons people access our services.
But it’s not always due to a person passing away. It may be a child is leaving home. Or they are going through the loss of a spouse from a divorce.“
There are two main reasons people access EAP Services. Stress management and coaching for workplace struggles.
Dane Hutchins, MSW, LCSW
It could also be due to the stress of working with sick and dying patients (we work in a healthcare system). The co-workers must be empathetic, and their personal or home issues can take them away from being on their A-game.”
Other reasons a person can access the EAP services include:
- Stress
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Mental illness
- Emotional problems
- Alcohol or substance abuse
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How Can You Receive the Best Value in an Employee Assistance Program?
Two Things You Wish Your EAP Clients Knew
Dane, based on your experience, what are two things you wish your clients knew about your service so they would encounter greater value or fewer barriers?
“I wish they knew about the service in the first place!
But, some are embarrassed to come even when they do. There is a stigma associated with accessing mental health services, but I wish everyone knew that this isn’t a full or formal assessment. We’re trained to do that, but that isn’t what we do at the EAP.
- The model we use in the EAP is different and less invasive, but it is still confidential.
- It’s an opportunity for the client to test the service and see how deep they want to go. And most of the time, I act as a coach (not a counselor).
“I also wish people would use the program to solve problems when they’re small and more comfortable to resolve.”
Examples include:
- Holiday stress
- Family disagreements
- Situations that may affect financial health
They can schedule a free consultation with a professional counselor to discuss their problem before it becomes a more significant issue that affects their work performance.
The biggest challenge is that many do not even know about these free services!
One Thing You Wish Your EAP Clients Would Do
Dane, based on your opinion, what is one thing you wish your clients would do when using your services so they enjoy the best outcome possible?
“I see clients for marital or relationship issues. Unfortunately, the typical scenario is that only one of the two comes in.
But in my experience, it would be much more helpful if both came in for the service. The experience and outcome are better for the client (and the other person) if the other person attends, too.“
For relationship issues, the best outcomes happen when both parties participate.
Recommended Online Resources
Dane, what online resources do you provide to your Employee Assistance Program clients?
“I recommend the website Help.guide.org.
I direct our Mercy co-workers to resources on our employer’s homepage (there is an EAP link with resources and articles).”
Dane, what service or treatment do you recommend after your Employee Assistance Program services? (And how many follow through?)
“Because this is a free service, many clients will try to spread out the benefit, so they don’t need additional services.
However, after the six free sessions, clients are typically referred to either behavioral health counseling, a psychologist, or occasionally a psychiatrist if they still need services.
I don’t track follow-through, but I estimate only 3 out of 10 follow through with these appointments.”
Insider Tip For Employee Assistance Programs
OK, Dane, what is your best insider tip, and is there anything else you want to share about the Employee Assistance Program?
“The idea of preventative medicine in our physical health also applies to our mental health. We all have mental health—like we all have spiritual, emotional, and physical health—but it may not be in the right place. We must fill the void to bring ourselves back to health.
If you have a minor issue and don’t feel like you need a counselor, but it’s starting to affect your life or health, EAP can be an excellent service. We can help by coaching you before it becomes a more significant issue.
Left unchecked, stress and minor issues can lead to more significant mental or emotional problems. We are there to fill the gap and hopefully prevent the more prominent dilemmas from occurring.”
Thanks for the fabulous insider tips, Dane!
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**This information does not guarantee a specific outcome or experience. Also, because there is no client or patient-provider relationship in place, it is impossible to give patient-specific advice and is not intended to be a plan of care or treatment. The information is a complement to your personal healthcare provider’s recommendations and your own observations and research.
Post originally published July 31, 2018
Be sure to grab your FREE Self-care Starter Guide! Lisa Kimrey is a 33-year veteran registered nurse (RN), speaker, and author of the Bible study, The Self-care Impact: Motivation and Inspiration for Wellness. At Mylifenurse, Lisa combines her nursing expertise with Scripture-based encouragement to show readers who serve and care for others how to begin and maintain their self-care journey – without feeling guilty or overwhelmed – to feel happy, healthy, and rejuvenated.