Behind the Therapy Door

Behind the Therapy Door

Pam Paquet & Associates Corporate TrainingPam Paquet & Associates Corporate Training

Pam Paquet CSP, CCC, MEd, BA

Business and corporate seminars, workshops and retreats

to improve workplaces and their employees.

Topics : • change management• leadership training• conflict resolution• retirement transition • business assertiveness• problem solving for managers

Strategies to share, recommend and encourage EAP usage

Decrease the stigma and embarrassment ofusing EAP resources

Complement work with EAP services

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

Employee Assistance Programs Employee Assistance Programs

Designed to alleviate and assist in eliminating a variety of workplace problems.

The source of problems can be either personal or work related.Source: Employee Assistance Society of North America (EASNA) March 2010

Workplace ProblemsWorkplace Problems

Employees with problems have:• higher absenteeism• more personal accidents• a greater number of sick days• more morale problems• lower productivity • poorer workmanship

(Source: Csiernik, 1996)

EAP Access & ServicesEAP Access & Services

24 hour telephone access• intake• crisis counselling 1-800 Number• emergency triage• telephone counselling

EAPs typically provide:screening assessmentsbrief interventions referralscase management follow up

EAP BenefitsEAP Benefits• Clinical assessment and short term counselling• In person, telephone and/or e-counselling• Return to work planning• Workshops/courses:

- legal consultation- financial consultation- work-life benefits- wellness and health promotion

Promote & AdvertisePromote & Advertise

• Pamphlets in common areas and with pay stubs• Posters in lunch and coffee rooms• Cards and pamphlets on management’s desk• Written in HR benefits and policies• Promotional efforts at company events

Make the EAP benefits as common and normalas the “social club benefits” and “coffee club”

• Word of mouth from colleagues/supervisors• Senior executive announcements• Regular announcements at meetings • Internet/website address• Information in all e-mails - part of signature

Make the EAP benefits a normal part of thecompany and how business is done.

Talk & ReferTalk & Refer

StrategiesStrategies

Share, recommend and encourageEAP usage

1. Inclusive2. Non-discriminatory3. Limitless

Encourage EAP ResourcesEncourage EAP Resources

Stigma Embarrassment

Our goal is a healthy workforceYour well-being is important

Leadership & Support are KeyLeadership & Support are Key

HR and managers should: • use it for their own purpose• consistently and proactively talk about

it• allow time and flexibility to attend• pay attention to changes in behaviours

Lower the ThresholdLower the Threshold

Functioning

Coping

Managing

No problem is too small or too big to get help.

Potential Problem AreasPotential Problem Areas

Work: co-worker, boss, workload, travel, pay/promotion, hours/shifts

Family: kids/teens, spouse, in-laws, mortgage, finances

Spouse: parenting, relationship, intimacy, infidelity, finances, addiction (technology, pornography,

gambling, alcohol, drugs, etc.)

Referral TypesReferral Types

1) self-referral: employee seeks help

2) informal referral:supervisor, friend or co- worker recommend

3) formal referral: based on job performance and supervisor mandates

Source: Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety www.ccohs.ca

One Size Doesn’t Fit AllOne Size Doesn’t Fit All

Online, internet and web-based assistance help to reduce the stigma associated with mental health and substance abuse issues.

Employees choose their preferred method to receive assistance, information, support and professional counselling.

No Problem is Too SmallNo Problem is Too Small

personal issues job stress relationship issues eldercare childcare/parenting harassment substance abuse separation and loss balancing work & family financial or legal family violence retirement lay-off assistance wellness/health fitness & nutrition long-term illnessgrief conflict Source: Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety www.ccohs.ca

Not Family Feud . . . Stress FeudNot Family Feud . . . Stress FeudContestants . . . come on down!!!

Three categories: 1) Work 2) Family 3) Relationship

Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale (1967)

Guess the rating on the stress scale (out of 100)

Stress FeudStress Feud

Death of a family member

Major mortgage

Divorce

Christmas

Work, Work, WorkWork, Work, Work

Retirement

Change in responsibilities at work

Trouble with boss

Dismissal from work

Family . . . the ties that bind.Family . . . the ties that bind.

Change in health of family member

Change in residence

Vacation

Trouble with in-laws

Relationship . . . Rollercoaster Relationship . . . Rollercoaster

Marriage

Marital separation

Marital reconciliation

Sexual difficulties

Stress: An Everyday Part of LifeStress: An Everyday Part of LifeMajor Events Long Term Worries Daily Hassles

Getting married Concern for children’s future

Traffic jams

Changing jobs Financial problems Rude people

Moving your home Economic problems Machines that don’t work

Getting divorced Ongoing illness Technology

Death of a loved one Retirement Express line ups

The Facts . . .The Facts . . .

50 - 80% of on the job problems relate to problem drinking, family disputes, finances or emotional stress.

The Canadian Mental Health Association . . . 15% of all workers will develop emotional, physical or social problems.

The Addiction Research Association . . . .10 - 15% of all employees will have an alcohol or drug addiction problem.

(Source: Csiernik, 1996)

ArthritisArthritis

• affects one of every six Canadians over age 15

• three out of five are younger than 65 • experience more pain, activity restrictions

and long-term disability than those with other chronic diseases

(Source: Canadian Arthritis Society Arthroscope 2004 www.arthritis.ca)

DepressionDepression

8% of Canadians will experience a majordepression in their lifetime.

20% of young people will experience anepisode of depression (before the age of 20).

Twice the numbers of women than men are diagnosed with depression.

(Source: B. Everett, Mood Disorder Association of Canada, 2009)

Decrease the Stigma & EmbarrassmentDecrease the Stigma & EmbarrassmentNotice it

- over tired, shorter fuse, inability to focus on work, not seem yourself

Normalize it- don’t hide it or carry the whole load- we all experience difficulties and problems

Give permission- let people know it is okay and normal to get a hand with life/situations/problems

Open Pandora’s BoxOpen Pandora’s Box

Conversation & Normalization - EAP sessions needed to meet the quota that month - “Who needs a little tune up?”- “Who has teenagers?”- “Who has a spouse that is stressing them out?”

EAP Conversations - ReassureEAP Conversations - Reassure

You are not crazy.You are not going crazy.

Life doesn’t always go as planned.Life sometimes throws us lemons.

Give the EAP a call and get a hand with this.Go on-line with EAP and see if they have any ideas for you.

EAP Conversations – RealityEAP Conversations – Reality

Your not expected to be superman.Its easy to think we need to be superwoman.

Balancing everything in life is not easy.Who says work/life balance is possible?

I saw some good strategies on the EAPwebsite.

EAP talked about this in their recent newsletter.

EAP Conversations - EntitlementEAP Conversations - Entitlement

We have great benefits through work.They offer medical, dental, optical and EAP.

You work hard and you are entitled to usethe benefits that are part of this job.

The company wants us to be healthy and they show how valuable we are by providing assistance programs – go for it.

EAP Conversations - EmpathyEAP Conversations - Empathy

You’re in a tough spot - how are you doing?That’s a lot to take – how are you holding up?

Our EAP is not just there for really bad things in life, they are there for support and new ideas.

I saw this EAP counsellor and she gave me a different perspective on my situation.

Education & DevelopmentEducation & DevelopmentConsultationsResources & CoursesReferrals & References

Services for Employees Services for Organizations

Counselling Services Work/Life ResourcesFamily Lifecycle e-KitsChildcare/ EldercareHealth & Wellness LibraryOnline Learning

Organizational ConsultationCritical Incident Stress MgmtWorkplace MediationDisability ManagementHealth & Wellness Seminars

Education & DevelopmentEducation & Development

Parenting Courses:• Discipline vs. Punishment • How to Manage Your Stress and Your

Children's Stress • Internet Safety Workshop for Parents • Sibling Rivalry • Children & Temperament: Implications for

Parenting • Effective Parenting SeriesSource: FSEAP BC

Education & DevelopmentEducation & Development

Money Skills (4 week program):Banking - different options and what is appropriate for youBudgeting- get control over your moneyConsumerism - make choices based on what is good for youCredit - how to make GOOD CREDIT possible

Compliment Work with EAPCompliment Work with EAP

1. Have good and open conversations about life and how EAP supports, assists and helps.

2. Advertise and recommend the information, references and options for consultations.

3. Make courses/workshops part of the work place (hold a lunch session and get a group together for the parenting course)

Questions

Pam Paquet & Associates Corporate Training

Pam Paquet & Associates Corporate Training

Thank you for your time and participation. Enjoy the rest of the conference.

www.thepossibilities.capam@thepossibilities.ca

Copyright © 2010. Pam Paquet. All rights reserved.