What is an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?

All of us occasionally experience problems at home or at work. At these times we may need support and assistance.

An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is an independent and confidential counselling and advisory service to assist in any work or family related difficulties that may be affecting your general well being or work performance. 

Your EAP can assist with:

• Relationship & Family problems
• Alcohol/drug/gambling dependency
• Grief & Bereavement
• Anxiety, depression, stress, self doubt & panic attacks
• Work related stress & anxiety
• Changes at home/work
• Financial & legal worries
• Career assessment & guidance
• Interpersonal conflict
• Concerns about children
• Retirement and redundancy
• Coping with life-threatening illnesses
• Emotional stress
• Relationships with co-workers
• Trauma-critical incident stress

If you have any concerns about any of these then the EAP can be of benefit to you.

 

 

Who provides the EAP?

D’Accord is staffed by a team of professional and highly experienced psychologists who provide counselling and consulting services, and who have a minimum of 6 years organisational and clinical experience. D’Accord, which is a multi-disciplinary network of health professionals, have been selected as the provider.

 

 

Why use counselling?

Unresolved problems have an impact on both our work and private lives. The EAP provides an opportunity and environment to both identify and manage these work related and personal issues before they become unmanageable.

It is very useful to talk to someone who is:

• external to your workplace
• not involved in the problem
• skilled in getting you to talk about what’s bothering you
• expert in helping you solve your problems or assisting you in how best to cope with them

 

What am I entitled to?

Employees are entitled to an allocated amount of counselling hours each year. This time can be used as the counsellor and staff member in attendance see fit.

 

 

Who can attend?

Employees, spouses, de facto’s, partners, dependants and immediate family members. Family of origin—mothers, fathers & siblings.

 

 

Do I have to pay for these sessions?

No. The EAP service is free to all employees and their immediate family. On occasion your counsellor may suggest that more specialised assistance would be useful. In this instance, you will be referred to an appropriate service which is within your capacity to pay, or in some cases is free.

 

 

Is the service confidential?

Counselling is conducted by D’Accord on a totally impartial and confidential basis. All information remains private and no details will be disclosed without permission.

Counsellors are bound by their own professional ethics not to divulge any information you share with them, unless you authorise them to do so in writing.

 

Any information you exchange in privacy with a counsellor is held in the strictest confidence.

 

The only time information will be released is where you provide written consent in situations that warrant the intervention of senior staff or medical parties.

The only departure from this is where an individual is at risk to themselves or others, or when a criminal offence comes to the notice of the counsellor.

 

 

What is a counselling session like?

Face-to-face counselling sessions take place in a relaxed, private setting free from the stresses of work. The EAP staff are trained to identify and help you solve your problems in a three-stage process:

• Clarifying the problem
• Identifying options
• Developing an action plan

All discussions are focussed on your needs, helping you see things in a different light and to develop plans to approach difficult issues in a constructive manner.

 

 

Will counselling affect my job prospects?

Use of the EAP service has full management support. Because of the confidential nature of counselling, use of an EAP will not and cannot be held against you or detract from your employment opportunities.

 

Simply telephone 1300 466 463 (Australia Wide) to arrange a confidential appointment to the nearest office, or to arrange telephone counselling.

 

 

USE OF THE EAP IS ALWAYS VOLUNTARY

 

 

How do I access the EAP?

Access to the EAP may be through:

Self-Referral

Where you choose to use the service privately.

 

Suggestion

Where others at work or home may be aware of your personal issues and suggest the use of EAP.

  

Your Supervisor

Who may offer the EAP service if you are experiencing work performance problems.