Simply Surviving or Truly Thriving: How Your EAP Can Change Your Life

Two of the most important lessons from the Grant Study, Harvard's 75-year, $20 million research into happiness, are:

• The ability to give and receive love creates more lasting happiness than money, personal appearance or professional success
• Regardless of personality type or personal history, people are capable of change. Not all people do, but it definitely can be done.

"It's natural for people who are experiencing difficulty in relationships with spouses or partners, friends, family members or co-workers to be unhappy," notes Liz Ferron, MSW, LICSW, Senior Consultant and Physician Practice Lead for VITAL WorkLife. "The question is how long you want to let those issues go unresolved."

Resolving Relationship Issues

One of the primary purposes of your free EAP benefit is to help you address relationship issues that limit your ability to fully enjoy life, including:

• Conflict with a spouse or partner
• Difficulty with a co-worker or boss
• Parenting and child-related concerns
• Unresolved family conflicts
• Personality changes in elderly parents

Talking to an EAP consultant about whoever or whatever is "bugging you" can help you gain insights about what's really going on, such as ways you may unconsciously be continuing or escalating the problem. You can explore new ways of communicating your needs and setting healthy boundaries.

"You can't change other people, but you can change the way you react to what they're doing or saying," says Ferron. "Improving the way you communicate with others can make an enormous change in the quality of all your relationships."

Addressing Emotional Health Concerns and Addiction Concerns

Alcoholism and mental illness can seriously impair quality of life. It's often difficult to know when to ask for help for yourself, or intervene with a family member who appears to be suffering from some form of addiction or emotional health problem. A consultation with one of our experienced EAP consultants can help.

We're available 24/7 to help you assess the seriousness of the situation and either arrange for short-term counseling or refer you to appropriate therapeutic providers and facilities for:

• Depression, stress and anxiety
• Anger, grief and loss
• Drug and alcohol abuse
• Addictive behaviors such as gambling, eating and shopping

"Don't worry about being 'sure' that there is a problem—if you're worried about yourself or someone else, it can't hurt to call and talk about it," notes Ferron. "Your call is confidential."

Taking Steps to Fulfill Your Dreams

In addition to eliminating sources of emotional conflict, happiness is often enhanced when you have a plan or a dream you're working toward.

Whether you want to create a plan for educational success or develop competencies you'll need to advance in your career, an EAP consultant can help you weigh your options and create an actionable plan for moving ahead.

Contact VITAL WorkLife for Immediate Help, Anytime—Day or Night

Your VITAL WorkLife EAP includes free and confidential professional support services—24 hours a day, 365 days per year—either by phone or in face-to-face counseling with master's- and doctorate-level professionals.

Simply call 1.800.383.1908—any time of the day or night—for a free, confidential consultation. Our counselors can help you evaluate any issues you or a family member are facing over the phone. We can also schedule free face-to-face counseling at a time and place that's convenient for you.

Online Work & Life Resources: Free, Unlimited Access

Your EAP benefit also provides unlimited access to a wealth of free online Work & Life resources on your VITAL WorkLife member website.

You'll find thousands of articles on everything from parenting, aging, living well and balancing your life to career development and work issues. You'll also find a variety of tools for managing and enhancing your life.

Those tools include:

• A wide range of interactive e-learning sessions on workplace and interpersonal issues and downloadable audio tips for listening on the go. You can also register for live monthly webinars or access the archives of past webinars on a variety of topics.
• A Corporate Perks/Savings Center that offers online discounts of up to 25% on hundreds of name brands.
• More than 45 different financial planning tools and calculators, as well as legal articles and document templates for common situations.
• Tools for assessing your health, audio and video advice on health topics, and access to both WebMD and Medline Plus.
• A Relocation Center with extensive information on US communities.
• A searchable provider database where you can find everything from adoption agencies and child or elder care providers to legal/medical providers, volunteer opportunities, wellness facilities and more.