It is voluntary. You decide if you want or need it. Your manager or supervisor may suggest it as an option for you to consider, but you make the choice to take it up or not
It is a form of help that is guided by you and your needs. It is directed by you
It is totally confidential. It may be difficult for you to feel that a service paid for by your employer would be confidential. However, this type of service, if it is to be in any way beneficial, HAS TO BE totally confidential. Therefore a great deal of time is invested in developing confidentiality agreements that ensure that the work that you do with your counsellor is kept personal to you. The agreement between the counsellor and you will be explained clearly in the first session.
Your employer may have asked for there to be other specific occasions when they would require to be notified. For example your job may require you to be using heavy machinery, driving or handling large amounts of money. If you disclose something that may seriously impair your ability to do your job safely, or endanger your colleagues or the public, we may be obliged to pass this on. You will be made aware of this in your first session. Please note that in ALL cases you will be consulted regarding the way in which each situation will be taken forward
You will work one to one with a qualified and experienced counsellor. A counsellor will have undergone several years of training and have many hours experience of working with clients. They have an enhanced ability to listen, will work in a non-judgemental way and have a range of ways available to them to help you find a way forward through your difficulties
Essentially it is what is often referred to as a ‘talking therapy’. Though most will work principally in this way, many counsellors will actively employ other ways of encouraging you to express yourself e.g. drawing or writing
Each session will last one hour
You will have up to 6 sessions paid for by your employer. You are able to discuss and agree with your counsellor how best to use those 6 sessions. For many that will be enough. However, you may find that it takes you 6 sessions to get to the point of being able to address the real issues. Unlike other workplace counselling providers, you will be able to continue working with your counsellor under a private contract (where you would then be paying for your own counselling)
