Corporate Counselling
Counselling for your employees
For many companies the age of having an in-house Welfare Officer are long gone - yet the need still remains.
A huge amount of time can be lost in sickness away from work when an employee is experiencing or has experienced higher than normal periods of stress or trauma.
Doctors talk about non specific symptoms, these are often the physical manifestation of an inward emotional turmoil. If something is not done at this stage Depression all too commonly follows.
It is important that your employee knows from the outset that their counselling sessions are confidential and that personal information cannot leak back to the employer.
A few Counselling sessions at these fraught times can often reduce the amount of time an employee is away from work from months to weeks.
Very often they have got into the position of 'not being able to see the wood for the trees' or appear to be 'making a mountain out of a molehill.' At the more exacting end of the spectrum they may have emotional outbursts which make them feel even worse and the fallout can affect all around them whether they be they customers or colleagues.
No matter how professional we try to be, sometimes the level of stress caused by our situation at home can overflow into our work time. At a minimum this reduces the efficiency of your employee. Their concentration may be affected as too their relationships within the team.
It is recognised that to allow for our minds to make the necessary adjustments and for the initial state of shock to start to dissipate naturally, that for best results a de-brief should be conducted between 48 hours to 72 hours after the event.
A de-brief is not counselling, though this may be considered subsequently in some cases. A de-brief is usually conducted in a group, though depending on the circumstances can be done individually, but is never as effective as when done with all the affected parties who wish to attend being allowed to be at the meeting. Managers or Union representatives do not attend unless they were involved directly.
A de-brief allows the participants to share or withold as they choose but to be part of a group of people who have all been through the same trauma. This helps them to let go of guilt that may not be theirs and to realise that they are not alone.
The process is strongly structured but covers the thoughts, sensations and feelings associated with the event. Then moves on to their future. In reliving the event in a group in a safe environment it helps all present to defuse any remaining intense feelings.
The outcome generally allows the symptoms such as 'flash backs' and hyper-vigilance associated with the trauma to disappear naturally within a few days to a month for most people. For the few who feel after the de-brief that they would benefit from counselling it can be provided subsequently.
Unless a large room fit for the purpose and free of interruptions cannot be provided, a de-brief is usually conducted on the employer's premises. Otherwise the employer may wish to hire a suitable room elsewhere.
A group de-brief can last from 3 to 5 hours depending on the number of participants and the severity of the event. One de-briefer can accommodate a group of up to about 8 people. More would require the presence of an additional de-briefer.
Following a traumatic incident, for example a road traffic collision, sudden death, assault, other injury or trauma we are left in a state of shock and confusion. Many people are able to throw this off and simply get on with life; yet for others, left untreated may exhibit symptoms such as personal distress, mild paranoia or hypervigilence, inability to revisit the scene, generalised anxiety, crying, poor sleep, also drinking habits may be affected.
This is often worked into both Stress & Time Management. Quite a number of people swing from being very laid back or accommodating to angry and aggressive. Anger can be likened to a tool - if the only tool you have in the box is a hammer - you will put it to many uses.
Generally Anger Management can be conducted within 6 to 8 face to face sessions with excellent results.