It’s not the load that breaks you down; it’s the way you carry it. --Lena Horne
As Postal employees, most of us do some amount of heavy lifting as a part of our jobs. And sometimes, that weight upon us is not just physical and is also not contained within our work environments.
We asked the Alabama District’s EAP Consultant Dr. Patricia Hamilton if she knew any employees who had used EAP who might be willing to share their experience with us. This is what she sent:
I have been visiting different facilities to assist in developing awareness of EAP. Yesterday, I interviewed an employee, and the following is her account of the services that she received. This individual did not want to be identified, so I am only identifying her as Jane Smith.
Ms. Jane Smith stated that she has been working for USPS for twenty-five years. During that time, she had heard about the Employee Assistance Program but hadn’t used it until the death of her youngest daughter several years ago.
Jane’s daughter had been killed in a car accident. Because of that terrible event, she was in much pain and felt alone, disconnected, and alienated. She couldn't receive comfort, even though all of her family and friends were there.
Jane couldn’t seem to shake these feelings. One day, a co-worker saw her crying and suggested EAP; this co-worker even made the call for her. With reluctance and much effort, Jane kept the appointment, which she feels was the best thing that she could have done.
She stated that the counselor helped her to understand the cycle of grief, which also helped her to understand that she was not crazy and that her feelings were a natural response to tragedy.
After five visits, Jane said that she began to feel like a new person and that she was able to function daily. In addition, she said that she is now able to have understanding and empathy for others who have had the same experience.
We want to encourage all employees who could use the vast amount of services that the EAP has to offer to give them a call or to look them up online at www.eap4you.com.
EAP Information Sessions will be conducted at the following facilities:
Montgomery GMF
April 18, 20122pm - 4pmBirmingham Main Office, Room 277April 19, 20121pm - 3pmHuntsville P&DFApril 20, 20121pm - 3pmMobile--COMING SOON
