April 7th is World Health Day, and we’re taking the opportunity to talk about the importance of taking action to maintain your overall health. Being healthy isn’t just about working out and eating well; experts have defined 8 components to health and wellness, including physical, mental, occupational, social, spiritual, intellectual, and financial health.

When it comes to your health and well-being, there is one resource that you may not be taking full advantage of – and that’s your workplace employee support or well-being program. Most companies offer an EAP, or employee assistance program, for their employees, but reports show that only around 10% of covered employees actually use their benefits.

Using your EAP can have so many benefits for your overall health and well-being – and best of all, it’s a free and confidential resource at your disposal.

Here are the benefits that using your EAP can have on your overall health, and how you can leverage this resource to improve your well-being.

Employee support programs offer counseling services for mental health

One of the most helpful services that the MINES & Associates EAP offers is free and confidential counseling, available to you 24/7. Mental health counseling isn’t just something that’s used to treat mental illnesses – this is an important component, but counseling can also prevent mental illnesses and maintain your overall mental health.

Just like you would see a fitness trainer or your primary care physician for regular check-ups and maintenance, you can see a counselor to address concerns in your life – even if you don’t live with a serious mental illness. Think of counseling as a tool to take care of your overall mental health rather than something that’s used only in crisis.

All EAPs offer some form of mental health counseling for clients. If you are a MINES & Associates client, you can call us at 1-800-873-7138 or complete a digital intake form at any time to start your counseling journey. We offer options to see a therapist face-to-face or virtually, and can support you with common mental health concerns like depression, substance abuse, and family issues. Unlike other therapy options, you can be connected with a counselor through MINES within just 5 business days.

All mental health counseling services are strictly confidential, which means that your manager (nor anyone else in your company) will know that you talked to us or find out about the issues you and your counselor discuss in sessions.

Employee assistance programs can help with stress management

One of the most common challenges that we face in terms of overall health is stress. Chronic stress is very harmful for overall health and well-being, and can raise your risk for health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. It’s essential for all of us to learn how to manage stress in healthy ways.

You can leverage your EAP to lower your stress levels and take things off your plate. The MINES & Associates EAP helps you manage stress in several ways:

  • Licensed counselors are available 24/7 to talk with you about stress and how it’s impacting your mental health.
  • A complete online resource library, including the eM Life Mindfulness app, can teach you new strategies to cope with stress.
  • If you need to talk with someone who understands what you’re going through, the Supportiv peer support community will match you with small groups of people who can relate. This 24/7/365 program offers an anonymous space for supportive conversations.
  • We understand that navigating things like childcare and eldercare can be overwhelming and stressful. We offer work/life referral services to connect you with providers for childcare, pet care, home repair, fitness, and more.

Employee well-being benefits support parental mental health

As joyous as it can be, new parenthood is also one of the most stressful life experiences that human beings can go through. Your life has completely changed, you are likely sleeping less, and, if you were the childbearing parent, you may be going through severe hormonal fluctuations. Breastfeeding adds another layer of stress.

It’s no wonder that postpartum depression and other perinatal mental health issues are so common, affecting up to 20% of women.

Your employee resource program may offer benefits to support the health and well-being of new parents. For example, at MINES, we offer 4 free telephonic parent coaching sessions per year to help address various aspects of parenting, including a specialized lactation support program for breastfeeding mothers. Each person’s parenting journey is unique, and we’re here to help you enjoy the beautiful parts without becoming overwhelmed by the challenges.

Employee assistance programs support occupational and financial health

Two often ignored parts of health and wellness are occupational and financial health. When you’re gainfully employed and have a steady income, it allows you to thrive in all the other areas of your life.

EAPs help you overcome any challenges or barriers you might be facing to help you be the happiest and most productive you can be both in your job and in the rest of your life. Your employee support program may also offer additional services to help you with your financial health – for example, at MINES, we offer tax consultation and preparation services, financial counseling, and a 25% discount on services with in-network financial providers.

When your financial life is healthy, you are healthy.

Employee wellness programs provide health coaching and education

Therapy isn’t the only thing that can help support mental and physical health. Some EAPs also offer wellness coaching services. Coaching is different from therapy in that it focuses on helping you resolve current issues and create behavior change rather than delving into root causes.

Health and wellness coaching can help with issues like:

  • Smoking cessation
  • Weight loss and management
  • Caffeine reduction
  • Nutrition
  • Healthy habits
  • Improved sleep
  • Relationship improvement

As a MINES client, you have access to 4 free wellness coaching sessions every year. This outstanding wellness program holds URAC accreditation and is facilitated by a team of board-certified professional wellness coaches.

You have so many resources at your disposal to take charge and improve your health and well-being. Give us a call at 1-800-873-7138 to learn more about your company’s specific benefits. Happy World Health Day!

To Your Wellbeing,
The MINES Team