Employee Assistance Program
The University at Buffalo recognizes that personal problems at home or interpersonal issues at work can negatively affect one’s job performance, mental health, and/or physical health. The goal of Employee Assistance is to help staff and faculty deal with these problems and issues in the most positive way possible. The entire university, including YOU, benefits from employees whp are feeling good and working productively.
Functional Services
EA professionals can help with any concerns. Your concerns may include:
Stress Management
Everyone experiences periods of stress. That is normal. Feeling constantly stressed and being consumed by it though can have negative consequences for your health, your life, your happiness. EAP can work with you to manage your stress and function better at work and at home
Life Changing Events
Whether experiencing something desirable (e.g., birth of a child) or undesirable (e.g. relationship ends), we can be stressed, and benefit from talking to someone who can help us confront the stressor, and to cope effectively with it. Contact EAP
Close Personal Relationships
Personal relationships are important to our lives. Sometimes, our closest relationships go through periods of turbulence and unhappiness. This may affect our mood, and our work. Contact EAP for ideas on how to improve your relationship(s).
Alcohol or Drug Abuse
If you or a loved one are having bad things happen because of alcohol or drug use, it’s time to contact EAP. We can offer ideas on how to deal with these concerns, and provide referrals to a program right for you.
Conflict
Sometimes, you and another university employee will disagree about personal or work-related issues. Disagreements are normal, but if your disagreement intensifies and makes work difficult, contact EAP for ideas to improve your working relationship.
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE offers a free and confidential mediation service to university personnel dealing with interpersonal problems or workplace disputes in an informal, neutral setting. For more information, contact Neil McGillicuddy (nm23@buffalo.edu), or click the “Resolve Conflict” link.
Elder Care
Providing care to an older family member can be both rewarding and stressful. If you find that caregiving is consuming increasing amounts of your time and energy, you may be heading toward caregiver burnout. Consult with EAP for ideas on how to avoid burnout and resultant consequences.
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE runs a monthly self-help group for caregivers; for more information, contact Sue Bagdasarian (sb14@buffalo.edu)
Parenting
Whether you are parenting a 10 week old, a 10 month old, a 10 year old, or 10 children, you may find your child, your child’s environment, or your role as a parent to be challenging. Contact EAP for ideas on how to overcome these challenges
Mental Health
Bothered by feelings of sadness, anger, anxiety, irritability, or helplessness? Overwhelmed, preoccupied, having difficulty focusing? Isolating yourself, withdrawing from activities, crying often? Talking to EAP can help.
Physical Health
Whether your health difficulty is acute or chronic, it may be having an immense impact on your overall functioning. Contacting EAP for ideas on how to overcome this stressor can be an important step in reclaiming your life.
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE runs a monthly self-help group for those with chronic illness; for more information, contact Sue Bagdasarian (sb14@buffalo.edu)
Workplace Issues
Work should not always be fun, but if there are factors that seem out of your control leading to unhappiness, schedule a meeting with your workplace behavioral specialist at EAP to discuss the concern, and perhaps problem solve ideas to remedy the situation.
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE runs a monthly self-help group for those encountering workplace stress. For more information, contact Neil McGillicuddy (nm23@buffalo.edu)
Grief and Loss
You may be grieving after the loss of a loved one. Most people go through a series of stages while grieving, and the process will take a while. If, however, it seems that the grief is intense, not getting better, and not allowing for attention to other parts of life, contacting EAP may help you get back on track.
Career Transitions
Moving into a new phase of life can be exciting! However, we also know that it can be stressful, and that it may even feel overwhelming. Whether adjusting to a new town, new job, new supervisor, and/or new duties, stress is natural. Contact EAP to learn effective coping strategies when the stress gets to be too much, or maybe even proactively, before it becomes a problem
Other Services
Crisis Intervention For Traumatic Workplace Concerns
If you or someone you know has been affected by the stress of a traumatic workplace event, you may request Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM), a comprehensive multi-component approach to crisis intervention.
CISM helps:
- Identify and mitigate traumatic stress symptoms that could occur after involvement or exposure to a critical incident, such as:
- Death or serious injury to UB community member
- Active shooter or other large scale acts of violence
- Physical or sexual assaults
- Environmental disaster
- Reduce the duration and severity of traumatic stress arising from crisis situations
- Prevent disabling psychological effects and regain adaptive work-life functioning
- Identify and mitigate traumatic stress symptoms that could occur after involvement or exposure to a critical incident, such as:
Mediation
Get help managing interpersonal problems or workplace disputes involving one or more people in a neutral, professional setting. Get a peaceful and satisfactory resolution to your problem.
Using mediation services may be able to help you if you are experiencing:
- Interpersonal issues
- Perceived bullying
- Personality conflict
- Supervisor-supervisee conflict
- Co-worker conflict
- Differing work style
Download
Return to Work
When you need to be out of the workplace for a significant amount of time due to medical, substance abuse, mental health or other personal issues, get confidential assistance from your Employee Assistance (EA) consultant.
- Before leaving the workplace:
Your EA consultant can help you navigate the various areas on campus that will help facilitate your leave, such as: Health Benefits, Employee Relations and/or Accessibility Resources.
- Before returning to the workplace:
Your EA consultant can help with your transition back into the workplace by coordinating a “Return to Work” meeting on your behalf. “Return to Work” meetings provide a safe, confidential and comfortable environment for you and others to talk about your return to the workplace.
Participants in the “Return to Work” meeting are chosen by you and may include your supervisor, Benefits, Employee Relations, Accessibility Resources, your treatment provider (if applicable) and the EA consultant. This meeting gives everyone the opportunity to discuss any circumstances that need to be addressed to ensure a smooth transition back into the workplace, such as job expectations, agreements about any necessary accommodations and ways to continue positive communication among all involved.
Support Groups
Get support from your peers to improve your well-being. Designed to provide emotional, educational and social support through regularly scheduled meetings, support groups help participants develop methods and skills to solve problems. Building social support will help your ability to maintain or improve your overall personal, physical and emotional health while dealing with real life issues.
Current Support Groups
Caregiver Support Group
Caregivers of aging parents and loved ones meet for support, resources and ways to manage the everyday demands of caregiving. For more information, contact:
Chronic Illness Support Group
This group is for anyone who has been diagnosed with, in treatment for, or living with a chronic illness. When you live with a chronic disease, some days are just harder to get through than others. At times, feelings of isolation and the uncertainty of your circumstances weigh heavily. Members exchange coping strategies and help each other through encouraging words and success stories. If you ever thought, “No one understands what I am going through,” think again. Being part of a support group can be a helpful step in taking control of your disease.
COVID Support Group
The COVID support group is open to those who themselves have had COVID, or have experienced COVID through a loved one, and wish to discuss thoughts, fears, challenges, hopes and anything else related. Meetings will occur the third Thursday of each month from 12-1pm. If interested, or for more information, contact:
Grief Support Group
The Grief support group is open to those faculty and staff who have experienced the loss of someone significant to them. Group members will discuss how the loss has impacted them, offer insights on the grief process, share experiences and alleviate feelings of isolation as members support one another. For further information or to sign up, please contact:
Parenting Support Group
In this group, parents will meet and discuss the parenting issues of concern. Members will exchange ideas and coping strategies, success stories and insights, along with support, encouraging words and practical advice. Parents of children of all ages welcome. This group will meet virtually the first and third Tuesday of each month from 12-1 p.m., starting September 15, 2020. If interested, or for more information, contact:
Workplace Stress Support Group
Everyone has stress at work. If it seems overwhelming, meet with others for support and ideas to cope. For more information, contact:
Workplace Consultation
EA professionals help UB supervisors manage tough employee issues that impact work & family life. EAP consultations are free, voluntary and confidential. EA professionals encourages early and proactive contact with the employee before the issue gets out of hand.