Do EAPs Cover Marriage or Couples Counselling?

Navigating relationship challenges while balancing work can be tough, and many employees don’t realise their EAP might help. Without knowing, you miss out on valuable support, leading to ongoing stress and unresolved issues.

Understanding the scope of EAP services, including couples counselling, can provide a much-needed resource for you and your partner. By leveraging this often underutilised benefit, you can access confidential, professional counselling to address relationship challenges and lay the groundwork for long-term solutions.

Couples Counselling & EAPs

Counselling is a cornerstone of EAP services, typically encompassing individual, short-term, solution-focused counselling aimed at addressing immediate concerns. Most EAPs cover a limited number of free sessions per year, after which they may refer employees to external counsellors for continued support.

EAPs also offer a broad range of other services designed to support employees in managing personal and work-related challenges that may impact their relationship. For couples, this may include support for communication issues, conflict resolution, stress management, and navigating life transitions.

How EAPs Support Employees and Their Families

EAPs are designed to support not just employees but also their immediate family members. This holistic approach recognises that personal issues can impact work performance and vice versa. By offering services like couples counselling, EAPs help employees address relationship challenges that might affect their focus and productivity at work.

Accessing EAP services is confidential, ensuring that employees and their families can seek help without concerns about privacy. Additionally, EAPs often provide educational resources and workshops to promote mental health and well-being, further supporting employees and their families in achieving positive wellbeing.

Foremind has pricing plans for companies of every size

Get a quote

How EAP Couples Counselling Works

Process for Accessing Couples counselling through an EAP

To access couples counselling through an EAP, employees typically start by contacting their EAP provider directly via phone or online. This process is straightforward, ensuring employees can quickly get the help they need without jumping through numerous hoops.

Confidentiality and Voluntary Participation

EAP services are both confidential and voluntary. The details of the counselling sessions are kept private, and neither the employer nor the HR department will have access to the specifics of the discussions. Employees must choose to engage with the EAP services on their own, as help-seeking is a personal choice.

Number of Sessions Typically Covered

EAPs generally offer a limited number of free counselling sessions per issue per year. This typically ranges from three to six sessions, though it can vary depending on the specific EAP plan. These sessions aim to provide short-term support and immediate relief, with the possibility of referring the couple to long-term counselling if needed.

Issues Addressed by EAP Couples counselling

EAP couples counselling can address a variety of issues, including but not limited to:

• Communication Issues: Helping couples improve their ability to listen and speak effectively with each other.
• Conflict Management: Providing strategies to handle disagreements constructively.
• Work-Life Balance: Assisting couples in managing the demands of work and home life, reducing stress and improving overall relationship satisfaction.
• Relationship Concerns: Addressing specific problems such as trust issues, intimacy concerns, and navigating significant life changes.
• Substance Misuse and Addiction: Offering support and strategies to manage and overcome substance-related issues affecting the relationship.

These services are designed to offer practical, solution-focused support to help couples navigate and resolve their challenges efficiently.

Transitioning from EAP to Traditional Couples Therapy

EAP as a Starting Point for Couples Counselling

EAPs serve as an accessible and initial resource for couples facing relationship challenges. They provide a convenient entry point where couples can receive immediate support and guidance to address pressing issues affecting their relationship dynamics.

Process for Getting Referrals from EAP to Traditional Therapy

When couples require more specialized or long-term therapy beyond what EAPs offer, they can transition to traditional couples therapy through two main routes:

EAP Clinician Referral

After assessing the couple’s needs and progress during EAP counselling sessions, the EAP clinician may recommend transitioning to a specialized therapist outside the EAP network. This referral ensures that couples continue receiving focused, in-depth support tailored to their specific relationship concerns.

Self-Referral

Alternatively, couples may opt for a self-referral process if they wish to continue working with their EAP clinician in a more traditional therapy setting. This decision is often based on the rapport and trust established with the EAP clinician, who then facilitates the transition to ongoing therapy sessions.

This transition allows couples to delve deeper into underlying issues, such as trust issues, trauma, or long-standing relationship patterns, which may require more extensive exploration and therapeutic intervention beyond the scope of EAP services.

Variability Among Different EAP Providers and Plans

The availability and scope of couples counselling services can vary significantly among different EAP providers and plans. Some EAPs may offer comprehensive couples counselling with multiple sessions, while others may only provide a limited number of sessions or exclude couples counselling altogether.

The variability is often due to the agreement between the organisation and the EAP provider, so check with your HR team for more information.

Understanding the specifics of what is included can help employees make the most of their benefits and ensure they receive the appropriate support for their relationship needs. Additionally, knowing the limits of EAP coverage can help employees plan for any out-of-pocket expenses or referrals to external therapists if longer-term or more specialised counselling is needed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Louise is the Clinical Director at Foremind, with over a decade of experience in the mental health sector, contributing to well-known Australian organizations like Beyond Blue, Lifeline, Headspace, and LivingWorks.

       Louise Thompson               Clinical Director      

Want to find out how easy it is to support your team?

Lets Talk