Higher Ed EAP: Love in The Real World

Valentine’s Day paints an idealized version of love, but in the real world, love isn’t all hearts and flowers. Even healthy, loving relationships run into stormy waters that need to be navigated. Relationship problems are among the main reasons people turn to an EAP for help. Here are common problems Higher Ed EAP hears:

• Loss of trust – Large problems like infidelity or addiction take a huge toll on trust, but smaller, everyday problems can erode trust over time, too.
• Differences in priorities – Early in a relationship, goals may be aligned but over time, uncomfortable differences can surface about career, family, or values.
• Distractions – Being absorbed in work demands, social media, friends, and hobbies can leave one party feeling neglected or unloved.
• Money – Spending, savings and debt can often lead to arguments and stress.
• Family matters – Child rearing, caring for aging parents, and extended family can be sources of conflict.
• Crisis and trauma – Coping with death, loss, chronic illness, or surviving a natural disaster can all put extreme stress on a relationship.

Good news: With effort, most relationship problems can be resolved. Higher Ed EAP provides couples and family counseling to address ongoing problems and help improve communication. They also offer help for debt, financial planning, family issues, and other problems that can lead to conflict. Plus, you can tap into a wealth of self-help resources for interpersonal relationships under Work/Life Benefits.

There are several ways to access Higher Ed EAP:

• For immediate assistance, dial 1-800-252-4555 to speak directly with a professional counselor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
• Register and log onto www.HigherEdEAP.com
• Download, register, and log onto the ESI Employee Assistance mobile app available in the App Store or the Google Play Store.