The impact of an employee's personal problems on a small business can be profound. A drop in job performance or productivity by one employee as a result of marital or family difficulties, alcohol or drug problems, or conflicts with a colleague or supervisor can be felt throughout the entire comapny. The pressure these types of problems creates for others in the company that have to pick up the slack and the effect on staff morale can be devestating to the whole organization.

On the positive side, small business owners are in a position that allow them to address these issues effectively. He/she has a personal relationship with his/her employees and understands what their needs are. While the small business owner must maintain conern about his/her workers' productivity, he also has a real investment in the personal welfare of the men and women who work for him.

I provide employee assistance programs for the small business. I work closely with the company to develop a program that is tailor made to meet the demands and unique characteristics of the business. The programs are an extra benefit for the employee and a valuable resource for the employer.

Specialized Programs

Employee assistance programs are like snowflakes-no two are exactly alike. They can range from comprehensive counseling programs to a simple telephone referral service. While some EAPs concentrate on the quality of counseling and the responsiveness to crises, others may be less clinically oriented and more interested in offering a boutique of services.

I pride myself on my skill as a counselor/psychotherapist. During my thirty years of experience I have gained expertise in several areas including marital and family issues, alcohol and drug abuse, and trauma. I believe strongly that an EAP needs to concentrate on these types of issues in order to be responsive to the needs of small business.

Furthermore, I provide the counseling myself. This is in sharp contrast to EAP companies where the counseling is delegated the least experienced members of the organization. Similarly, the programs that I design are full service counseling programs, not referral services. This is a true benefit for the employee and it saves the employee who needs help the emotional distress of having to meet with several different therapists.