If you’re seeking therapy, one of the largest hurdles is the cost. We’ve already covered as many free mental health services in the Detroit area as we can, but sometimes those won’t fit your needs.

Another option that may be available to you is an EAP. EAPs are programs provided by employers to employees, and can be a great alternative to private therapy or free support groups. That said, there are some limitations to EAPs, so it’s important to know what they’re best for and when you might want to explore other possibilities.

DISCLAIMER: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered medical or psychological advice. The information presented here is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any mental health condition or replace professional therapeutic care. Every individual's experience with trauma and mental health is unique. Please consult with a qualified mental health professional, therapist, or healthcare provider to determine the most appropriate treatment approach for your specific situation. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please contact your local emergency services or crisis hotline immediately.

What is an EAP?

First off, let’s define what an EAP is. EAP stands for Employee Assistance Program. These programs are generally part of your pay and benefits package, just like company-sponsored health insurance.

You may have heard that EAPs are best for mental health services, and that’s somewhat true. However, they can be used for a handful of other benefits as well.

• Basic mental health services
• Grief counseling and similar short-term needs
• Alcohol and substance abuse problems
• Stress, anxiety, and burnout
• Psychological disorders and issues
• Consulting for workplace issues, including trauma

Additionally, even if the EAP cannot provide specific services to help with certain issues (like legal and financial issues), the trained consultant working as part of your EAP can refer you to the appropriate service providers.

EAPs are not a new invention. In fact, they were first created in the 1930s as a way to address alcoholism in employees. Employers found that when employees were able to access support and care and could address their issues, they became happier, more engaged, and more effective as employees.

In the century since, EAPs have expanded to cover a wide range of counseling, therapy, and support.

What Are the Benefits of Using an EAP?

EAPs are very useful when they’re available and used properly. The benefits can be immense. Let’s run through the biggest benefits you might see when using an EAP.

EAPs are free for you to use.

That’s right; EAPs are completely free for you. They’re part of your benefits package, just like other support and services your employers provide.

And when we say completely free, we mean it; you don’t have a co-pay, a deductible to meet, or anything else. You never see a bill at all, and they never ask about your insurance. All they’ll ask is what employer you work for, so they can send the bill to the right place.

EAPs are entirely confidential.

A lot of people are skeptical about the validity of an EAP in terms of privacy. They worry that claiming an EAP means admitting to some kind of fault, which an employer could then use against them. Worse, they worry that the information discussed could be shared with the employer and cause problems down the line.

Fortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. EAPs are entirely confidential. Most of the time, you don’t even have to talk to HR or your boss about it; the EAP will be managed by a third party, usually your general benefits provider, like Henry Ford or an insurance provider like Cigna.

Most of the time, your employer won’t know you specifically claimed an EAP. They might know that someone on their staff did, or they might only get aggregate data about usage at the end of the fiscal quarter or year.

This confidentiality is extremely important. If an employer were to violate it, it would be a lawsuit-worthy breach, and if the EAP provider were to violate it, they could lose their ability to provide services at all.

EAPs are a gateway to long-term treatment.

As we’ll discuss in a moment, EAPs are primarily short-term programs oriented towards either short-term issues or taking the first step towards long-term support. That means, if they can’t solve your problem in a few sessions, they can point you in the right direction.

Often, people find that they’re struggling and having issues, but don’t know what, specifically, is the problem, let alone how to solve it. Taking an EAP can guide you towards recognition of what’s going on and ways to address the issue, whether that means a substance abuse support group, a CBT or DBT provider, or another service entirely.

EAPs can save your job.

Using an EAP is confidential, so you can’t be fired for taking it. But the problems you’re having at work can lead to termination of employment. For example, if you’re frequently missing work or coming in late, under-performing and unable to meet workplace goals, or making mistakes you normally wouldn’t, it can all be reflected in your performance reviews and lead to repercussions.

EAPs are a way to pull out of this spiral and recover. Good employers, in fact, will often recognize where an EAP could be a good step, rather than write-ups, reprimands, or warnings. In a very real sense, an EAP can save your job.

Sometimes, an EAP can lead you to recognition that your career isn’t for you, and it’s time for a change. That’s fine too. EAPs may be provided by employers, but they aren’t operating on behalf of your employers the way HR might. They want what is best for you, and if that means you think long and hard about whether or not you want to stay employed where you are, so be it.

With such a powerful list of benefits, is there any drawback to taking an EAP?

What Are the Drawbacks of EAPs?

Unfortunately, there are a few downsides to EAPs. They aren’t significant compared to the benefits, but they’re still worth knowing.

EAPs have a hard limit on sessions.

The biggest drawback to an EAP is that it’s short-term and temporary. EAPs generally only give you a fixed number of sessions before you’re required to transition to a more permanent means of assistance, such as private therapy.

How limited is the limit? It varies by employer and provider, but it can be anywhere from three sessions on the low end, up to 10 sessions on the high end.

This isn’t all bad. For people who just need help pointing them in the right direction, or people who need short-term grief counseling or trauma response, or people who want a basic consultation about workplace issues, it might only take one or two sessions to get what they need out of the service.

At the same time, if you’re seeking longer-term care, an EAP can get you in with a provider where you might otherwise have a lengthy wait list. You may be able to transition right from EAP to private service with the same provider, as long as they accept your insurance or you’re able to pay out of pocket for the services provided to you.

Some EAP providers are better than others.

There’s a common misconception that services provided by an employer are going to be lower in quality than those you seek yourself, often spurred by the impression of penny-pinching and cost-cutting from the employer. While that might impact some elements of an EAP, such as which overall provider is offering it and how limited the number of available sessions there are, it doesn’t impact the quality of the actual services provided.

The bad news is that therapists, counselors, and other service providers will vary both in how they approach problems and how they focus their assistance. Some might not be as aligned with you as others. That doesn’t make them bad, per se, but it does mean they might not be the right fit for you.

At the same time, the limited number of sessions means you can use even a provider who doesn’t quite mesh with you as a gateway to a better fit once you have your foot in the door.

As far as provider networks are concerned, the EAP provider your employer chooses will impact which local facilities and therapists are in network for the EAP. That may or may not impact your choices after the EAP sessions are complete, depending on whether your insurance comes from a different source.

Certain information isn’t entirely confidential.

Above, we mentioned that EAP usage is confidential, and that’s 100% true. But that doesn’t mean everything you say in a therapy session is 100% confidential. Certain kinds of statements and admissions are what are known as reportable information.

This is a very limited category of information and generally relates to things like child abuse, elder abuse, immediate risk of harm or violence, and similar situations. All therapists, whether they’re part of an EAP or not, are considered mandatory reporters.

This kind of information would be reported to relevant authorities like child protective services or law enforcement, but not to your employer. That confidentiality is still solid.

The other way in which confidentiality could be hindered is in very small companies. If your employer gets usage statistics about their EAP, just knowing that someone is using the program might be enough for them to guess who it is. Still, acting on that information is prohibited, so you’ll be safe from any repercussions of taking an EAP.

Your sessions can feel rushed.

Because of the limited number of sessions available, your therapist is likely going to be very solutions-oriented in them. If you’re hoping to take time to really discuss and dwell on past issues and dissect the root causes of your current situation, EAP sessions might not be the appropriate venue simply due to the limited time available.

However, if those long-term goals are your intent, an EAP can point you in the right direction of a long-term therapist who can do it for you. They can also help you decide on what kind of therapy to seek, whether you’re looking for something like CBT or DBT, or if you would benefit from EMDR, or if a peer support group would be more appropriate for your needs.

While there are no topics that are off-limits in EAP counseling sessions, your therapist or counselor might steer you away from issues they can’t address in a short handful of sessions and may recommend bringing those to longer-term therapy.

How to Claim an EAP

If you’re interested in taking an EAP, the first question to answer is whether or not your employer offers it in the first place. While you can ask your boss or HR, that reveals that you’re seeking it, which you may not want to do. Fortunately, if it’s available, it should be documented in your employee handbook and benefits package.

EAPs come in two forms: internal and external. Internal EAPs work primarily within the company and will be familiar with the workplace, which can give them leverage for requesting accommodations for you. However, as they’re part of the company, they can feel less confidential, and you have fewer options in providers.

External EAPs are part of health networks and are comprised of therapists who have enrolled to be part of the EAP network. They are essentially the same as private therapists, because they are private therapists, providing EAP services to your employer.

Once you know if your company has an EAP, you’ll need to go to the provider’s page or call them to set up an assessment. For example, Henry Ford Health has a simple contact form here for employees who use the HFH ENHANCE EAP.

From there, you’ll just need to set up an appointment, and you’re good to go.

When is Private Therapy the Better Choice?

EAPs are a very powerful tool for short-term therapy and counseling needs, but they’re just that: short-term. If you need longer-term support, ongoing therapy, or more intensive sessions of therapies like EMDR, you’ll generally need to transition to private therapy for those services.

If you’ve run out of EAP sessions or simply want to explore private therapy, we’re happy to help. At BMC-Troy, our providers offer a range of clinical services, including medication management and counseling—all under one roof. Our therapy options include EMDR, CBT, DBT, family and marriage counseling, and more. The help you need is just around the corner; you can call us at (248) 528-9000, fill out our new patient intake form directly on the website, or visit our office weekdays between 9 am and 5 pm.