EAP Counselling Framework

What is EAP Counselling ?

EAP is counselling that is time limited and typically solution focused (depending on the presentation). The objective is to support and to provide brief intervention to employees with a range of psychological issues, particularly mental health and wellbeing, and provide strategies to minimize distress and maintain their ability to participate in healthy work environments⁠⁠ . Both personal and work life issues can be addressed. Some EAP arrangements allow direct family members/partners of employees to additionally receive employer-funded support.

Session Numbers

We recommend a minimum of 6 sessions to our client organisations but some fund only 3 sessions (per year), or 3 sessions per issue. In some exceptional cases additional sessions or session extensions can be requested - see this link.

This is how we summarise the approach to take with each session allocation option, and we encourage providers to adjust what they do to fit with the number of sessions available. On intake, we will advise you of the number of sessions that the employer will fund, so that you can plan your brief EAP intervention around that number of sessions.

Three Sessions

Suitable for non-clinical presentations or mild mental health issues. The therapist works with the client to identify and address “everyday”, or non-severe, problems that are impacting the client negatively. The therapist also supports self-help through recommending appropriate resources. If the presentation is severe or specialist intervention is required, sessions are used to refer client to appropriate service.

Six Sessions

Suitable for mild to moderate mental health issues. As with GP referrals funded through primary health care packages, a six-session arrangement typically begins with an initial assessment session, followed by four therapy sessions, and a final session focused on relapse prevention.

Nine Sessions

Gives more time to work on mild-to-moderate mental health issues or a therapy goal. Also gives the option of possibly working on more than one goal or issue.

Twelve Sessions

Ideal for mild to moderate mental health issues. Twelve sessions are the minimum number for the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) model of treatment to be undertaken*. This is an effective structured form of therapy used to treat a range of mental health conditions when people are stable and lucid.

*This refers to structured CBT as a discrete (evidence-based) program of treatment for specified condition or issue. It is recognized that CBT-informed therapy can be used in all counseling sessions regardless of session numbers, with use of CBT-type strategies and exercises.

General Considerations

Therapists are expected to orientate a client to what type of counselling will occur based on how many sessions their employer allocates so it’s not a shock to the client when therapy ends. Therapists are required to plan to refer a client to alternative services if ongoing treatment is required. EAP counselling is not suited to severe mental health concerns but can sometimes support a person in crisis while they are waitlisted for more intensive services.