Women’s Invisible Load

The invisible load is a book written by Dr Libby Weaver, which breaks down where much of our stress and overwhelm comes from. This book inspired one of our Associate Clinicians, Julie Chalmers, and is a topic she brought to light during our International Women’s Day Events. We wanted to share more on this insightful topic which affects most women. Whether they realise it or not.

“Our invisible load is the stress we carry, that no one sees, that drives how we think and feel. From the physical load on our body to the emotional load in our mind, this invisible load is what really sits at the heart of our stress. And until we learn to unpack this, reducing our experience of stress will be almost impossible.” Dr Libby Weaver, The invisible load.  

What’s your invisible load?

Invisible loads can look different for each of us. It’s about carrying the mental burden of ‘responsibility’ even when we’re sharing the load or not physically doing the task that responsibility relates to. Perhaps you are the walking family calendar; you know when it’s time to take the dogs to the vet, when the children are due their vaccinations or what vitamins they need to take after dinner each night. Someone’s birthday? You remember to buy a present and send a card. Or perhaps you are the responsible one who manages the family budget and takes care of all the bills. Maybe you’re the planner, planning every detail to the last dot. An upcoming family holiday? You scroll through the latest deals, assess the safest countries, and decide on what is the most affordable spot.

Dorienne Spennato, AccessEAP Director, Clinical Services Delivery and Sally Laugesen, Associate Director, Organisational Development and Workforce Strategy Workforce discuss the pilot program implemented at the Sydney Children's Hospital.

Sydney Children's Hospital Pilot Program

As we continue to navigate through the challenges of COVID, we know that healthcare workers are on the frontline and still under immense pressure. Recognising the strain facing the healthcare industry, we partnered with Sydney Children's Hospital in 2020, implementing a pilot program to bring EAP to their people. With healthcare workers experiencing fatigue, high workloads and long hours, the aim of the program was to provide accessible support at a crucial time. Our approach was collaborative, investigative and collective, to ensure we were providing the right support.

A permanent onsite clinician was offered to all staff at group and individual levels. Supervision and wellbeing checks were also implemented to support differing roles. The result of the program was increased awareness, trust and utilisation. Staff are using both the EAP and onsite service, more than doubling the uptake of counselling services and leading to better outcomes for their people.

How can we support you?

AccessEAP is your Employee Assistance Program (EAP), your proactive mental health and wellbeing service here to support you. Confidential and free for staff, we offer access to counselling, coaching and training. Utilising EAP has become even more important in recent times, with people facing long wait times for counselling appointments through their GP and with the reduction of the Medicare-funded psychology sessions occurring at the end of this year.

During the pandemic, the government increased the number of Medicare-funded psychology sessions each year from 10 to 20, recognising the impact the pandemic was having on the mental health of Australians. In the 2021-22 financial year alone, 1,023,241 additional sessions were provided by psychologists¹, highlighting the real need for support. This increase will end on the 31st of December 2022, reverting to 10 sessions.

The decision to reduce the number of Medicare sessions was based on a study from the University of Melbourne. The study suggested the current system was not providing equitable access for lower socio-economic groups and those living in regional areas. The government will convene a forum of experts and people with lived experience of mental illness early next year to assess the recommendations of the University of Melbourne report.

The danger of reducing the Medicare-funded sessions before that review is completed is increased anxiety in the community and more barriers for those with mental health concerns to receive adequate support. At AccessEAP, we acknowledge that people may be concerned and recognise that this change may affect you or people within your organisation. With the reduction of sessions, we encourage the use of EAPs to help bridge the gap with long wait times and to add another layer of support.

We are here ready to support you. Contact AccessEAP on 1800 818 728.

Shari Walton, Organisational Development Consultant

A key building block of positive psychology and wellbeing is character strengths. These 24 positive traits were determined in a 3-year research project involving 55 scientists and are manifested behaviourally, cognitively, and emotionally. They form part of the Engagement pillar of Professor Martin Seligman’s wellbeing model, and everybody has experienced at one time or other getting lost in an activity because it is so engaging. This is often referred to as “being in the zone” or in a state of “flow”, a theory introduced by Hungarian-born researcher Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in the 1970s. During this optimal flow experience, individuals feel strong, alert, in effortless control and at the peak of their abilities.

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Research proposes that everyone has 24 character strengths. These are personality qualities like creativity, honesty, humour, and perseverance. What makes everyone unique, is that some strengths come more naturally to them than they do for others.

When you complete the free scientific VIA Character Strengths Survey, your results will reveal which strengths rank highest and lowest for you. Understanding and applying your strengths will help you increase happiness levels, boost confidence, strengthen relationships and improve work performance. For leaders, they can provide greater insights into individual styles, team dynamics and contribute to developing a high-performing, effective team.

AccessEAP wishes you all the best for the Festive Season. We appreciate the opportunity to be your pro-active mental health and wellbeing service and would like to thank you for continuing your partnership with us. Through utilising the service, you have helped make the lives of vulnerable children and families a little easier. As a profit-for-purpose organisation our surplus profits go to programs that support vulnerable women and children. For more information about the H.O.P.E. Program, see here.

Please be assured our counselling and onsite services are available 24/7, 365 days a year however our other business functions observe the Australian public holidays and a break from 26th December to 13th January 2023.

Shari Walton, Organisational Development Consultant

The term emotional intelligence was popularized in 1995 by psychologist and behavioural science journalist Dr. Daniel Goleman in his book, Emotional Intelligence. Dr. Goleman described emotional intelligence as a person's ability to manage their feelings so that those feelings are expressed appropriately and effectively. Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence Framework contains four components.

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Some suggestions for how to embed key components from each of the four quadrants are outlined below.

Marcela Slepica, Director, Clinical Services

On October 17^th State and Federal governments released the National Plan to end violence against women and children. This is a 10-year plan that includes a framework of actions to end violence against women and children in one generation. It highlights how all parts of society including governments, business and workplaces, media, schools, and communities must work together towards a shared vision of ending gender-based violence.

The statistics are very confronting. 1 in 3 women has experienced physical violence since the age of 15, 1 in 5 has experienced sexual violence and on average 1 woman is killed by an intimate partner every 10 days. The rates are higher for certain groups such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women¹. To address these staggering figures, the National Plan has 4 domains: Prevention, Early Intervention, Response and Recovery, and Healing.  The government is working on clear action plans with the first plan to be released in early 2023.

AccessEAP are very supportive of this National Plan. We continue to provide domestic and family violence counselling and deliver accredited training to organisations around Australia. As a part of our social purpose, we recognise the importance of addressing this issue and in providing vital clinical support for people in need. We encourage all organisations to think about their role and what they can do.

So what can your organisation do? Prevention includes raising awareness and educating your people about domestic and family violence. Organisations also have a role in the Response and Recovery domain. On the 27^th October, the Federal Government amended the Fair Work Act and passed a law that all employees will be entitled to 10 days paid Domestic Violence leave. This law comes into effect in February 2023.

Anthony Bui, Learning and Development Advisor

“Mindfulness is the awareness that arises through paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally” American Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn

How often do we spend time dwelling on past events or worrying about the future? Are we connected to what’s going on in the present or busy indulging in other thoughts? How does this affect our ability to stay calm in tense situations at work or within our relationships? How does this impact on our approach to leadership?

Mindfulness is being aware, accepting and not judging or attaching. It doesn’t mean being a passive observer, rather that we acknowledge what we are feeling or thinking and allow the space to respond constructively.

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Australia is a country of extremes that can challenge us and impact our lives. Right now, parts of Australia are experiencing floods which are causing losses and damage. Natural disasters like the current storms and floods disrupt lives physically and psychologically, creating intense emotional distress for individuals, families and whole communities.

It is important through times such as these to identify those of your people who may have been directly impacted by the storms and floods and provide assistance where possible. Storm and flooding events such as these can be challenging, as the combined uncertainty about the immediate situation as well as fear and concern for what may lie ahead over coming days and weeks as storm waters continue to rise can exacerbate our thoughts and feelings.

As a leader, your organisation plays a vital and valuable role in assisting and supporting your people and their families in the immediate aftermath and moving forward. We encourage you to help your people feel they can focus on their immediate priorities, which is the physical safety of family, friends, loved ones and their homes and possessions. As a leader, take the time to check in with your people, and where appropriate, remind them that their EAP is available and able to help support them through these challenging times. Many people will want to be seen as “coping” so asking how they are going is really important. Being prepared to provide initial and long term support for people will enhance and promote their own personal coping strategies and resilience.

•  Normalise reactions: Accept that people will experience a range of emotions and that it is normal. Once the event is over, it doesn't mean people's feelings go away. Acknowledge their feelings and reassure people that their intense feelings are normal given the disaster.
• Ask how you can help: Ask if there's anything that you can do to assist employees or if there is anything they need? e.g. flexible hours, transport or belongings. Keep talking to gain clarity on what assistance they need.
• Do not catastrophise: It is common to reflect on the "what ifs" or "what might have been". Do not speculate on how much worse it could have been. Avoid comparison of stories as each person has a right to their feelings.

To support those that may have been affected by the event, we have included documents for individual strategies (download pdf here) and tips as well as information for managers and leaders (download pdf here). These tools are also available through the AccessMyEAP App.

If you have any questions or would like to better understand what you can do that will meaningfully support your team, the experienced clinicians on our Manager Support Hotline are able to help you help your people. As manager, your individual needs matter just as much. Reach out for support when and if you need it. We are here to help. Contact AccessEAP on 1800 818 728.

Welcome to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Dedicated Line: part of your EAP, provided by your employer and delivered by AccessEAP.

Working With You:

Our Customer Services Team participate in mandatory ongoing cultural competency training and are available to speak with you to facilitate the referral process to one of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Counsellors, Coaches or Mentors. Please call to make an appointment between EST 8am - 6pm Monday to Friday or outside these hours to make a booking.

At AccessEAP our Cultural Wellbeing Team includesboth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Counsellors and Culturally Sensitive Counsellors. If appropriate our Cultural Inclusion Co-Ordinator is able to assist any individual circumstances and will work with you to identify the most culturally safe options to support you or your organisation.

Together we find the right way to provide culturally appropriate support that works for you, sharing and caring in a respectful, confidential and safe space. Having a yarn can help with the day to day challenges at home or in the workplace such as;

Shari Walton, Organisational Development Consultant

Emotional intelligence is a key component of effective leadership. Being in tune with your emotions and having sound situational awareness is a powerful tool for leading yourself and teams. Understanding emotional triggers, the power of gratitude, emotional agility, and empathy, are essential ingredients to strong leadership.

Social psychologist Dr Barbara Frederiksen indicates that positive emotions lead to novel, expansive or exploratory behaviours that over time manifest to meaningful long-term social and relationship benefits. Harvard Medical school psychologist Dr Susan David offers unique expertise on cultivating more agile, healthy, resilient, and authentically happy people, families, workplaces, and communities.

To live a rich and purposeful life we need to paint with the full palette of human emotions. Having emotional agility allows us to recognise and understand what emotions we are feeling and be conscious about them rather than being driven by them. It allows you to be more intentional as a leader and to encourage individuals to recognise and feel their emotions. Engagement, creativity, and innovation will flourish under this emotionally agile leadership approach.

How can you lead with emotional agility for yourself and your team? 

Published in Dynamic Business 7th September 2022

When discussing R U OK? Day, Fiona Mackenzie, AccessEAP CEO says, “We want to encourage workplaces to extend the conversation beyond a singular day, turning mental health into an ongoing discussion that is free of stigma, year-round”.

Read More

The Mission Statement for R U OK? is to inspire and empower everyone to meaningfully connect with people around them and support anyone struggling with their life circumstances. R U OK? has resources to help create the skills for great conversations that are a normal part of your everyday check-ins with colleagues and friends. It was started by Gavin Larkin, whose father committed suicide in 1995. In 2009, Gavin chose to champion just one question - “are you OK?” - to honour his father and to try to protect other families from the pain of suicide. Working with Janina Nearn, the R U OK? movement was born.

Asking R U OK? is not just for R U OK? Day (held each year, nationally, in early September). It’s a habit for all of us to cultivate every day of the year. Checking in on someone when we notice they might not be OK assists people to feel connected, supported and hopefully prevents them from spiralling downwards.

In addition to us as individuals checking in on the people around us, we can help create an R U OK? workplace culture. An R U OK culture means that you feel comfortable asking your colleagues how they are every day - and mean it! Be ready to have a chat if they say they’re not ok – take the time to be with them to listen. Trust your gut instinct if you sense someone isn’t OK – reach out to them and have a chat.  It’s a workplace culture where leaders role model caring behaviours towards others, taking time to listen. An R U OK? culture is having time for each other and asking someone if they’re ok if you sense that they aren’t.

What are you doing to contribute to the creation of that sort of culture?

It might be that a colleague’s behaviour changes in some way. They may seem withdrawn, not their usual chatty self, they may have taken a few days off work unexpectedly, or seem irritable, and this change in behaviour continues for a week or two. It’s important to be aware that if these signs continue to be present for more than a couple of weeks it is advisable that someone see their GP or make contact with a counsellor (perhaps through their EAP program).

Natural disasters like floods, bushfires, droughts and cyclones, disrupt lives physically and psychologically, creating intense emotional distress for individuals, families and whole communities. Organisations play a vital and valuable role in assisting and supporting their employees in the immediate aftermath and in the days, weeks and months following a disaster. It’s important to be aware that everyone will respond differently and everyone’s needs will be different, initially and over time. Being prepared to provide initial and long term support for your employees will enhance and promote their own personal coping strategies and resilience. The following information may also be of assistance:

For individuals, see our tips and strategies (download pdf here).

As a manager, there are a few things you can do to support your employees (download pdf here):

1. Normalise reactions: Accept that people will experience a range of emotions and that it is normal. Once the event is over it doesn't mean people's feelings go away. Acknowledge their feelings and reassure people that their intense feelings are normal given the disaster.

2. Try to keep calm and lift spirits through community involvement: Provide reassurance that "we will get through this together" and focus on the things that were managed well, e.g. the brave responses of emergency services. People feel united in the shared experience and can support and comfort each other. This connection and sense of helping is critical to coping.

#WomensHealthWeek 5-11 September 2022

With the stress COVID has placed on everyone's lives, along with other challenges faced in 2022, it’s now more important than ever to look after your overall health and wellbeing. This September, Women’s Health Week will be a great reminder to take time out to check in on your health and to keep making positive changes that can last a lifetime.

For more information and resources visit the Jean Hailes' Women's Health Week Website. It's time to put your health first.

With so many competing demands and expectations, the struggle to keep up with both work and home commitments can be extremely stressful. When stress persists to a point that a person feels they aren’t coping, it can affect the functioning of their day-to-day life as well as their overall wellbeing. The stressors of too much ‘juggling’ together with trying to do things well and be ‘good’ at everything is impacting women and their ability to sleep, think clearly and make decisions.

If you would like to arrange an appointment for yourself call us on 1800 818 728. Find out more about our counselling service here.

Life is always unpredictable and to some degree, confusing. And for many of us, this is one of those times. With the ongoing pandemic, natural disasters and personal changes in our lives, it can be hard to find a way of being that doesn’t draw us into feelings of anxiety and uncertainty.

And this is where Positive Psychology comes in.

Positive Psychology is not about pretending that everything is OK, and it’s not “look on the bright side!” That sort of ‘positivity’ is not helpful and can be upsetting in certain situations. Positive Psychology is the scientific study of what helps us to flourish. And when we flourish, we are much more likely to be more creative and be better at solving complex problems and meeting adversity. The term ‘flourish’ is often used in positive psychology. It means more than just managing and getting through life. Martin Seligman, one of the founders of positive psychology, talks about flourishing as finding fulfilment in our lives, accomplishing meaningful and worthwhile tasks, and connecting with others at a deeper level.

These are ways of living that we can pursue, whatever is happening around us. Ways to move towards flourishing are summed up in the PERMAH model. You can read about PERMAH and other ways of living that help us live a full and meaningful life in our Positive Psychology tip sheet (access through the AccessMyEAP App).

Along with cultivating flourishing, it is also important to be kind to ourselves. All of us will, at times, face adversity. By cultivating self-kindness, self-forgiveness, and self-compassion, we are better able to handle and recover from adversity, and we are better able to practice kindness, forgiveness and compassion towards others. These, together with pursuing a flourishing life, can create a sturdy raft on which we can navigate unpredictable and confusing times.

WIN News 17th August 2022

Newport & Wildman is proudly part of AccessEAP. Director Melita Griffin and Clinical Services Manager Dorienne Spennato spoke with WIN News yesterday. Discussing R U OK? Day, with the message to check in with those around you and to keep having ongoing meaningful conversations.

Watch the video here.

Shari Walton, Organisational Development Consultant

Professor Martin Seligman, one of the world’s leading researchers in positive psychology identified that leaders who role-model positive psychology encourage a flourishing workplace, where scientific research is translated into improved leadership, better mental health, increased wellbeing and higher performance and satisfaction for individuals, improved employee engagement and retention and higher overall organisational effectiveness.

The way we work has shifted dramatically recently with hybrid working, remote teams and virtual interactions making positive workplaces more important than ever before. The ability of leaders to focus on strengths is crucial to achieving wellbeing.

Humans are hardwired to pay attention to negative experiences, and we have a propensity to learn from and use negative information more than positive information. Individuals may be unaware of what influences happiness in their life from one day to the next. At the heart of positive psychology lies the belief that people can lead happier, more meaningful, and fulfilling lives by moving their focus away from the negatives toward a more balanced perspective.

Many positive psychology exercises, such as gratitude journaling, lead to positive outcomes and the below exercise will help leaders find meaning and value from their own experiences by exploring their strengths and how they can utilise them to achieve desired goals and develop a sense of meaning and fulfilment.

Shari Walton, Organisational Development Consultant

Conflict is a continuum. Not enough can lead to apathy, artificial harmony, individuals suppressing their wants and needs and too much can lead to loss of self-confidence, disengagement, depression, break-down of work relationships or lack of productivity.

As a leader, how you manage smaller conflicts will impact how many escalate into serious conflicts such as severe employee relations issues, staff turnover, low employee engagement, and even legal claims.

Conflict may arise due to a range of factors including miscommunication, lack of information, conflicting goals, different values or unequal power and access to resources. Whilst conflict is a natural workplace phenomenon, if managed well it can be beneficial for an organization as it can stimulate diversity of thought, development of more mature and meaningful interpersonal relationships and contribute to innovation.

Consider a recent conflict you may have found yourself in and self-evaluate your response using this checklist:

Australia is a country of extremes which can challenge us and impact our lives in profound ways. Right now, parts of the country are experiencing floods which are causing losses and damage across the State. Natural disasters like the current storms and floods disrupt lives physically and psychologically, creating intense emotional distress for individuals, families and whole communities.

It is important through times such as these to identify those of your people who may have been directly impacted by the storms and floods and provide assistance where possible. Storm and flooding events such as these can be challenging, as the combined uncertainty about the immediate situation as well as fear and concern for what may lie ahead over coming days and weeks as storm waters continue to rise can exacerbate our thoughts and feelings.

As a leader, your organisation plays a vital and valuable role in assisting and supporting your people and their families in the immediate aftermath and moving forward. We encourage you to help your people feel they can focus on their immediate priorities, which is the physical safety of family, friends, loved ones and their homes and possessions. As a leader, take the time to check in with your people, and where appropriate, remind them that their EAP is available and able to help support them through these challenging times. Many people will want to be seen as “coping” so asking how they are going is really important. Being prepared to provide initial and long term support for people will enhance and promote their own personal coping strategies and resilience.

•  Normalise reactions: Accept that people will experience a range of emotions and that it is normal. Once the event is over, it doesn't mean people's feelings go away. Acknowledge their feelings and reassure people that their intense feelings are normal given the disaster.
• Ask how you can help: Ask if there's anything that you can do to assist employees or if there is anything they need? e.g. flexible hours, transport or belongings. Keep talking to gain clarity on what assistance they need.
• Do not catastrophise: It is common to reflect on the "what ifs" or "what might have been". Do not speculate on how much worse it could have been. Avoid comparison of stories as each person has a right to their feelings.

To support those that may have been affected by the event, we have included documents for individual strategies (download pdf here) and tips as well as information for managers and leaders (download pdf here). These tools are also available through the AccessMyEAP App.

If you have any questions or would like to better understand what you can do that will meaningfully support your team, the experienced clinicians on our Manager Support Hotline are able to help you help your people. As manager, your individual needs matter just as much. Reach out for support when and if you need it. We are here to help. Contact AccessEAP on 1800 818 728.