Sept. 8, 2004

Accessing the Faculty/Employee Assistance Program

Optimism and excitement usually fill the air when starting a new job. Topics such as family and personal problems, drug and alcohol abuse, or work place stress are the furthest thing from a new employee’s mind.

But among the benefits highlighted during GW’s new employee orientation is a service that could change an employee’s life when it counts the most — the Faculty / Employee Assistance Program (FEAP).

“People should be reminded that we’re here and it works,” said Dr. Lee Smith, FEAP director, about the free confidential counseling and referral service offering support to the University community for a variety of problems and challenges.

Since Smith launched GW’s program in 1987, the range of concerns she has helped University members overcome includes family dilemmas such as troubled marriages, divorce, death, illness and problems with children or parents; financial troubles; behavioral problems like substance abuse, compulsive gambling and eating disorders; workplace issues such as on-the-job stress and problems with co-workers; as well as emotional distress.

“I’ve helped people through anything that a person could possibly be concerned about,” Smith said. “It’s good that people feel they can come and this is a safe place where they can talk about whatever they’re concerned about. They can talk honestly and frankly and not be concerned about confidentiality.”

Smith provides short-term counseling, and added that often merely identifying a problem or airing concerns is all that’s needed. If short-term counseling isn’t the appropriate remedy, she will refer faculty or staff to whatever specialized services, centers or agencies are most suitable. With more than 20 years of clinical, research and teaching experience, Smith is acquainted with a host of resources in the metropolitan area including psychiatrists and psychologists, rehabilitation centers and in- and out-patient services, and she is adept at matching the best resource to her client’s needs.

The first step is picking up the phone and making an appointment, Smith said, after that she helps identify problems and determines a course of action to deal with them.

“Word of mouth will always be the best way to learn about a program,” Smith said. While people want total confidentiality from their therapist, oftentimes they are willing to talk about their problems to friends and co-workers and out of those instances come valuable referrals.

“Usually it’s as simple as someone saying, ‘Well, I went to see Dr. Smith and she was very helpful, why don’t you call her.’ ”

For more information about FEAP, or to make an appointment, employees may call 676-2002.

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu