Acacia Connect - Issue 2 - May 2022

Acacia

CONNECT EVERY CONNECTION MATTERS

ISSUE NO.2

SHIFTING THE EAP PARADIGM DESIGNING A PROACTIVE EAP PROGRAM An interview with Redland City Council's Shannon Ahern

Social Media & Wellbeing How to maintain your wellbeing, with the influx of potentially traumatic information available online.

MAY 22

CONTENTS DOWNLOAD MAGAZINE AS PDF

02 FROM THE CEO This Quarter, Rebecca Weiss celebrates Acacia's ten year anniversary.

03 SOCIAL MEDIA & OUR WELLBEING How can we maintain our wellbeing with the influx of potentially traumatic information available online these days?

11 IN CONVERSATION: REDLAND CITY COUNCIL An interview with Shannon Ahern on shifting EAP programs from a reactive resource to a proactive employee benefit.

EMVERIO WORKPLACE COMPLAINTS

"HAPPINESS IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF HEALTH" - DALAI LAMA

15 MANAGING THE RISING COST OF LIVING Learn how we can support ourselves against raising financial anxiety as the cost of living rises.

UNDERSTANDING EAP COUNSELLING

ACACIA'S SUPPORT FOR FLOOD VICTIMS

Learn about EAP Counselling, the reasons for access, and how to book a session.

Acacia's recent initiatives to support those affected by the flooding in QLD and NSW.

Understand how to navigate experiences of grief and loss after the end of a romantic relationship.

25 ACCESSING LEADERSHIP SUPPORT Learn all about our Manager Support Hotline, and why you might want to access the service.

MAY 2022 | ISSUE 02

21 NAVIGATING RELATIONSHIP BREAKDOWNS

FROM THE CEO REBECCA WEISS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

This year marks a very special year for Acacia EAP as we celebrate our 10th anniversary. Acacia’s mission is to support as many people with our market-leading services as we change lives for the better, improve communities, and create mentally healthy workplaces.

Driven by these values and our brand promise of ‘Every Connection Matters’, Acacia’s services are actively available to more than 700,000 people across Australia, New Zealand, and Internationally.

For Acacia, our focus is on people, and we recognise that our successes are very much shared by those whom we support. Thank you to our customers, clients, and business partners for trusting us and valuing our industry-leading services. We celebrate and thank our employees, past and present, whose talent, passion, and loyalty has been integral in Acacia’s success. Lastly, we acknowledge our Founder and Executive Chairman, Greg Kentish, who started this journey and allowed us all to walk beside him.

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HOT TOPIC

Social Media and our Wellbeing Social media has its benefits; it keeps us informed and allows us to stay connected. But too much can be detrimental to our wellbeing.

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Social media has reshaped the way in which we view and receive information. Today, someone can discuss and share their opinion and lived experiences with a global audience at the click of a button. Information comes from all different directions – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn. We are constantly bombarded with content and have now become passive observers of information. Despite this passive nature, we are not immune to its consequences.

Anyone with access to a communication device may provide a firsthand account or perspective documented through images, videos, and commentary. What this means to us as consumers of social media is that information comes through fast, providing often provocative and unfiltered content.

According to Datareportal, there are 21.5 million social media users in Australia, which equates to 82.7 percent of the country's population. That’s more than four in five people engaging with and navigating this new era of news.

With technology speeding ahead, the rest of us have to play catch up. But how do we set ourselves up to maintain our health and wellbeing when online? How do we exercise choice and control?

We are all conscious of the business model underpinning social media – it is engineered to capture and maintain our attention. Every minute that we view content, the platform is acquiring data on our interests, our likes, our dislikes, all to create a space that is inviting and tailored to us. Why would we ever want to stop?

Social media has its benefits; it keeps us informed and allows us to stay connected.

But too much can be detrimental to our wellbeing.

With the average Australian spending over two hours each day on social media, the potential of being exposed to graphic, emotive, and distressing content is high.

Over time this constant exposure increases our potential risk for mental health concerns, such as anxiety, depression, and vicarious trauma.

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When your feed is overrepresented by a particular area of content – such as crime, war, or injustice – you may start to see the world in a certain light. Things may appear hopeless, and you may feel helpless against it all. You may start to feel anxious about your safety and wellbeing, and how you will cope in the world.

In addition, individuals may experience vicarious trauma due to the exposure to highly traumatic imagery and content.

Our minds are geared towards deriving meaning from our experiences. Our capacity to process and find this meaning is based on various tools and strategies we acquire across the course of our life span and experience. When exposed to incidents outside of the realm of our normality, we can become psychologically overwhelmed.

We cannot control what information is out there and, to an even lesser extent, how this information comes to us. But by increasing our knowledge of the frequency and duration of our social media consumption and the way we interact and engage with content, we can begin taking back and exercising control and reduce the risk of concern.

To begin, a simple step to consider is monitoring your usage. You may already be somewhat aware of the amount of time you spend on social media.

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Far too often, however, do we tend to underestimate the duration. Social media often presents small bites of information that see you scrolling from one thing to the next, making it challenging to disconnect and accurately track the passage of time.

Engaging more mindfully with social media can help you reap the benefits of the medium. Consider what is happening for you as you click on a link, open an app, or check your notifications.

What are your thoughts and feelings at the time? What may be underlying your choices and actions? When you can identify the need you are trying to meet, you increase your capacity to meet it in a more meaningful way.

In addition, before you reach for your device or take any action towards engaging with social media, ask yourself: what is my capacity to process unknown, unfiltered, and potentially traumatic content? If your resilience is low, perhaps take a step back or engage with caution.

Another step you can take is placing, and then maintaining boundaries. Once you understand your reasoning for being online and accessing social media, stick to it. Find the information you were seeking, connect with the person you intended to, or check for the updates you were expecting. And then simply disconnect.

HOT TOPIC

You may also place parameters around your usage. Are there certain times of the day where you are best placed to engage meaningfully? Or perhaps you like having something to aim towards. In this case, you may define what an acceptable amount of usage is for you and stay within this.

If you don’t wish to be distracted but struggle with the temptation to connect, consider turning off notifications to reduce the pressure.

There are many ways in which you may establish boundaries around your exposure. Our time is valuable and setting boundaries can assist you in ensuring the time you have is time well spent.

Lastly, consider filtering your exposure to content when online. If we are conscious that the underlying social media algorithm is monitoring our likes and dislikes, then we can use this to our advantage.

Becoming familiar with how you communicate your level of interest in content is an initial step.

Engage in a more active manner with your platform. Learn of its functions and capability to provide direct feedback to influence content exposure. These functions may include options such as blocking or notifying the platform of your disinterest.

Another approach may be to overtly acknowledge the content you want to see, increasing the potential for a space defined by you drowning out the negative.

Social media has been around for some time and is still evolving. We have all developed our habits in and around how we engage with it.

Habits are challenging to break, but with practice and mindfulness, we are all capable of creating new healthy and supportive practices that can support our wellbeing.

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Understanding Counselling What is EAP Counselling?

Acacia’s counselling model of support aims to improve your wellbeing. It is a process where you may talk to an EAP professional in confidence about concerns or difficulties you are experiencing. Our team of professionals will support you to explore the issue and develop strategies to cope with, or change, the situation.

Our clients seek support for an array of reasons, including, but not limited to, relationship concerns, symptoms of anxiety and depression, domestic and family violence, workplace conflict, and substance use and abuse.

You can also access EAP counselling if you are seeking to develop leadership skills, increase performance, improve wellbeing, or if you are contemplating parenthood or even a career change. No matter the need, our team of EAP Professionals will work with you and support you on your journey.

Privacy and Confidentiality Although it is an employee benefit, Acacia is an independent EAP provider and ensures your counselling sessions remain completely confidential. In accordance with the Privacy Act, Acacia never discloses your personal details to anyone without your written consent. We do not disclose any information relating to your EAP sessions to your manager or employer.

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We are Here for You Acacia operates 24/7, 365 days a year, meaning you can always access our services.

To access support, you can simply call us directly on 1300 364 273 or request an appointment online via our Wellbeing Portal.

You can also text, email, or start a live chat with our intake team.

When booking a session, you have the choice of whether you want the session delivered face-to-face at a location suitable for you, or virtually, via telephone, video, or live chat. This ensures you receive support in the manner that best suits your needs and abilities.

You will be taken through a simple intake process and matched with the most suitable EAP Professional. This is based on your needs, presenting concerns, location, and any preferences you might require.

Our virtual sessions are delivered through secure and easy to operate systems. You do not need to download and install any files or software, but rather connect via your web browser. To receive counselling via live chat or submit a question directly to an EAP Professional, simply visit our Online Wellbeing Portal and follow the links.

What to Expect It can feel a little overwhelming if you have never accessed counselling before. For some, the only reference you may have comes from TV and movies, which for the most, would be concerning.

There are no leather couches that you lie down on, nor can the EAP Professional read your mind.

The therapeutic space is one that is free of judgment and consequence.

The first session is an opportunity for you and the EAP professional to get to know one another – it’s a time for you both to start to consider the suitability of continuing with the therapeutic relationship. After your session, you may start to reflect upon the session. Do you feel safe and supported? Does my EAP professional have a good understanding of my concern? Have they expressed a capacity to assist in a manner that makes sense to me?

Note the absence of the word comfortable when describing how you feel in the environment. For many, this may be the first time that you find yourself in such an environment. It might even be the first time you have even contemplated speaking on matters of importance and concern for you. It may take a couple of sessions to feel at ease with the process. Trust your instincts: they will guide you well.

Our EAP Professionals utilise various evidencebased interventions that are solution-focused and address your concerns. Brief intervention models used may include, but are not limited to, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and time-limited therapies.

Everyone who accesses support falls along a continuum of wellbeing. The brief intervention model may support you in enhancing your wellbeing, resolving a current situational concern, and/or assisting you through to longterm support.

Our People Our primary focus is on ensuring the best match for you. Our team are experienced, approachable, and highly professional, ensuring you receive the best support available. Our EAP Professionals are fully qualified with an average of eleven years of counselling experience and can provide support in 43 languages.

In addition, we have numerous professionals with specialised expertise, qualifications, and training in the unique challenges faced by individuals from diverse groups within the workplace. This includes specialist support for the LGBTIQA+ community, people with disabilities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

We also provide spiritual counselling for clients who want to discuss spiritual and religious concerns.

Would you rather have an EAP Professional of a particular gender or background? Or one with experience supporting family concerns? If you have a need, preference, or request of your professional, our intake team can ensure these are considered during your booking process – simply let us know.

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Changing Professionals It is not uncommon to change EAP Professionals; there are a wide array of reasons which may influence you to change your professional, such as location, availability, treatment needs, or even just the right fit. It’s important to find someone who is right for you, and who is supportive and comfortable for you.

You are welcome to request a new EAP Professional at any time. You can raise this either with your current treating professional or by contacting our intake team.

Connect Today EAP is a confidential counselling service offered to you by your employer to support you in a positive way. This service is free of charge and is a proactive approach to supporting your mental health and wellbeing. It can help you establish a healthier work-life balance or greater self-awareness, strengthen your connections with others, increase your capacity to navigate life’s challenges, increase your performance, as well as improve your quality of life.

If you have any questions regarding the service and would like to understand more about what your benefit includes, please do not hesitate to reach out and talk to our intake team.

What Our Clients Say “I was very impressed with the effort made to match me with a professional who had a clear understanding of my specific area of concern in regard to a family member and mental health issue. Thank you.”

“The EAP program was great, and I definitely got on top of certain things. The professional I was with was fantastic and helped me a great deal.”

“Very happy with the service. My EAP Professional was very insightful and helped me to look at resolutions within myself and to recognise my skills and experience and to direct that into a positive. Thank you.”

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JUNE ALL JUNE Pride Month Celebrate the diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTIQA+) community.

ALL JUNE Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month JUNE 1 National Say Something Nice Day JUNE 5 World Environment Day JUNE 14 World Blood Donor Day JUNE 13 - JUNE 19 Infant Mental Health Awareness Week Increase awareness of babies’ mental health and the issues that affect it.

JUNE 13 - JUNE 19 Men's Health Week JUNE 18 Autistic Pride Day JUNE 21 International Day of Yoga JUNE 27 PTSD Awareness Day

JULY ALL JULY Dry July A national fundraiser that encourages you to go alcohol-free in July to raise funds for people affected by cancer.

ALL JULY Plastic Free July

AUGUST 19 World Humanitarian Day

JULY 3 - JULY 10 NAIDOC Week

AUGUST 26 Daffodil Day

Celebrate and recognise the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia.

Cancer Council’s annual campaign to raise life-saving funds for world-class cancer research.

JULY 5 National Workaholics Day JULY 17 - JULY 23 Birth Trauma Awareness Week Increase Awareness and destigmatise Birth Trauma.

AUGUST 27 Wear it Purple Day Encourages you to foster supportive, safe, empowering, and inclusive environments for young LGBTQIA+ people.

AUGUST 31 International Overdose Awareness Day

JULY 24 International Self-Care Day A focus and opportunity to raise the profile of healthy lifestyle self-care programmes around the world.

JULY 30 International Day of Friendship

AUGUST AUGUST 6 Jeans for Genes Day A nationwide fundraising event to support families and children with birth defects or incurable genetic diseases.

AUGUST 9 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples AUGUST 12 International Youth Day AUGUST 13 Red Nose Day A fundraising event where people come together to raise money for Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) by wearing red noses and acting silly.

KEY MENTAL HEALTH DATES 10

IN CONVERSATION

"It’s switching to say: EAP is about building your resilience. It's a professional and personal development opportunity."

Shifting health and wellbeing programs from reactive to proactive, preventive services.

Shannon Ahern | Group Manager, Health Safety and Wellbeing Redland City Council

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“To engage staff, you have to shift the paradigm of what EAP is. It’s not an afterthought. It’s not a tagline at the bottom of the email that says, ‘Sorry you’re going through this. You can access your EAP if you want.’ It’s switching to say: EAP is about building your resilience. It’s a professional and personal development opportunity. It’s a benefit that your workplace provides.”

Shannon Ahern is the Group Manager, Health Safety and Wellbeing for Redland City Council, the local government authority for the Redlands in South-East Queensland. With more than ten years of experience developing and implementing workplace strategies, initiatives, projects, and programs, Shannon has been at the forefront of the Council’s shift from a reactive wellbeing program to their new, wellbeing adventure.

As with many organisations, Council’s health and wellbeing strategy was previously a reactive program that did not take full advantage of the options they had available, such as EAP. Only recently have many businesses begun that shift to proactive support options.

Accessing EAP shouldn't just be seen as a last resort, but rather as a way to support your wellbeing, regardless of where you are currently sitting along the 'wellbeing continuum'.

Shannon accredits this shift predominately to COVID. “We had some EAP being offered, but it was mainly someone walking around and putting out fires. There was no proactive management of employee mental health and wellbeing.”

“EAP was an afterthought in an email. ‘By the way, if you need any help, here’s our EAP provider.’”

Shannon began working for Redland City Council in June of 2021. One of the first actions he implemented was engaging Black Dog Institute to complete an audit of the organisation to better understand the status of the wellbeing strategy.

“They went through all the evidence we provided and gave us a score of where they saw our mental health program. And there were definitely some great opportunities for improvement. One of them was our EAP.” Shannon says this was the catalyst for the Council's new mental and physical wellbeing strategy: Wellbeing Through Adventure.

Redland City Council changed the way they looked at EAP and considered it as 'credits' that the organisation was providing to staff to use to improve their wellbeing. This allows staff to focus on what's important to them.

"Whether it’s psychological, financial, physical health, or legal help you need, here are some credits to which you can better yourself proactively. Here are the options you have.

Choose your own adventure.”

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IN CONVERSATION

Shannon also introduced a wellbeing calendar aligned to a number of celebratory days and weeks. Having a wellbeing plan in place for the year helps avoid delivering lastminute, half-planned ideas. This very considered approach to council's wellbeing strategy, 'Choose your own adventure' includes twelve destinations – one for each month.

"It’s an adventure, a road map of sorts. This month is all about mindfulness, and what does it mean to be mindful?”

“Each employee has a wellbeing calendar on their desk. It has 31 simple ideas on how to be mindful – one for each day of the month. All they have to do is cross them off.”

Planning strategies and workplace events is one thing, but keeping staff engaged with the program throughout a whole year can be challenging for any workplace. “In essence, having a great idea and having all the content is one thing. The key is the communication plan. When you think you have enough communication, you need to do more. Keep pushing it out, and keep talking about it.”

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Shannon and his team use a wide range of internal communication systems to connect with their employees. In addition to posters, emails, and the physical wellbeing calendars, they utilise Yammer, a social media platform part of Microsoft 365 – and Shannon says it has worked wonders.

“Prior to us almost taking over the platform, on average, each post would get about ten or twenty views. Now, most of our posts get around 200.”

An often-implemented workplace wellbeing strategy is the use of ‘wellbeing champions’, employees who encourage positive mental health in the workplace by openly discussing, normalising, and promoting mental health with other staff. Redland City Council has replicated this into their monthly destinations, creating ‘destination champions’.

“We asked who wanted to be involved, and people responded. They do a video to introduce the month and what we are going to do and how we are going to do it. There might be cooking demonstrations and recipes. They might go around and conduct activities with people.”

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Another approach Redland City Council took was creating 'opt-out' sessions instead of the standard 'opt-in' ones. This was to achieve greater uptake in the programs. If someone doesn't want to attend they have to choose not to participate.

Acacia also ran a webinar for Redland City Council's employees surrounding the returnto-work following extended lockdowns.

Shannon says it was another piece that helped them move away from reactive to proactive support, by reassuring employees and normalising the anxiety when returning to the workplace.

Shannon's extensive communication strategy has worked, as the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and engaged. “We aren’t doing anything overly strenuous or complex. We're meeting people where they are, and going on the journey with them. The tasks we are giving them are simple ones. It's a matter of providing enough diversity within the program and enough comfort that people can slip in and out. They can do as much or as little as they want."

The program hasn’t been without its challenges and pushbacks though.

"Overwhelming, the greater population is saying this is great, that this is the direction they want to go, that this is the support they need. There’s obviously genuine feedback, though, and we seek to understand what it is.”

Last August they had an EAP utilisation rate of only two percent, in an industry with an average of nine percent. Their most recent monthly report surpassed the average and is heading towards 20 percent, which is Shannon's goal for the new financial year. But his goals don't stop at utilisation.

Using Acacia's bespoke data sets and metrics, he wants to see staff accessing proactively. Acacia measures how long an employee has been suffering with an issue before reaching out for support, and Shannon's aim is to this metric down to 'under three months'. He also wants to see the number one issue people are seeking support for as something other than anxiety, stress, or depression. An increase in the concern 'General Wellbeing' will be a positive sign of the EAP being utilised as a proactive service to build resilience or for personal development.

“Creating these programs can be tough, but it's worth it. I had a conversation with one of our employees who has a mental health issue.

She never really felt comfortable talking about it at work. Since the program started, that's changed completely. Her team know her triggers. They know the behaviours to look out for and how to respond.”

“If there is one team here at Council that has normalised mental health, then it’s worth it. If there is one person that doesn’t feel like an outcast in their own workplace, then it’s worth it.”

Their positive feedback is replicated in their utilisation numbers.

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FINANCIAL HEALTH

Managing the Rising Cost of Living Despite our economy being relatively stable, more people are reporting feeling anxious about money.

TAKING ACTION Download this article and share it with colleagues, friends, and family.

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Despite our economy staying relatively stable over the past couple of years, financial anxiety has continued to grow. We can attribute this to the increase in general stressful events we’ve all experienced – the bushfires, the pandemic, the floods, geopolitical events, and now, the rising cost of living.

The cost of living refers to the amount of money a household requires to afford the necessary goods and services to maintain a general standard of living. In Australia, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) uses a couple of different measures to calculate the cost of living, with one being the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

CPI measures the change in the value of consumer goods and services – things such as groceries, healthcare, fuel. In 2021, the CPI increased by 3.5 percent. This means Australians paid 3.5 percent more for these household necessities. Within the same period, however, annual wages only increased by 2.3 percent.

The rising cost of living isn't the only concern on Australians' minds though. The NAB Wellbeing Survey shows that three-quarters of Australians report being challenged by debt.

Payday and Buy Now Pay Later loans are also big drivers of financial-related stress.

This building uncertainty with our financial stability, combined with the constant changes in our world has heightened overall anxiety levels. How we feel about our money is very much tied to our own wellbeing.

There are numerous impacts of financial stress; worrying about money can impact your sleep and relationships, lead to poor health, as well as cause you to spend more.

If you’re feeling anxious about the rising cost of living – or are having any financial concerns – there are positive steps you can take to get back on track. Here are some simple things you can do to feel better about your money worries.

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Budget Your budget is the foundation upon which you can build the rest of your financial life. When the cost of living goes up and your financial situation changes significantly, making a budget is the first step to making your life easier.

If you don't already have a budget, find a method that works best for you. There are as many budgeting methods as there are types of people, so choose one that fits well with your situation.

If you already have a budget, you can go in and adjust the numbers to reflect your current cost of living. Make sure your income is updated so you know exactly how much is coming in as well as going out.

Consider going through the last few months of your bank statements manually, adding up your monthly expenses, and putting them in categories. You can also use a budgeting app or website to help you manage the process.

Discretionary Spending As you go through your monthly expenses, you may come across a few surprises. Start cutting out some of these unnecessary expenses.

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For example, you might stop getting takeout for a month, or limit it to once a week.

Planning ahead before you go shopping will help you keep your total under control.

Grocery shopping online can be a great money saver for some. Avoid in-store shopping as it can prevent you from grabbing items you don't need.

Recurring Payments Subscriptions and other recurring payments often sneak into your budget without us even realising. Identify these payments – monthly, quarterly, or annual – and see if they are being underutilised.

If you're paying for more streaming services than you watch, think about changing to a new plan. If it's not something you use regularly, it may be time to cancel.

You might not have any subscriptions that you want to change. If not, look for any other unnecessary fees you might be paying. If you’re paying for a bank account or credit card, think about researching fee-free banking options. Look at insurance payments to see if you can negotiate the price, or think about downgrading some payments, such as your mobile phone plan.

FINANCIAL HEALTH

Use Your Talents Do you have a skill or interest you can use to make extra money on the side?

For a long-term solution, investigate positions in your industry or at your place of work that meet your salary goals. Think about the skills and experience you need to acquire to reach those positions.

Share Your Concerns Financial problems tend to not just affect you, but your loved ones too. Even if you take pride in being self-sufficient, keeping your family up to date on your finances can help reduce levels of anxiety. Allow them to offer suggestions on how to resolve your concerns.

Spending time together with your loved ones can also ease feelings of anxiety. Think of activities that don’t cost money but you can do together, like going for a walk, exercising together, or cooking as a family.

Reach Out for Guidance Consider reaching out and calling someone who can provide assistance, such as a Financial Coach. An experienced and suitably qualified Financial Coach can help you navigate your financial worries.

Financial Coaching isn’t just about budgeting either; there are many other aspects that can be of assistance for almost every stage of a person’s financial lifecycle. Are you having trouble paying bills, or need help with a financial management plan? Do you want to save money, or do you have other important financial goals? Or are you feeling financially okay, but are looking for a general financial wellbeing check?

Financial Coaching not only helps you stay on track with your finances but can also lower general stress levels. The flow-on effect of feeling more confident about your money is immense and can even have a positive impact on your personal and work relationships.

Financial Coaching may be a service included as a part of your EAP entitlement. Contact Acacia today to find out more about this service.

ABS, (2022), Selected Living Cost Indexes, Australia and Annual wage growth increases to 2.3% ldrich, E., (2021), 5 Ways to Cope When Your Cost of Living Goes Up. Maxabella, B., (2022)., Money focus: How can I reduce my money anxiety?

Robinson, L., and Smith, M., (2021), Coping with Financial Stress.

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Support for Flood Victims Acacia EAP and Acacia Wishes would like to recognise and thank our clients, staff, and network who generously donated to our Flood Fundraiser to assist those who were significantly impacted by the recent Queensland and New South Wales Floods.

Visually, Lismore was unrecognisable, with the floods wiping away homes, businesses, and roads. What remained paramount was the community spirit and the collective strength of locals and volunteers coming together far and wide to rebuild the beloved city.

Over one week, we successfully raised $5,100.00 in monetary funds, essential items including food and clothes, and 200 free Telehealth appointments through Acacia Psychology to support the mental health and wellbeing of those in need of a helping hand.

The Acacia Team was able to see first-hand, the true power of coming together and leaning on support services and networks in times of hardship to enable individuals and communities to re-build.

The Acacia Marketing Team travelled to Lismore, NSW, and donated the monetary funds in the form of cash visa cards to families and individuals directly impacted.

This allowed those affected to have immediate access to funds without a wait or processing time. They also prepared small gift bags for children (lollies and small toys) and donated men’s and women’s clothes to those who devastatingly, lost everything.

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Acacia provides EAP services to many local councils and organisations located in the areas impacted by the devastating floods. We worked alongside many of these councils and customers to implement significant event support in response to this natural disaster.

Our response was tailored to the unique requirements of each customer, as individual organisations were impacted differently.

For some, this meant an extension of service to support staff as well as the local community.

Two key components of our response involved the support of staff members who had been deployed to work across the many SEQ Evacuation Centres, many of whom were directly impacted by the floods personally.

Acacia also provided hundreds of hours of counselling support to community members and volunteers, including the Mud Army 2.0 in Brisbane.

A consistent theme throughout all support provided within the community and to our customers was the spirit and collective strength of staff and volunteers coming together far and wide to rebuild the affected areas.

In addition, Acacia partnered with 4Voices, a charitable organisation for girls and women who are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, social isolation, domestic and family violence, homelessness, and digital exclusion. Their mission is to reduce the female domestic violence statistics through the power of connection, an ethos that deeply resonates with Acacia.

4Voices specifically supports women across Queensland, including those who are located in flood-affected areas. The generous donations we received from our clients, staff and network, provided additional support for women and girls who are fearlessly working to rebuild their lives.

You can learn more about 4Voices and their mission on their website.

Acacia EAP would like to sincerely thank everyone who contributed to and participated in our flood fundraiser.

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RELATIONSHIPS

Navigating Relationship Breakdowns Human intimacy is an intricate mixture of commitment, passion, friendship, and love; however, unfortunately, it may not always last.

TAKING ACTION Download this article as a tip sheet to share with colleagues, friends, and family.

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The relationships we develop with those around us are vital to our mental and emotional wellbeing and, at times, our survival. For this reason, there is a very inherent desire within us to be accepted and feel close to others. This creates a driving force to form connections and build relationships.

There are four fundamental kinds of relationships: family relationships, friendships, acquaintanceships, and romantic relationships. While these are all incredibly important in their own way, our main focus will be on understanding romantic or intimate relationships and how to support ourselves when they come to an end.

Human intimacy is an intricate mixture of commitment, passion, friendship, and love, from which two people experience a strong desire for ongoing closeness and interaction with one another. This closeness and interaction will often stretch across each key area of their lives; however, unfortunately, it may not always last the duration.

There are many different reasons as to why a relationship may come to an end. Just as each individual’s life is different to another, so are the relationships they engage in and the ways in which these relationships may end.

For this reason, trying to predict why a relationship may not last is difficult; however, there are some commonly occurring themes that can increase the likelihood. Such themes include a lack of trust, loss of respect, poor communication, reduction or absence of intimacy, and differing priorities.

People will often experience a wide range of emotions, behaviours, and challenges following the breakdown of a relationship.

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the ending of the relationship, everything that was once known and commonplace has now turned upside down.

At times, there may be feelings of excitement around the new life and opportunities that lay ahead. Then there may be a shift towards more difficult emotions, such as rejection, confusion, fear, sadness, or loss.

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When this shift happens, it is not uncommon to find difficulty with sleeping, notice a lack of concentration, have a minimal appetite, or feel a reduction in motivation.

It is hard to predict how long such experiences can last, but what is known is that this will vary from person to person. Some individuals may be impacted multiple times in a day. Others may go for extended periods of time feeling fine and then, all of a sudden, hit a wall. But just like any form of grief and loss, there is no right or wrong.

Outside of just emotional struggle, there can also be a significant impact on the logistical nature of one’s life. The ending of a relationship may bring about the need for change in living situations, financial stressors, new parenting arrangements, concerns around socialising with friends, and an overall shift in regular routines.

The ending of a relationship impacts many different areas, depending on the roles each person took on within the relationship. Such areas might include daily routines; family structures; home life; friends and social life; perspectives of family and community; personal identity; future life plans; and a sense of security.

Due to this, the ending of a relationship is also a significant risk factor for experiencing a mental health condition, such as depression, anxiety, substance use, or an increase in thoughts of self-harm and suicidal ideation.

It is not uncommon for people to try and process a break up and move on from their relationship as fast as possible. Sitting with the difficult emotions that come with such situations is hard and uncomfortable. Naturally, we want to stop feeling them as soon as we can, but unfortunately, this cannot always be achieved.

Following a breakup, it is important to make caring for yourself a priority and support your needs through the difficulty of the situation.

Following are some steps you can take to cope with the experience.

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RELATIONSHIPS

Make plans for things you enjoy Planning ahead to fill new-found spare time can be a way to keep your mind busy, boost positive emotions, and reduce feelings of loneliness.

Create some space It may or may not be best to shut your expartner out completely during this time, but ask yourself what it is that you can cope with.

Consider boundaries that you may need to set for yourself, both in real life and online.

Reach out to your supports Having time to yourself is completely normal, but you may also find benefit in speaking with those you trust and can support you. You can choose if you want to speak about the ending of the relationship with them or even decide to use it as a time to specifically not discuss it.

Avoid alcohol and drugs Try to avoid substance use during this time.

While it can help to numb the initial pain, in the long term it can create more harm.

Maintain overall wellbeing Where possible, try to stick to routines around sleep, eating, exercise, and general hygiene.

Give yourself time There is no clear timeframe to process the ending of a relationship. The most important thing is to take it slow and listen to what your mind and body are telling you. There is no right or wrong here.

The ending of a relationship can set off a flow-on effect of changes your life. These changes can be positive, leading to personal growth, life progression and, in time, possibly finding a new relationship that meets your needs and hopes for the future.

In other cases, the ending of a relationship can be the source of prolonged feelings of depression. While it is common to be sad or devastated for some time following the breakup, it is important to seek support if you notice that these emotions are increasing or lingering over a longer period of time.

Reaching out for support can be difficult, so it can be best to start the conversation with someone you trust, like a family member, friend, or even a doctor if you feel things are becoming quite serious.

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LEADERSHIP

Accessing Leadership Support It’s common to feel nervous and uncertain about how to talk to someone regarding their mental health and wellbeing.

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In today’s workforce, managers and leaders have a responsibility to take care of the physical and psychological safety of their people. They have the capacity to influence and shape the mental wellbeing of others, not only within their team but systemically across the organisation. The role inherently places them as workplace wellbeing champions and asks them to not only acknowledge this responsibility, but to act and create a culture that supports positive mental health.

It's a tall ask – one that you may not have foreseen or understood at the time you stepped into your role.

Perhaps you feel overwhelmed about where to start.

You might feel comfortable with how to start, but you’re not sure how to make some traction or the ‘where to from here’.

But Acacia is here to support you. Our Manager Support Hotline is a confidential telehealth service designed to support leaders in managing challenging and complex people management situations. The situations you may require support for are vast.

As leaders, you are looked to for support and guidance during times of instability and change, all while being affected by the situation and circumstances of such change.

Leaders see and engage with the same people for long periods within the same context. This means they're likely to notice the changes – no matter how small – that could indicate someone is going through a difficult time. It won’t always be obvious when someone’s not doing so well, but there are signs and changes you can look out for that might signal that they need a bit of extra support.

Someone might not be behaving as they normally would, or they may be doing or saying things out of character. Perhaps you’ve noticed an employee no longer turns on their video during meetings. Maybe they have become shorter with their communications, or even delayed in their responses. They may also have a few more absences or refrain from social interactions.

You won’t also always recognise your own need to access support. Perhaps as a leader, you feel reaching out for support isn’t something you should need or use.

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The most important message is to be proactive; don’t wait till the issue becomes so clear or big that it can no longer be ignored.

Reach out and proactively access support services available to you. It may confirm the position you are taking and the guidance you are implementing, or it may just promote a new understanding or direction worth taking.

It’s common to feel nervous and uncertain about how to approach and talk to someone regarding their mental health and wellbeing, especially when doing so stems from a current concern or recent incident. It is also uneasy, and, at times, unnerving, to lead a team through change – to separate yourself the human being from yourself the leader.

You may find yourself worrying about saying the wrong thing, at the wrong time and the consequences of doing so. It’s important to remember you don’t need to be an expert to hold these conversations.

However, having an understanding or grounding in the purpose and intent of your conversation can assist you in ensuring those you intend to support do in fact feel supported and are assisted in accessing appropriate help. Knowing why we do what we do contributes greatly to our sense of confidence in ourselves and in our capacity for action.

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Reaching out to our Support Hotline can help you understand your employee’s presentation and the concerns you hold. The Support Hotline can also help by talking you through how to approach the conversation, what language you may use, things to be mindful of, and messages to communicate.

If you haven’t accessed support before, the first time may seem daunting. It can be hard not knowing what to say or how much to share. This is why we have prepared a brief overview of what to expect.

When you call, you will first be taken through a short registration process with our intake team. This includes being asked about your needs and concerns; this ensures the support you receive is best suited for you.

The Senior Psychologist will work with you to understand your current concerns and the situation from a historical view. This includes asking about the employee’s stressors, internal and external resources, similar experiences, as well as the organisation’s response and management of the situation so far. This helps establish a collaborative approach and determine the most suitable course of action, taking into consideration the key concern, the main contributors, and any mental health concerns.

LEADERSHIP

This process does require your time and investment; however, the benefits may be far reaching.

Too many times do leaders fall back on encouraging an employee to access their EAP; this can feel like a ‘tick and flick’ approach, and be perceived to the employee that their needs are too complex, overwhelming, or not of concern to you and the workplace.

There are many possible outcomes – these depend on you and the employee's needs and capabilities. The Senior Psychologist may support you to understand your own capacity to support the employee, taking into consideration what may be needed, what you can offer, and your limitations. You may also be upskilled to meet the situationals, or be equipped in starting a follow-up mental health and wellbeing conversation with the employee.

The Senior Psychologist may also help you identify provisions of support you may extend and signs in the employee that may indicate they are struggling, and discuss how to link them in with support.

You may also be provided psychoeducation on issues relevant to the employee's experience and situation, or receive risk management and safety planning, with consideration to the employee's ability to maintain their safety and wellbeing. You may even discuss up-lining to internal support and guidance.

Stemming from your conversation, the Senior Psychologist, where clinically appropriate, may discuss further support options available to you.

These may be implemented in conjunction to the support you are providing to the employee.

These most often include the Manager Check-In and Manager Referral services.

Manager Check-Ins are a service initiated by a leader who is concerned for the wellbeing of an employee. With the employee’s consent, an EAP Professional will contact them to assess their mental health needs and provide timely support.

Manager Referrals are a service that ensures timely, professional support to prevent harm and to manage the immediate psychological and emotional needs of an employee. This service is collaborative, and feedback is provided to the leader with employee consent.

Depending on your needs, our Senior Psychologist may also discuss other services, such as Psychological Fitness for Work, Supervision, and Wellbeing Checks.

Whether you are looking to prepare for a difficult conversation, wish to understand how to better support an employee with their mental health, are leading your team through change, or just concerned for your team’s resilience, our Senior Psychologists are here to help.

Call through and link in with support today.

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WORKPLACE COMPLAINTS

Emverio Workplace Complaints Emverio Workplace Complaints is the trusted corporate and business thirdparty partner that receives employee grievances and complaints. workplacecomplaint.com.au AUS 1300 454 574 NZ 0800 682 001

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Emverio Workplace Complaints (EWC) is a relatively new service by Emverio Workplace Solutions (a part of the Acacia Connections Group of companies) by way of demand from our clients.

EWC is the trusted corporate and business partner that receives employee grievances and complaints. We give companies and employees a safe and secure way to report and manage rogue behaviour.

Partnering with EWC will provide clarity, certainty, and confidence to both employees and employers. We are committed to empowering workplace relationships and promoting resilient, safe, and productive workplaces.

Engaging EWC ensures unlawful behaviour can be reported quickly and addressed before it attracts increasing costs through legal, insurance, and consultancy fees, as well as affects employee time, culture, productivity, reputation, and staff attraction and retention.

There are many reasons why employees don’t report unlawful behaviours.

They might also worry that the complaint isn’t serious enough, or that nothing will be done about it.

Evidence demonstrates if employees trust the reporting process, they are more likely to report unlawful behaviours. This gives the organisation a greater opportunity to intervene quickly.

Over the last quarter, EWC has continued to receive complaints from both member companies and the public. The most common complaint received continues to be wage-related, including incorrect payments.

Following closely behind are complaints relating to bullying, intimidation, discrimination, and harassment, such as being yelled at and jobs being threatened.

We have seen an increase in complaints related to health, particularly with regard to COVID. ‘Can a workplace require you to have a booster shot?’ is a question asked often.

The most featured industries continue to be food, beverage, and hotel manufacturing and retail; Healthcare and Residential Care Services; and Professional, Scientific Services, and Construction.

Free Webinar Join Anna Faoagali, Director of EWC, in this one hour webinar to gain insights into how to manage employee complaints. Anna will share with you the most effective techniques to respond to internal workplace conflicts and what the biggest mistakes employers make managing employee complaints.

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WORKPLACE COMPLAINTS

As EWC continues to gain momentum we have a number of clients engaging with us to receive specific complaints from their employees. These often relate to sexual harassment, bullying, and whistleblowing complaints. A company may put this in place as a risk mitigation process, or if they are in a male-dominated industry.

Companies that lack the expertise to implement a complaints line might also consider using EWC. With a legal background and a strong HR focus, EWC partners with our employers to receive employee complaints and provide innovative and bespoke solutions to the presenting issues. A case study includes a large corporate entity that had received a sexual harassment complaint.

After deep-diving into the complaint, it was discovered that there had been five similar complaints to five different HR partners.

Each disclosure requested the complaint remain confidential, and no further action was taken.

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After we discovered these, we were able to address the complaints, keep the identities anonymous, and address the systemic process issues so that rogue behaviour can be captured early in the future.

This was only possible by having an external partner.

In another case study, an employee reported potentially criminal conduct in a residential care facility. It was reported early by a concerned employee and investigated.

The respondent (person complained about) resigned, and the matter was reported to the police.

These strategies are initiated early and can mitigate any associated risk and costs associated with non-reporting.

Partnering with Emverio Workplace Complaints will provide you and your workplace a safe and secure working environment.

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Acacia

CONNECT CONTRIBUTORS Gabrielle Cramond Tender & Content Writer Acacia EAP Bess Brennan Director of Sales & Marketing The Acacia Group Rebecca Weiss Chief Executive Officer Acacia EAP Suzanne Osbourne Senior Psychologist Acacia EAP

Anna Faoagali Managing Director Emverio Workplace Solutions Shannon Ahern Group Manager, Health Safety and Wellbeing Redland City Council Riley Whyte EAP Professional Acacia EAP

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