Monthly Wellness Newsletter
Month of December 2022 - Managing Holiday Stress
Coping with Holiday Stress
The holidays can be a joyous and relaxing time. It can also be a time that individuals experience the most stress. Family and friends, although supportive and helpful, can also be a source of stress during the holidays. There can also be financial stress when one is trying to buy gifts for loved ones.
Stress can take over your life. It can negatively affect your sleep and cause you to become agitated. This is particularly true when people are having difficulties at work and trying to find a balance between work and life. Interpersonal stress, lack of control, work demands, and lack of flexibility are some of the issues that can negatively affect you due to stress.
Helping Your Child Self-Regulate During the Holidays
I feel like there should be a warning for all parents around mid-November that reads: Caution. Self-regulation may be limited.
As the season’s shift and the store shelves begin to burst with the latest toys and flashy gadgets, kids dream of candy, Santa, and getting gifts for doing absolutely nothing.
That’s a lot of excitement to manage.
We feel it in ourselves – hurrying around, trying to get everything ready for the holidays – we’re running a little faster than normal.
Wellness Resources For Horizon Staff
Starting December 1, 2022, ASEBP’s EFAP services will be provided by Inkblot, a Canadian company aiming to create the world’s most accessible EFAP. Inkblot is built on a foundation of evidence-based approaches to employee wellness using the latest advances in research and innovative technology. They’re headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, with employees and clinicians working in cities, towns, and rural areas across Canada.
What This Means for You
Since we’re still a couple of months away from December, not much will change for you at this point. That said, there are a few things for you to keep in mind:
- If your employer offers access to our current EFAP with Homewood Health, then you will have access to the new EFAP with Inkblot. If you're unsure if your employer offers EFAP access, please visit the My Benefits page on My ASEBP, which lists all of the benefits you're currently enrolled in. Alternatively, you can contact an ASEBP benefit specialist to confirm your benefits.
- Homewood Health will continue to be your EFAP provider until November 30, 2022. So, if you find yourself in need of their services—whether you’re looking for short-term counselling, want to access some of their online resources through Homeweb, or seek advice through their LifeSmart program—please reach out to them to ensure you get the support you need right away.
- If you are currently participating in counselling or another EFAP program with Homewood Health, or plan on starting prior to November 30, you can continue to access these services, even if they will conclude after our contract ends on November 30, 2022. This means that if you start counselling by November 30, you’ll be able to continue on with the same counsellor/program with Homewood Health until your program completes.
To ensure you’re aware of key dates for the EFAP transition, we’ve created this handy infographic to help!
Your Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) provides free and confidential help, counselling and wellness supports for you and your family. These services are provided to you through an external provider, Inkblot. Reach out for online and over-the-phone assistance, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Wellness Resources for Parents and Families - You're Not Alone
Your child’s transition to adulthood may be stressful, full of uncertainty, and challenging, but remember you are not alone. Thousands of teens and parents go through this experience each year.
Here are some important things to think about:
- It is important to look after your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing
- Your child still needs you to give direction and encourage them
- Your family doctor, nurse practitioner, or employee assistance program may be able to connect you with support if you need it
- If you find yourself under too much stress, visit MyHealth Alberta to learn about Stress Management
- If you need help managing anxiety, check out the resources on Anxiety Canada
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