Resource Articles

Re-entry back into the workplace after parental leave is challenging. Natalie Dodd, LCSW, of Vanderbilt Work/Life Connections-EAP share her personal post-partum experience with returning to work and support for others going through the same situation.

Uncertain times and disagreements on many hot topics can become very polarizing, which leads to a negative impact on our mental health and well-being. Work/Life Connections-EAP offers ways in which we can commit to being more civil in our interactions with others to create a more beneficial environment.

There’s nothing like warmer weather and longer days to put a smile on your face! Summer is getting closer, and more people will start getting outside to soak up the sun. Being in nature decreases feelings of negative emotions. Work/Life Connections-EAP offers a few ways in which you can take advantage of the warmer weather to improve your mental health.

The adage “April showers bring May flowers” reminds us that there can be growth and beauty even in difficult times. Our mental well-being has also been especially challenged the past few years, but we have learned to be patient and resilient. Work/Life Connections-EAP Manager Jim Kendall, LCSW, CEAP, shares ways to help find comfort in stormy times.

I was working from home just down the street from my first grader’s school and 3 miles from my 5-year-old’s preschool. I started throwing on my shoes as I called my daughters’ dad in a panic for more information – Google couldn’t move fast enough for me. When he confirmed it was NOT one of our schools, a wave of emotion washed over me so swiftly that I bent over double at the waist, let my head hang between my knees, and sobbed. Those tears held so much, a mixture of feelings I have struggled to put into words.

Three years ago, on March 5,2020, the Tennessee Department of Health received its first positive test results for a case of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus in Tennessee. It was a time of fear and anxiety for many, especially our front-line healthcare professionals. Though we have made many strides in combating the disease, we still feel the effects. Work/Life Connections-EAP offers tips on how to enhance your well-being in our current stage of COVID-19.

What do successful relationships look like? One quality of long-lasting relationships is the presence of good boundaries. Even people who know about the importance of setting boundaries get caught up in the excitement of new relationships and forget to set limits. Work/Life Connections-EAP offers some helpful tips on creating healthy boundaries.

Sleep is one of the most fundamental aspects of health and well-being, but it’s often the most neglected. Between work demands, family demands, and social interactions, sleep takes a back seat to other priorities. Natalie Dodd, LCSW, of Work/Life Connections-EAP offers helpful tips to better your sleep.

The phenomenon of “Dry January” helps people “reset” their use of alcohol and evaluate the role it plays in their lives by taking a month vacation from the use of alcohol. Work/Life Connections-EAP gives information regarding the effects of alcohol abuse.

Impostor Syndrome (IS) is described as the struggle to accept one’s own success. Someone who experiences IS will think their success is undeserved, despite their effort and skills. Dr. Adriana Kipper-Smith of Work/Life Connections-EAP offers advice on how to reframe your thinking to combat IS.