At the Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan (ASEBP), we know fall is a busy time of year for teachers. New routines, packed schedules and shifting responsibilities can make it difficult to prioritize mental health and well-being. When the demands of the classroom overlap with periods of change and uncertainty, it’s natural to feel stressed. Whether it’s navigating a new curriculum or managing disruptions, the start of the school year can leave even experienced educators feeling overwhelmed.
If you have benefits through ASEBP, the Employee and Family Assistance Program is available to help.
What is an employee and family assistance program (EFAP)?
An EFAP is a confidential, personalized program that helps you and your family navigate life’s challenges and achieve your goals.
An EFAP provides access to professional support through phone, video or in-person sessions. ASEBP-covered members and their dependents receive a yearly service allotment that includes the following:
- Four hours each of individual counselling and couples counselling
- Four hours each of health, career and life transition coaching
- Three hours of personalized nutrition support
- Unlimited financial and legal advice
The program also provides access to wellness resources, self-guided tools and specialized programs for nicotine and alcohol addiction, children’s mental health, Indigenous mental health and more.
Choose from a diverse network of care professionals and book a free 15-minute consultation to ensure you find the right practitioner for your needs. Once all counselling hours are used, you can continue with your chosen mental health professional at a rate lower than the national average and submit your receipts to ASEBP for reimbursement through the psychology benefit under your extended health benefits or your health spending account.
What are the benefits of an EFAP?
One of the most valued aspects of an EFAP is its flexibility. Access support in a way that fits your schedule and comfort level—whether it be a quick phone consultation during a break, a virtual counselling session after school or an in-person session with a local practitioner.
Wherever you are in your career or stage of life, an EFAP has something to offer. New teachers can access career counselling designed to help them navigate change and prevent burnout in their first year. Those starting or growing their families can connect with fertility specialists, doulas, lactation consultants and sleep consultants. Teachers preparing for retirement can benefit from life transition coaching and legal advice on managing wills and estate planning. An EFAP also provides unlimited access to financial advisors who can help with debt management, budgeting, taxes, retirement savings and more.
ASEBP’s EFAP is completely confidential, so you can access support without fear of stigma or professional repercussions.
Take care of you this fall
Fall is an excellent time to embrace new opportunities and learn more about the supports available to you throughout the entire year.
As you navigate the months ahead, remember that caring for yourself is just as important as caring for your students.
Learn more and get started at asebp.ca/efap
The Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan is an employee life and health trust providing comprehensive benefits to Alberta’s publicly funded K–12 education sector. Coverage includes extended health, dental, vision, life insurance and disability support. ASEBP also offers health and wellness spending accounts, an employee and family assistance program and continued retiree benefits through the MyRetiree Plan.
What’s your go-to wellness app?
Headspace. My school division pays for this app for its employees, and I use the sleepcasts almost every night during the school year to turn my brain off so I can actually fall asleep.
—Melanie Hunt-Girouard
The Calm app is great for sleep stories. A couple of years ago, they gave lifetime access to their pro account for educators.
—Crystal Brophy
Getting off an app and walking and connecting with nature.
—Robin Senger
Recommended resource
Tech for Teacher Wellness: Strategies for a Healthy Life and Sustainable Career
Meredith Masar Boullion
Educators are overwhelmed, and the stress of unprecedented challenges in education has caused many teachers to consider leaving the profession. Technology is often portrayed as part of the problem, with many believing that the best way to pursue wellness is to unplug and avoid digital tools altogether. Author Meredith Masar Boullion takes a different approach, showing that technology used wisely can promote wellness, rather than undermine it.
Available through the ATA library
