I made a big mistake in how I handled a customer, and knew it was going to be a big deal. I've been fired before, so my anxiety over it was high enough that I wasn't sure I could handle the necessary meetings in a way that would indicate that I knew it wasn't the right way to handle things, without minimizing the reasons for the frustration leaking through. 

Being able to reach out to someone who could help untangle the situation with a work emphasis, and with workplace experience behind them so that I didn't have to explain why my boss cares about this, was so helpful.

And connecting without having to take time off, so that I was ready for the conversation, instead of trying to recover from it, was totally invaluable.  

How did talking with a peer counselor help?

After talking with a peer counselor, I felt more confident and sure, and handled the conversation I needed to have with my boss in a proactive and professional manner that helped to rescue my reputation with him. I was able to talk to the customer and get him settled and repair that relationship well enough to work with him, while still drawing boundaries that protect that ability to handle him professionally. 

Everyone has tough days at work. And the workplace is so different, the pressures and social stuff is all different from the rest of my life. 

Aside from Empower Work, the usual solution is to change jobs, which causes a lot of damage to the rest of my life, and adds a lot of stress. 

Being able to talk a problem and potential options through with a supportive counselor helped me handle the situation in such a way that I didn't feel like I needed to leave. And texting 510-674-1414 was fantastic. It made it super useful because I didn’t have to leave work to get the support and help I needed.

What would you tell someone about using Empower Work?

I've actually told several people to reach out! The counselors are super supportive and can offer helpful and practical advice based on understanding how work culture is different and how different those relationships are than non-working ones. They are also really great at helping you set up and analyze work situations to best advantage for you!