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Employee Assistance Program

SupportLinc is Northwestern's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider. The EAP is available to faculty, staff and household members and provides 24/7/365 free and confidential access to a variety of mental health and well-being services and resources, including short-term counseling. Learn more.

Services & Resources

Care Advocate

  • Reach a licensed Care Advocate clinician directly by phone 24/7/365 to address concerns such as work-related pressures, depression, stress, anxiety, relationship problems, substance abuse and more.
  • The Care Advocate will provide you with in-the-moment support and share tools and resources.
  • If needed, the Care Advocate may also recommend short-term counseling and can help schedule your first appointment.
  • You will work with the same Care Advocate throughout your entire care experience.

Short-term Counseling

  • You can access up to 10 free and confidential counseling sessions per life issue that arises.
  • Sessions can be in-person or virtual using video on a desktop computer or a mobile device.
  • Access a diverse and multilingual provider network.

Textcoach Text Therapy

  • Exchange text messages, voicenotes and resources Monday – Friday with a licensed counselor for up to 10 weeks per issue.
  • Access Textcoach on a desktop computer or via the eConnect® mobile app.
    • When creating your eConnect® account, enter one-time group code: northwestern
  • There are no appointments or wait times.

Virtual Support Connect Group Therapy

  • Moderated anonymous group support sessions facilitated by counselors and subject matter experts on a variety of topics to help strengthen your emotional fitness.
  • Topics include:
    • Avoiding addiction
    • Caregiver support
    • Coping with stress
    • Grief
    • Mindfulness
    • Preventing burnout
    • Self care
    • Sleep fitness

Animo Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

  • Animo is a digital behavioral health platform that provides tools to help you address stress, depression, anxiety and general emotional fitness in a safe and secure self-guided environment.
  • Complete a brief emotional fitness survey and then choose one of the suggested modules.
  • Each module has five short competency-building sessions that include a combination of videos, audio lessons and coursework designed to help you foster meaningful and lasting behavior change.

Financial Consultations

  • Consultants are available Monday–Friday and by appointment on Saturday.
  • Covers a wide range of financial topics.
  • Access to referral resources, calculators and other financial tools online.

Legal Consultations

  • 30-minute phone or in-person consultations per issue that arises.
  • Available in all 50 states.
  • Access to articles, DIY forms, tips sheets and other legal resources online.

Identity Theft Recovery Assistance

  • Consultation and tailored action plan

Manager Consultations

  • Confidential coaching to help address difficult situations -- such as work performance, attendance problems, workplace violence, substance abuse, and other related topics -- as well as guidance for supporting an employee in need.

Work/Life Trainings

  • Schools, units, departments and staff affinity groups can request up to two in-person or virtual 45-minute SupportLinc work/life trainings, as bank of available hours allows.
  • Training categories include:
    • Personal growth
    • Reducing risk and liability
    • Supervisor and employee development
    • Management trainings (for managers only)
  • Learn more, including how to request a training.

How to Access

           econnect mobile app qr code

About the EAP

Who can use the Employee Assistance Program?

Any faculty or staff and their household members. This includes children age 1+, dependents up to age 26 living in or outside of the household, other household family members and roommates.

Are these services confidential?

All services are confidential in accordance with applicable laws. The university receives program usage data in aggregate. No identifying information is provided.

Who pays?

The University assumes all costs for all faculty and staff and their household member to use the Employee Assistance Program. If you need additional assistance, referrals by SupportLinc will take into account your preferences, medical plan and financial circumstances.

 

Contact wellbeing@northwestern.edu with questions.