Blog

By Chelsie Batterman, T-LMLP  Well, it’s that time of the year. The time for gratitude and good cheer. The time for joy, shopping, parties, and people. The time for eating, drinking, and merriment. But for many of us, the most wonderful time of the year becomes the loneliest. Despite ongoing opportunities for celebration, we may feel least connected to others during the holiday season. Maybe this is because seasonal optimism compels us to face the reality of unfulfilling relationships or reminds us of those who are no longer with us. Maybe it’s the weather, or maybe it’s the prospect of [...]

By Bridgette Miller, MS, LCMFT, LBSW We think happiness comes from meeting other people's expectations, but really it comes from creating our own.  There are many misconceptions about what happiness is, such as feeling joyful all the time. Life has highs and lows, and so happiness will fluctuate. When you find meaning and purpose within your life, you create happiness, as well as having different experiences where we can feel “psychologically rich.” Unfortunately, society’s expectations/views are not always realistic and can unduly influence us. Happiness has no boundaries or limits and thus can look vastly different and consistently change. [...]

By Heather Weaver The stigma of men’s mental health When I read the first paragraph of the recent article, “A Silent Crisis - The Unpacking of Men’s Mental Health in America,” it gave me an immediate feeling of uneasiness and despair. Learning that 75% of all suicide victims in the United States are men, and the leading cause of death among men is the entanglement of depression and suicide.  Sadly, from my perspective, there has always been a stigma around mental health, especially for men. I’ve heard phrases such as, “I don’t want to be weak.” or “I’m fine.” [...]

By Dabria VanGieson, LCMFT, RPT, Clinical Manager SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION.  Three words that immediately get our attention.  But overall, not only is it hard to acknowledge the facts when it comes to sexual assault - but I think the tendency is for most of us to try and put it out of our minds entirely since it’s unpleasant to think about and often even more uncomfortable to talk about.  Statistics show us that most sexual assaults happen the first time between the ages of 11-17 years old; so in theory, our focus should really be on sexual assault [...]

School districts have resumed in-person learning and children can now enjoy being with their teachers and interacting with their classmates, rather than navigating their way through remote learning or from a hybrid route. “With all these changes, it is important that parents, family members, teachers, coaches, and other mentors educate themselves,” Lea Aunins, empac Account Manager shares. “Check in with and respond to children who have experienced an increase in stress and anxiety and possibly the absence of safety and security previously known to them.” An article written by the U.S. Department of Education, titled, “Tips for Helping Students [...]

The Great Resignation is continuing with no real sign of letting up. While many point to the COIVD-19 pandemic as the cause of the Great Resignation, there's plenty of evidence to suggest that this has been brewing long before the pandemic began. In 2017, former staff writer Bourree Lam wrote in the Atlantic that more and more Americans believe that hard work did not, in fact, actually pay off. That's not just a trend in America, though. The 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer shows people worldwide are starting to believe that hard work will no longer pay off for [...]

It's OK to not be OK. And it's OK to ask for help. These are two messages empac emphasizes when working with Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office employees and other law enforcement officers and first responders. "Empac has started to have a cultural change in our organization," Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter says. Counseling from empac's licensed and certified staff is helping employees at the Sheriff's Office open up. "To get law enforcement to open up is very difficult," Easter said. "The therapists at empac have been able to build that trust." Sheriff's employees "have to thrive in everything they are [...]

Compassion. Confidentiality. Caring. Those are the words Logan Woodbridge uses to describe the staff at empac.  “Empac is really good about just making you feel safe and making you feel like an actual friend who listens to you, and they actually care about what is going on in your personal life,” says Logan.  When serving at INTRUST Bank, Logan worked as empac’s account manager. He was impressed with their desire to help people. With the challenges and stress of COVID-19, empac has been an even more invaluable partner, and knowing that empac is available to help INTRUST Bank employees with [...]

Getting your employees the resources they need to be healthy and thrive is more critical now than ever. “We’re living in what they call a ‘turnover tsunami,’ and talent is one of our most precious resources,” says Bryan Herwig. In his role as Director of Organizational Development at Vortex Global, Bryan says partnering with empac has been transformational. It’s been a true blessing to have the resource available to not only the employees but also the company leaders, Bryan says.  “In my role, I’m responsible for improving productivity and developing people and the culture at Vortex,” he says, “When I [...]

Law enforcement officers and first responders see a lot of trauma in their jobs that inevitably follows them home. Empac works with Wichita Police Department officers to help them better manage their stress. “Our local, non-profit employee assistance program, empac, is an excellent tool for the department,” says Officer Donielle Watson. Our employee assistance program services help law enforcement officers stay on top of their mental health. “It’s extremely critical because of the amount of trauma we see on a day-to-day basis,” Watson says. “Every officer is impacted. It’s important to take care of our own mental health so we [...]

Much like empac, the Greater Wichita YMCA is focused on wellness — people’s spirits, minds, and bodies. That synergy is why our experts are a great fit for the YMCA.  Brandy Weber serves as the Associate Vice President of Human Resources at the Greater Wichita YMCA. Empac's licensed and certified experts are helping YMCA employees thrive, just as their employees help their members thrive.  Empac helps “us serve the spirit and the mind,” Brandy says. “Empac is a service we use with our employees and our families. Any time we have an employee struggling in any way, we can offer [...]

For 40 years empac has been driven by a simple premise: we believe healthy, well-balanced employees and families make thriving companies and strong communities. Along with that, we are excited to announce the updating of our company logo to better reflect who we are today and where we are going in the future. Our new, dynamic look embodies the word “thrive” by demonstrating how growth is empowering. The color represents trust, loyalty, confidence, and stability. You will see the new look rolled out across all of our platforms. We will continue to serve clients with the exceptional service you have [...]