Employee Counselling Services: Specialist Workplace Therapy When It’s Needed Most
When an employee is struggling, the right support depends on what they’re going through.
Some situations call for a more specialist response: a more structured level of therapy, or counselling matched to a specific experience rather than a general approach.
Finding the right support for your employees
My Group’s employee counselling services provide a range of therapeutic support delivered by video, covering structured therapy at standard and high intensity, EMDR for trauma and PTSD, specialist counselling for cancer, bereavement, couples counselling, support around surgery, and post-incident trauma care.
These services are available on a pay-as-needed basis, which means employers can access the right level of support for a specific employee without taking on a company-wide monthly commitment.
How does this differ from an EAP?
An Employee Assistance Programme typically provides broad, short-term counselling support, usually at a general level suitable for low to moderate distress. That’s valuable, and it helps a lot of people. But it has limits.
My Group’s employee counselling services go further. They provide structured therapy at standard and high intensity levels, which means employees with more significant mental health needs can access a deeper level of support than a standard EAP provides. They also offer specialist pathways for specific situations that a general counselling service isn’t designed to address: trauma and PTSD, cancer diagnosis, bereavement, relationship difficulties and the psychological aspects of surgery.
For employers who already have an EAP in place, these services work alongside it. For those who don’t, they provide a structured counselling option that can sit alongside other wellbeing support
What employee counselling services does My Group offer?
All services are delivered by video, by appropriately qualified therapists and counsellors. Appointments are up to 50 minutes. Employees book a time that suits them, and all sessions are confidential.
Structured Therapy: Standard and High Intensity
One-to-one video therapy for employees who need structured mental health support.
Standard therapy is appropriate for employees experiencing low to moderate distress, and may include guided self-help, practical problem-solving support and low-intensity therapeutic approaches. High intensity therapy provides a deeper level of support for employees experiencing more significant mental health difficulties, including moderate depression, anxiety or presentations that need more structured therapeutic input.
The appropriate level of support is determined by the therapist based on the individual’s presentation. My Group’s team can advise on the referral process.
EMDR Therapy for Trauma and PTSD
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a specialist therapy used to support people experiencing symptoms linked to trauma and PTSD.
It helps people process distressing experiences and reduce the impact those experiences have on everyday life.
This service is particularly relevant for frontline organisations, emergency services, healthcare, transport, social care and other roles where employees may not regularly encounter, but can be exposed to, distressing events. It is specialist trauma support, not general counselling, and is delivered by appropriately trained clinicians.
Cancer Counselling
A diagnosis of cancer changes everything.
Specialist cancer counselling provides a confidential space for employees who have received a diagnosis, are going through treatment, or are returning to work after treatment, to talk about what they are experiencing with someone who understands.
For HR teams and managers, having a clear route to specialist support means they don’t have to navigate this alone either. Knowing there is somewhere appropriate to refer an employee at a difficult time makes a real difference to how supported everyone feels.
Bereavement Counselling
Grief is one of the most profound experiences a person can go through, and it doesn’t follow a schedule.
Bereavement counselling provides confidential one-to-one support for employees dealing with loss, giving them a space to process what they are going through at their own pace, with a qualified counsellor.
For employers, providing access to bereavement support is a practical and compassionate response to a difficult situation. It gives managers something they can offer, rather than leaving them uncertain about how to help.
Couples Counselling
Relationship difficulties don’t stay outside the workplace. When an employee is going through a significant relationship challenge, the effect on their concentration, emotional resilience and day-to-day functioning can be considerable.
Couples counselling provides a confidential space for two people to work through difficulties with the support of a trained counsellor.
This service sits within the broader counselling offer as a route available to employees whose wellbeing is being affected by relationship difficulties, rather than as a standalone employer-funded relationship service.
Pre and Post-Surgery Counselling
Surgery, particularly major or complex surgery, can bring significant psychological challenges alongside the physical ones.
Anxiety in the lead-up to a procedure, uncertainty about outcomes, and the emotional process of recovery and adjustment are all things that a trained counsellor can help an employee navigate.
Pre-surgery counselling helps employees feel as mentally prepared as possible before a procedure. Post-surgery counselling supports recovery, adjustment to any physical changes, and the return to normal life. Having somewhere appropriate to refer an employee who is facing surgery means they don’t have to navigate that experience alone, and helps to ensure a better outcome for the employee in themselves and in terms of being able to return to the working environment.
Post-Incident Trauma Support
When a serious workplace incident occurs, the people involved may need more than a general support line.
Post-incident trauma support provides a structured, timely therapeutic response for employees who have experienced or witnessed a distressing event at work.
This service is particularly relevant for sectors with higher exposure to traumatic events, including emergency services, healthcare, transport, security and social care.
How do My Group’s employee counselling services work?
Services are available on a pay-as-needed basis. Employers don’t commit to a company-wide monthly fee. They access support when a specific employee needs it. New clients start with a small initial block of sessions, which means support can begin quickly once the service is set up, without delays for invoicing.
Referrals can be made by HR or management, or employees can self-refer where an employee list has been provided. My Group’s team handles the referral process and can advise on which route works best for your organisation.
All sessions are confidential. Regardless of how an employee was referred into the service, employers receive no information about the content of individual sessions.
Tax treatment of employer-funded counselling
HMRC provides a welfare counselling exemption that covers many forms of employer-funded counselling, including support for bereavement, relationship difficulties, stress and other personal welfare issues.
Where the exemption applies, the counselling benefit is free of income tax and National Insurance for the employee, provided the service is available to employees generally rather than to a specific group. The exemption does not cover financial or tax advice.
We’d always recommend taking specific advice from your accountant or HR legal adviser on the tax treatment of any counselling benefit you provide, as individual circumstances vary.
Want to give your people access to the right level of support?
My Group’s team can talk through which services would be most relevant for your workforce, explain how the referral process works, and help you get the right support in place quickly. Whether you’re supplementing an existing EAP or building a counselling offer from scratch, we’d be happy to help.
Frequently Asked Questions
Employee counselling is a confidential therapeutic support service that employers provide for their people. It gives employees access to qualified therapists and counsellors to help them work through personal or work-related difficulties. My Group’s employee counselling services go beyond general EAP counselling to include structured therapy at standard and high intensity, plus specialist pathways for trauma, cancer, bereavement, couples and surgical support.
An EAP typically provides broad, short-term counselling support at a general level. My Group’s employee counselling services provide structured therapy at standard and high intensity levels, alongside specialist pathways for specific situations including trauma, PTSD, cancer, bereavement and surgical support. They are designed for employees who need more depth or specialism than a standard EAP counselling offer provides.
Yes, completely. Whether an employee accesses the service through a referral from HR or management, or through self-referral, the content of their sessions is confidential. Employers receive no information about individual sessions or what is discussed.
Referrals can be made by HR or management using a referral form, or employees can self-refer where an employee list has been provided. Once a referral is made, the employee books a video appointment at a time that suits them. My Group’s team can advise on which access route works best for your organisation.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a specialist therapy used to help people process and recover from trauma and PTSD. It is an evidence-based approach delivered by trained clinicians and is distinct from general counselling. It is particularly relevant for employees in roles where they may not regularly, but can be exposed to, traumatic or distressing situations.
Employers don’t commit to a company-wide monthly fee. Instead, support is accessed when a specific employee needs it. New clients start with a small initial block of sessions so that support can begin quickly without administrative delay. Further sessions are purchased in blocks as needed. My Group’s team can explain the full pricing structure and session block options.
Yes. My Group’s employee counselling services are designed to complement an existing EAP by providing a deeper or more specialist level of support when needed. Where an employee’s needs go beyond what the EAP provides, these services offer a structured route to appropriate therapeutic support.
No ongoing monthly commitment is required. The pay-as-needed model means employers only access and pay for sessions when a specific need arises. A formal agreement must be in place before the service goes live, and an initial session block is required to start. My Group’s team can walk you through what this involves.