Colleen terrell Talks Crosswinds Corporate Counseling

This video segment is from Restoring Hope, a TV series hosted on WHMB40 and serving the Indianapolis area. Crosswinds Counseling offers counseling services throughout Indiana.

Curtis: Tonight we want to talk about the Corporate Counseling program. Joining us to tell more about it is Colleen Terrell, the Director of Business Development for Crosswinds. Colleen, thanks for being here tonight.

Colleen: Thanks, Curtis.

Curtis: Tell us a little bit about Corporate Counseling. How does it work in the Crosswinds Counseling world?

Colleen: So, originally we tried to create this program for companies that would allow their employees who were struggling with all kinds of issues, whether at home or at work, to be more successful. So we came up with this program where they could access five sessions of counseling at no cost to the employee for themselves and anybody in their home. What we found was this allowed the business owners to get back to doing what they do well. It allowed it to be a resource to them that they could offer their employees when their [employees were] struggling. They could reach out for help. 

Curtis: Right now in our world this seems more important than ever. I assume just like we’re seeing across the entire spectrum, the need for these services has risen incredibly through the pandemic. Is that correct?

Colleen: Oh, absolutely. We’re seeing burnout, job burnout, stress, anxiety, depression. Obviously, addictions we already know are on the rise. Marriages [struggling]. So I think anybody who had maybe an area in their life they were struggling with, it’s kind of amplified.

Curtis: One of the things that strikes me about it too is employers really have to do things that differentiate themselves from other employers because the job market is so strange right now. It’s so hard to get people and to retain them. So when you have a program like Corporate Counseling from Crosswinds Counseling, it really does serve as a recruiting tool, but it also helps retention I would assume.

Colleen: Yes, so our original partners that we’d started with over four years ago – they found that they had increased retention by 10% which was huge because year after year it was lower and lower and lower. They were so thrilled with it. And you’re exactly right. It is a great recruiting tool – even for our own company who uses Corporate Counseling.

Curtis: If you can increase retention even by 5% or 10%, that just saves so much money. So much time for an organization. Tell me this Colleen. What is it about the way Crosswinds does Corporate Counseling that is different? What it is that separates Crosswinds from other EAP programs that you may hear about?

Colleen: Probably the biggest way we’re different is that when you reach out to get counseling with an EAP, you get a list of numbers to call. When you reach out with Crosswinds Corporate Counseling, you get Crosswinds’ counselors. Right away we help schedule you and we help work with you to see a counselor. We know how much courage it takes to make that first phone call and so if you’re making that first phone call or you’re reaching out via our website and you’re getting a list of more work to do, you’re less apt to keep going because you already at a time where you might be discouraged. The fact that we have warm caring people that are there ready to help you and there’s nothing else you have to do, makes it so much easier to get started.

Curtis: And I love the part that it’s not just for the employee, but for the employee’s family which fits perfectly in the model of Crosswinds caring about people. Caring about family. Taking care of family is so important to Crosswinds and to be able to do it that way is just incredible.

Colleen: Oh, absolutely. And a lot of counseling organizations don’t work with children and teens and we love working with children and teens and adults. You’re exactly right. We believe that the whole family needs to be healthy to be successful.

Curtis: Right. Let’s talk about how people can get engaged with Crosswinds. If someone’s out there and they’re a business owner or a decision-maker for an organization and they know that they need this kind of service, but haven’t been sure about how to go about that. How can people connect with Crosswinds to investigate if Corporate Counseling is right for them?

Colleen: Yeah, I would just reach out to crosswindscounseling.org/ccc. That would be the best way and on there are all kinds of resources and all kinds of information so you can learn more and you can also give us your information, and we can reach out to tell you more.

Curtis: And Colleen, last thing. Tell me about some of the successes you’ve seen with organizations here in Indianapolis. I know we have a growing list of Corporate Partners in Indianapolis. What does the feedback look like from them? Besides retention, what are they telling you is happening on a heart level as they dive into Corporate Counseling.

Colleen: The thing about Corporate Counseling is it’s completely confidential. The employers don’t know who’s being seen which is so important, but what I love is that we’ve already had employers get back to us and say ‘we had somebody come up and tell us how much love their counselor and what a difference it’s making for them.’ Just to already hear that kind of feedback and to know that they’re starting to tell their other co-workers that ‘oh you should reach out to Crosswinds Counseling, I have a counselor and I love them.’

Curtis: That is awesome. crosswindscounseling.org is the spot to go to find a counselor or if you are looking for Corporate Counseling. A great service there as well. Colleen, thank you so much for joining us tonight on Restoring Hope.

Colleen: Thank you.

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