The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) will host two therapeutic small groups over Zoom starting Tuesday for participants to reconcile with changes, growth and losses from the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The groups will meet for an hour every Tuesday for six weeks and are available to any faculty or staff member who signs up, said Amber Hunter-Crawford, group facilitator and EAP senior social worker. Spots are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and each group can accommodate 6-8 participants, Hunter-Crawford said. 
 
Those interested in joining the small groups can call 512-471-3366 or email [email protected] to participate.
 
“One piece of the pandemic is that it’s not over yet,” Hunter-Crawford said. “It’s still ongoing. This is a step to try to collectively begin to metabolize what we’ve been walking through.”
 
Around 20 people expressed interest in joining the program after receiving an email from the EAP, EAP HealthPoint director Susan Harnden said. There is currently no plan for additional groups, Harnden said.
 
“One of the biggest losses during the pandemic has been the severing of relationships,” Hunter-Crawford said. “An initial goal of the group is to (provide) a space for connection and go beyond the surface of ‘Oh, how are you?’ (to) ‘But really, how are you doing?’” 
 
Before joining the group, members complete a screening to ensure they are aware of the commitments and goals of the group, Hunter-Crawford said.
 
“I meet with the employee to check in with them about specifically what are their goals for the group, to make sure that it’s a good fit,” Hunter-Crawford said. “To answer any questions, to talk about any concerns that they may have, and to share some of the group norms about confidentiality and how the format of the group will work.”
 
American studies lecturer Kerry Knerr said the workshop serves as a first step to healing and offers a way to supplement the loss of community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
“Nothing can be enough while the pandemic is ongoing,” Knerr said. “It’s a good tool among many to address the situation.”
 
Additionally, the EAP is hosting a Zoom meeting to help employees through the process of grieving for COVID-19 losses on Friday, Harnden said. While up to 300 employees can sign up for the event through UTLearn, 221 seats were still available as of Wednesday. 
 
“When people have experienced losses, there haven’t been normal ways to connect,” Harnden said. “It’s a time for people to come together as a community to acknowledge the various types of losses.”