My experience with the CGI Member Assistance Program (MAP)
I’m sitting at my laptop staring at the phone number on my screen, my heart racing. I can’t imagine anything worse than having to pick up the phone and call someone — anyone —much less calling someone about getting help. Not wanting to make calls is part of my social anxiety, so having to call someone to get help for anxiety seems like a cruel joke.
After sitting there for several minutes, unable to make myself dial the numbers, I chicken out. I notice there’s an option to text instead. Still nervous but feeling more comfortable with the idea of texting, I finally muster up the courage to text the number. I quickly receive a text reply asking what I’m looking to get help on. I respond that I’m looking to get more information on available counseling services. I’m informed about my options and that if I want to start counseling, I need to call into the number to complete an assessment.
Ugh. So there I am back to having to pick up the phone and call someone. For a time longer than I’d like to admit, I’m still staring at the phone number, wishing I didn’t have to call. Finally, I make myself dial the numbers and press the call button, my heart still racing. I can do this.
I’m quickly connected with a client care representative who asks how I’m doing and what I’m looking for. After explaining I’m looking to find out more information about counseling, she lets me know I have access to five free counseling sessions in-person or over-the-phone. I just have to complete an assessment, which consists of her asking me a series of questions over the phone. We go through the questions, and when we’re finished, she lets me know a counselor in my area will be in touch with me to schedule an appointment.
Once I hang up the phone, I breathe a big sigh of relief. That wasn’t too hard after all. Fifteen minutes of my time, and a counselor would be in touch with me in the next two business days. One of the biggest reasons I had put off in-person counseling was because I didn’t know how to find a counselor. Every time I started to look for counselors, I’d get overwhelmed with trying to figure out who accepted my insurance and who was within driving distance. Trying to get help for anxiety was giving me anxiety. That’s why having the CGI Member Assistance Program (MAP) find me a counselor made all the difference in finally getting help.
Another one of my big concerns about pursuing counseling was the cost. I had previously done online counseling that was pretty expensive, so I was wary of the cost of getting in-person help. Being able to get five counseling sessions for free made the decision easy for me to try it out. If I didn’t like it or it didn’t work out, it was no big deal since I hadn’t paid anything for it.
When I went to my first in-person counseling appointment, the counselor wasn’t the right fit for me, so I called MAP and they found me another counselor right away. The new counselor worked out great, and I’m currently still seeing her on a regular basis for my anxiety.
Asking for help isn’t easy, but with MAP, getting help couldn’t have been easier once I got the courage to pick up the phone and call. MAP helped me make my mental health a priority and commit to going to counseling on a regular basis, which I have found to be extremely helpful in dealing with my anxiety.
When I first had the thought of reaching out to MAP, I wasn’t sure if I should. I had always thought MAP was just for “crisis situations,” you know if you were going through real trauma, like the death of a family member or domestic abuse. What I was dealing with didn’t seem drastic enough to warrant calling MAP. So what if I was experiencing a lot of days where I couldn’t get out of bed? So what if I was having panic attacks so bad I could barely breathe? In my mind, it wasn’t that bad.
In retrospect, it kind of was that bad. I definitely did the right thing by calling MAP. But no matter what your situation is, even if you don’t think it’s that bad, it’s okay to ask for help. You don’t have to be in a crisis situation to pursue counseling. Being able to talk to someone on a regular basis is great for anyone’s mental health, even if you don’t have a mental health disorder.
I think I have always had a stigma attached to the CGI Member Assistance Program, like thank goodness I don’t need that. But I want to work to remove that stigma. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help. In fact, it’s brave. I’m proud of myself for picking up the phone and making that call. I hope I can inspire one person who needs it to pick up the phone and take the first step toward recovery.
CGI’s Member Assistance Program (MAP) offers members and their families consultation, psychological counseling and support services to help them through personal or professional challenges. All services are free and strictly confidential.
