Interview with APA member Lisa Laughman (Davidson)
Employee Assistance Program Counselor | Emotional Wellness Consultant Health4U
How long have you been at MSU?
I came to campus in 1990 to pursue my Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work. In 1991 I took my first MSU job in the Department of Student Life.  I was the Coordinator of a grant funded alcohol education program called Project Impact. That grant ended in 1993, and I left campus and became a substance abuse counselor and then later an employee assistance counselor in the local community. In 2003 the opportunity presented itself for me to return to MSU as the Coordinator of the Employee Assistance Program.
Have you been a member of APA the whole time?
No. I have been a member of both the APA and APSA unions.
Can you tell me a little bit about what you do?
I currently serve two roles on campus. First and foremost I am one of two MSU Employee Assistance Program counselors. We provide confidential, short term, solution focused counseling to faculty, staff, graduate student employees and their spouse/partners and other benefits eligible family members. This counseling is provided at no direct cost to the employee.
I also serve as an emotional wellness consultant for the Health4U program. In this role I provide stress reduction trainings, healthy relationship and emotional wellness classes. I also get to go out to departments and provide emotional health and stress reduction training on site as part of staff development retreats.  These departmental services programs give us an opportunity to improve individual health and help create healthier work team climates at the same time.
I also facilitate the Breaking Free From Stress Class which is offered in partnership with Human Resource Development.  This class has been offered at least once a semester since January 2004. Our vital partnership with HRD has led to hundreds of MSU employees having access to comprehensive stress reduction education.
What do you love about working at MSU?
I have the honor of standing with people when they are having their “red hot moment†and help them know they are not alone. This work is incredibly meaningful and I’m honored that people trust me with their emotions and their stories. That I can create a safe place for people to come and say whatever it is they need to say about whatever it is they are experiencing. That’s extremely heart-felt work.
Many people don’t realize their own worthiness, strength, resiliency, and capacity to move through hard things with wisdom and grace. So I get to remind people of that. People transform and move through all different kinds of things when at first, they think that circumstance is going to beat them, that they’ll never be able to feel better or make a necessary change. I get to watch them surprise themselves and transcend their circumstances. It is exciting to see that happen so often, if gives me confidence that all people have great capacity for mental health and well-being.
I also love being a stress reduction coach, teaching people how to have a different relationship with their current life circumstances as well as their own emotions. I find great meaning and purpose in helping folks have less stress and more joy in their day to day life. Helping someone increase their psychologically flexibility, helping them be more personally and professionally effective, while at the same time helping them protect and enhance their physical and emotional health, now that’s a reason to get out of bed in the morning and come to work.
What are the challenges of your position on campus?
I think the main challenge is that so many people are still not aware that we exist, or aware of the full range of counseling and health promotion services that are available to them as part of their employment benefit.  I hope everyone who reads this will take the opportunity to visit our websites, learn about our programs, and sign up for our on line health promotion services
What do you like to do when you are not at work?
Well, I have three incredibly amazing kids.  When I’m not at my MSU job, my life is largely consumed with all it takes to single parent three teenagers and take care of our dog. I also love spending quality time with my girlfriend, being outdoors in beautiful places like Saugatuck, and teaching my Wisdom Heart classes through my private business Lakeside Consulting, Inc.
I’m a really lucky person, I have found my calling (counseling and teaching about emotional wellness), and so often times my work feels like my hobby.  I feel inspired by the people I serve and the learning we do together.