Crisis counseling now part of Jewelers Mutual coverage

Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company announced Wednesday that it is partnering with an employee assistance program provider to offer crisis counseling to jewelers in the wake of traumatic events, such as a robbery or natural disaster. 

Called the “Reli(e)ve” program and offered in partnership with Ceridian LifeWorks, the benefit is available to a jewelry business’s employees and their family members following a traumatic event that resulted in a Jewelers Mutual insurance claim. 

It is included with Jewelers Mutual insurance coverage. The services include 24/7 telephone access to LifeWorks’ master’s-level counselors, face-to-face sessions with a qualified local counseling professional and, when needed, on-site crisis support with both one-on-one and group counseling sessions. 

The program is called Reli(e)ve because it is designed to help victims deal with trauma so they don’t have to relive it and, instead, can relieve the stress and burden of the memories. 

“We’re experts in jewelry insurance, but we’re not counselors,” said Jewelers Mutual CEO Darwin Copeman. “That’s why we looked to a highly experienced, well-respected and nationally connected company to help us help our members. I’m so thankful we are able to extend this service with Ceridian LifeWorks to our policyholders in times of need.” 

Ceridian LifeWorks is a provider of employee assistance programs, work-life, wellness and crisis support services in the United States and Canada. It serves 48,000 organizations of various sizes, a total of 35 million people, across a broad range of industries. LifeWorks has 3,300 fully credentialed and contracted critical incident support providers and an additional 3,000 that can be enlisted on a case-by-case basis. 

In a news release announcing its partnership with Jewelers Mutual, Joseph Utecht, LifeWorks manager of crisis response, said sometimes individuals are struggling with psychological injury from an incident without realizing it. 

Signs that an individual could be having difficulty recovering from psychological trauma include: 

-- Vivid and frequent flashbacks

-- A pervasive change in personality or demeanor 

-- Dramatic emotional swings

-- Anxiety or paranoia

-- Insomnia or fitful sleep

-- Depression 

-- Heightened feelings of stress

Utecht said any or all of the above can be normal responses to trauma but if the intensity is too great or the condition persists, there could be a problem. He said traumatized individuals should seek the services of a well-credentialed professional counselor at the first signs of an emotional or psychological struggle. 

More information about Reli(e)ve is available on the Jewelers Mutual website.