AllOne Health released a new multi-year analysis of more than 100,000 real-world Employee Assistance Program (EAP) counseling cases that delivers a clear message for employers: brief, human-led counseling within a whole health EAP consistently resolves employee challenges—often in under one month—across ages, industries, and issue types.
What the Data Shows: Brief Counseling Works—and Works Quickly
Across more than 100,000 counseling cases, EAP support proved both efficient and effective:
- Average sessions per case: 3.4
- Median duration: under 30 days
- One-third of cases resolved within one month
- Nearly two-thirds resolved within eight weeks
These outcomes were remarkably consistent regardless of employee age, employer size, industry, or presenting concern. Whether employees sought help for anxiety, depression, relationship challenges, work stress, grief, caregiving strain, or substance-related issues, brief counseling delivered timely resolution.
This consistency highlights a defining strength of whole health EAPs: licensed clinicians trained in short-term solution-focused intervention operating within a coordinated system of care. Digital-only platforms, while convenient, often lack the clinical depth and flexibility required to resolve real-world problems quickly.
“Measuring EAP trends and impact is essential to delivering outcomes-driven care,” said Keith Wasley, President and CEO of AllOne Health. “These insights help us continually improve our programs, innovate with purpose, and ensure our services align with what employees and organizations actually need.”
Employees Need More Than Mental Health Apps
While mental health concerns accounted for the largest single category of EAP use (about 45%), more than half of all cases were driven by non-clinical but high-impact life and work issues, including:
- Relationship and family challenges
- Personal life stress and caregiving demands
- Workplace conflict and performance concerns
- Financial and situational stressors
Employee distress rarely fits neatly into diagnostic categories. Instead, it reflects the intersection of work, life, relationships, and emotional well-being. This study reinforces that effective support must address the whole person, not just symptoms.
“These findings provide strong empirical support for the evolution of EAPs into integrated, whole-health models,” said Dr. Mark Attridge, lead author of the study. “When employees have access to licensed clinicians, immediate human support, and coordinated services beyond counseling alone, outcomes improve because care aligns with how people actually experience stress and adversity.”
Digital-only EAPs, designed primarily around self-guided tools or narrow-use cases, are structurally limited in their ability to address this full range of needs.
Multiple Modalities Matter—and Employees Use Them All
The study also underscores the importance of choice in how care is delivered. Employees actively used all major counseling modalities:
- 46% online video
- 38% in-person
- 16% telephone
Even after the pandemic, in-person counseling rebounded strongly, demonstrating sustained demand for face-to-face care. Telephone counseling proved particularly effective for older employees and for shorter, focused episodes of support.
Whole health EAPs maximize engagement by offering multiple access points—in-person, video, phone, and immediate in-the-moment clinical support—so employees can choose what works best for them. Digital-only models, by contrast, often limit modality choice, reducing engagement and effectiveness.
Whole Health EAPs Deliver What Modern Workforces Actually Need
This research confirms that speed, scope, and flexibility define effective employee support today. The most impactful EAP models combine:
- Brief, clinician-led counseling with rapid resolution
- Support for mental health, personal life, and work-related challenges
- Multiple modalities to meet employee preferences
- Immediate support for urgent or high-stress situations
- Integrated pathways to additional services when needed
Together, these elements create continuity of care, early intervention, and real-world problem solving—capabilities that digital-only solutions cannot replicate.
The Bottom Line
The evidence is clear: whole health EAPs outperform digital-only and narrowly defined programs by delivering faster resolution, broader support, and greater relevance to how employees actually live and work.
In a crowded marketplace of apps and automated tools, this landmark study reinforces a simple truth: when people face real challenges, real human support makes the difference.
Access the Research
Read the open-access article: “Brief Counseling Services from an Employee Assistance Program: Descriptive Profile of Over 100,000 Cases at AllOne Health 2020-2024 in the United States,” Journal of Psychology & Behavioral Science (2026, January).
