Chapter 1: Behind Her Quiet Smile
The weight had been there for months, quietly building up behind Giselle’s smiles. At work, she tried to stay focused – answering emails, attending meetings, but her thoughts drifted elsewhere. She often stared blankly at her computer screen, wondering why even the smallest tasks suddenly felt exhausting.
At home, the silence was heavier. Some nights she would cry without knowing why. Other days, she would lose her patience over things that barely mattered. “I’m alive,” she thought, “but part of me feels like it’s dying.”
Her friend had once mentioned the EAP hotline, saying it helped her get through a rough time. Giselle hesitated for weeks. She wasn’t used to opening up, not even to people she knew, much less to a stranger on the phone. But one evening, when the hum of the electric fan was the only sound in her room, she finally decided to call.
Her voice trembled at first. The words came out scattered, uncertain. But the hotline specialist’s calm tone and gentle reassurance gave her the courage to continue. “This is a safe space,” the voice said, “and you can share only what you’re comfortable with.” Slowly, Giselle began to speak.
She talked about guilt, the feeling that she was failing her eldest son. Now that she was pregnant with her second child from a different partner, she felt judged by people around her. Her parents’ disapproval hurt the most. She had been trying to hold everything together, but inside she felt undeserving; like motherhood was something she had to prove.
As she spoke, her words started to carry a deeper ache; a pain she couldn’t yet name, but one that was waiting to be acknowledged.
Question:
What do you think is the deeper ache Giselle could be carrying?
Chapter 2: A Birthday She Will Never Forget
As Giselle continued to speak, her voice grew softer, trembling between pauses. Then, almost in a whisper, she revealed what she had long avoided: she had lost a baby during the pandemic.
She never gave herself time to grieve. Instead, she buried the pain and went on with life as if nothing had happened. “I thought if I ignored it long enough, it would go away,” she said. But pretending came with a cost. The grief she denied had turned into quiet anger, anxiety, and guilt that seeped into every corner of her life.
Her tears came freely now. For the first time in a long while, she allowed herself to cry, not out of despair, but release. The hotline specialist listened with compassion, offering small affirmations that reminded her she was heard and safe.
After a few moments, her voice steadied. “I feel a lot better now,” she whispered, “It seems like I was able to release everything I have been holding on for so long.”
There was a pause, a fragile stillness on the line. Then Giselle added quietly, “It’s my birthday today.”
The hotline specialist smiled through the phone. “Then maybe this is your gift to yourself,” she said gently.
Giselle let out a quiet laugh between tears. “I was afraid of opening up,” she said, “but now I see that when you share, you receive a gift. Today, I shared my story… and I received this one.”
In the months that followed, Giselle continued counseling, this time under the care of an EAP counselor. Healing didn’t come overnight, but it came slowly, gently. She learned to forgive herself for the things she couldn’t control and began to embrace her role as a mother with a new sense of peace.
She spent more time with her eldest son, laughed more, and allowed herself to rest. The guilt didn’t disappear completely, but it no longer ruled her. What began as a fearful phone call became the start of a quiet rebirth; a reminder that healing often begins the moment we choose to reach out.
Sometimes, the greatest gifts come not in celebration, but in the courage to be vulnerable.
Epilogue: Workplace Well-being Lessons
The Unseen Weight Employees Carry
“She often stared blankly at her computer screen, wondering why even the smallest tasks suddenly felt exhausting.”
Not all struggles are visible. Employees may appear functional while quietly battling emotional burdens. Leaders who notice subtle changes in behavior or performance and respond with empathy – create workplaces where people feel seen beyond their roles.
The Power of Psychological Safety
“The counselor’s calm tone and gentle reassurance gave her the courage to continue. ‘This is a safe space,’ the voice said.”
People open up when they feel safe. In the workplace, leaders can model this by practicing non-judgmental listening, respecting confidentiality, and normalizing help-seeking. When safety exists, honesty follows and with honesty, healing begins.
Unprocessed Grief Can Resurface as Workplace Strain
“She had lost a baby during the pandemic… The grief she denied had turned into quiet anger, anxiety, and guilt that seeped into every corner of her life.”
Personal pain doesn’t stay at home – it travels with the person to work. HR and leaders who approach performance dips with compassion, rather than quick judgment, can help employees navigate difficult seasons more humanely.
