Reply to How to ...gently tell coworker she should seek help?

Forum Index » Jobs and Careers

Reply to "How to ...gently tell coworker she should seek help?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We have a summer associate working for us...college student. She is finishing up next week. She is working under me. She somehow failed to mention she has auditory processing disorder (that just came out last Friday) and that this is reaaaally difficult for her. Tonight, we were wrapping things up at the office, just she and I left, and I look over at her and she is crying at her computer. I ask her what's up and she gives me this whole story about how she'll never be normal, how she feels so worthless, how she's embarrassing our company, etc. I didn't really know what to do, but it seems pretty clear these are NOT normal feelings and that she has an anxiety disorder or somethings.

[/quote]

She's told you what disorder she has.  Why are you diagnosing her with something completely different?

And why would you tell her to "seek help"?  She has a disorder.  She's struggling with that disorder.  She's struggling with feelings that she will never be normal.  That's totally understandable.  What is not normal here?  What is not to understand?

Suppose Summer Associate were blind or had diabetes, and had the same meltdown in your office, with tears about the fact that she will never be normal and feels worthless.  Would your response be to seek help because these are not normal feelings and she has an anxiety disorder or something?  I don't get it, is struggling with an auditory processing disorder not something that you (an attorney) are going to be able to recognize under the ADA as credible?  (And I'm not going to get into a debate about whether this is in the DSM, or is a disability, so don't get sidetracked).  The point is -- she has a condition, she is struggling because of that condition, and she feels she will never be normal BECAUSE OF THAT CONDITION.  Not because she has an anxiety disorder.  These feelings are perfectly understandable.  I've seen lawyers who had to work with a shoulder sling or a cast for two weeks have these feelings!

For pete's sake, if you don't understand your responsibilities, talk to HR.

[/quote]

What I'm saying is that I understand it is frustrating to have that learning disability, but I do not think it is normal or healthy to consider yourself worthless or an embarrassment simply because you misunderstood something someone said, or because you were very quiet at a work event. I think the anxiety STEMS from the auditory processing disorder and it makes me sad for her.

Maybe I am off base.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics