MyLife Services provides MIT faculty, staff, postdocs – and household members – 24/7 access to a network of experts who are available to help with life concerns. Consultations are available by telephone, video, or text-message.
Make life a little easier. MyLife Services is a one-stop resource offered through KGA, Inc., an external provider of Employee Assistance Programs known for its leading work-life and personal well-being services. MyLife Services provides MIT faculty, staff, postdocs – and household members – 24/7 access to a network of experts who are available to help with life concerns.
Need legal or financial advice? Searching for daycare or a good night’s sleep? Looking for a counselor to assist with a personal or family challenge? Call MyLife Services. You’ll consult with Master’s and Ph.D.-level professionals who offer guidance, share resources, and provide referrals. All consultations are confidential and provided at no cost.
MIT MyLife Services has dedicatedCovid-19 support resources.
See the full list of services offered
MyLife Services include:
- Financial Consultation
- Legal Assistance
- Stress Reduction
- Individual and Family Counseling
- Relationship Help
- GriefCounseling
- Child Care Resources
- Crisis Intervention
- Substance Abuse Assessment
- Depression Screening
- Career Assessment
- Sleep Coaching
- Nutrition Consultation
- Parenting Resources
- Support for Other Life Concerns
Get Started
Call
844-405-LIFE (844-405-5433)
(TTY) 866-892-7162
info@mitmylifeservices.com
Text (9am - 5pm EST)
508-231-5374
App
Download the KGA App for mobile use.
Chat (9am - 5pm EST)
FAQs
What are some reasons I would reach out to MyLife Services?
MIT provides MyLife Services for all faculty, staff, postdocs—and household members—to support health and well-being. The program offers confidential, short-term counseling, consultation, research, and referrals for emotional and work-life balance issues. You can reach out to MyLife Services for:
- Financial Consultation:Help with debt management, budgeting, and financial planning.
- Legal Assistance:Legal consultation with an attorney, with referrals for most legal issues.
- Stress Reduction:Assessment of stress level and techniques/tips for managing stress.
- Short-term Counseling: Face-to-face, phone, or video sessions to help address emotional issues, and problems with alcohol or drugs for yourself or someone you care about.
- Crisis Counseling:Counseling and consultation for individuals, HR, managers, and the community before, during, and after traumatic events, such as suicide, violence, and natural and human-made disasters.
- GriefCounseling:Supportive counseling and consultation for individuals and families who have experienced a loss.
- Parenting/Child Care Resources: Research and referrals for a variety of child care needs and parenting questions.
- Sleep Consultation: Tips and tools to help you get a good night’s rest.
- Career Assessment: Testing one’s interests and career exploration services.
- Nutrition Consultation:Support from a nutritionist on weight management, allergies, and other dietary concerns.
- Work-life Resources:Targeted research and referrals for everything from relocation services to pet sitting.
What happens when I call during regular business hours (8:30am - 5:00pm ET)?
Welcome – During regular business hours (8:30am - 5:00pm ET), your call will be promptly answered by a MyLife Services staff member asking, “How can I help you?”Within seconds, you will be connected to a Master’s or Ph.D.-level counselor or a Work-Life Specialist (child care, elder care, legal, financial, etc.) as appropriate. In addition, email and Live Chat assistance is available during regular business hours.
Questions – The counselor or specialist will explain MyLife Services and its confidentiality policy, then ask you some questions about your situation.His or her goal is to understand your needs and identify the type of support that will be most helpful to you.
Support – Based on your needs, this same counselor or specialist will work with you until the appropriate assistance is obtained.This could include counseling, research related to issues or resources, or referrals to local counselors, service providers, and other experts.
Follow-up – MyLife Services staff will always follow up with you to ensure that your needs have been met and ask if there is anything else they can do for you.That’s because the ultimate purpose of MyLife Services is to help you manage the challenges and demands that interfere with your ability to be focused at home and at work.
What happens when I call after hours?
MyLife Services counselors are available 24/7. If you would like to speak with a counselor for immediate support or crisis response, press "1" when you hear the prompted recording, or stay on the line. (For other non-urgent issues, press “4” to leave a message, and your call will be returned the next business day.)
When you are connected with a counselor or specialist:
Questions – The counselor or specialist will explain MyLife Services and its confidentiality policy, then ask you some questions about your situation.His or her goal is to understand your needs and identify the type of support that will be most helpful to you.
Support – Based on your needs, this same counselor or specialist will work with you until the appropriate assistance is obtained.This could include counseling, research related to issues or resources, or referrals to local counselors, service providers, and other experts.
Follow-up – MyLife Services staff will always follow up with you to ensure that your needs have been met and ask if there is anything else they can do for you.That’s because the ultimate purpose of MyLife Services is to help you manage the challenges and demands that interfere with your ability to be focused at home and at work.
What happens when my household member calls?
Depending on the reason for the call, your household member will speak with either a Master’s or Ph.D.-level counselor, or a Work-Life Specialist. MyLife Services will explain the confidentiality of the call and then ask questions about the reason for the call. Your household member will not need to provide your name or the name of any other MIT-affiliated relation. If further resources are needed, your household member may be asked to provide his/her name and contact information.
I am interested in getting in-person counseling. How does it work?
You can call 24/7 and speak with a Master’s or Ph.D.-level counselor, confidentially. You can choose to continue with your MyLife Services counselor by phone, if that is most convenient, or you can request to see a different licensed counselor in person, for free and confidential meetings, near home or work, or at Lincoln Laboratory.
Is the counseling free?
Each person receives some free counseling sessions per life concern. For example, you may need help after the death of a loved one, and later want guidance on a relationship challenge. MyLife Services will provide free counseling sessions for each of those concerns. You can see the same counselor each time, or request one with different expertise or a different location.
What happens after the initial in-person counseling sessions?
Your health insurance is not involved in your initial MyLife Services counseling sessions. However, if you choose to continue in counseling, MyLife Services will do everything they can to make sure your initial counselor is also in your health insurance network of providers so that you can continue seamlessly.
Can I use MyLife Services for more than one concern?
We encourage you to use MyLife Services whenever the need arises. You can call for multiple concerns – at the same time or at different times. You can call for help with a legal concern and also request a sleep consultation. Later, you may need summer camp research assistance or help with a budget or career assessment. MyLife Services is available when you need it.
Will MyLife Services help me find child care near my home or work?
MyLife Services will help find appropriate child care settings based on your criteria.They will ask you questions about location, in-home care, family vs. day care centers, after school care, summer camps, price range, etc. Based on your criteria, you will be sent a personalized referral list of licensed and screened child care providers, along with information on child care availability, cost, times of day, transportation and other areas you indicated. MyLife Services offers this research and referral service at no cost, but you are responsible for child care fees. They will also work with you to help find subsidies for child care if you are eligible.
Is it confidential? Will my supervisor, manager, HR or anyone else at MIT or at home find out I have used MyLife Services?
All contact with MyLife Services is confidential.The MIT MyLife Services benefit is administered by an outside organization, KGA, Inc., a respected provider of Employee Assistance Programs. MyLife Services’ staff never tells anyone at MIT who called or the specifics of any situation.The only exceptions are those that KGA is required to report per state and/or federal law.
Are MyLife Services available outside of Massachusetts?
MyLife Services are available to members of the MIT community and their household members anywhere in the United States.
Can I refer a friend or neighbor to MyLife Services?
MyLife Services is only for members of the MIT community—faculty, staff, postdoc associates, postdoc fellows—and household members. If you are concerned about a friend, you can call MyLife Services for a consultation about how to assist him or her.
Can I test-drive it?
MyLife Services welcomes you to check it out. Call with a small or big problem and get help right away. No matter what you are facing, MyLife Services’ staff will treat you with respect and empathy. They recognize the challenge of asking for help and understand that it can be difficult to make the first call for assistance. It is the goal of each MyLife Services staff member to make you feel supported, understood, and secure in the confidentiality of your conversation.
More Information
MIT EAP advisory committee
These are the members of the MIT Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Advisory Committee. MIT's EAP is now known as MyLife Services.
| Employee Assistance Program Advisory Committee | ||
|---|---|---|
Sandy Alexandre | Associate Professor, Literature | SHASS |
Sharon Bridburg | Director of Human Resources | Office of the Vice Chancellor |
Eva Cardarelli | Employee Relations Manager | Lincoln Laboratory |
Kristen Cascio | Program Manager, Center for WorkLife and WellBeing | Human Resources |
Martha Collins | Assistant Dean for HR and Administration | School of Architecture and Planning |
Sarah Collins | Manager, Center for WorkLife and WellBeing | Human Resources |
Steve Graves | Abraham Siegel Professor of Management | Sloan School of Management |
Ronnie Haas | Director of Strategic Talent Management | Human Resources |
Ann Mac Kenzie | Director, Benefits | Human Resources |
Jodie Nosiglia | Manager, HR IS&T/HRO | Human Resources |
Douglas Pfeiffer | Assistant Provost for Administration | Office of the Provost |
David Warren Randall | Senior Associate Dean, Student Support and Wellbeing | Office of the Dean for Student Life |
Allison Romantz | Counsel | Office of the General Counsel |
Judi Segall | Ombudsperson | Office of the President |
Lianne Shields | Director of Employee and Labor Relations | Human Resources |
Karen Singleton | Associate Medical Director; Chief, Mental Health and Counseling Service | MIT Medical |
Ann Skoczenski | Director of Postdoctoral Services | Office of the Vice President for Research |
Ebony Smith | Executive Director, Engineering Outreach Programs | School of Engineering |
Jennifer Walsh | Director, HR Projects and Compliance | Human Resources |
MIT MyLife Services printable flyer
Download a list of MyLife Services.
What if I have further questions about MyLife Services?
Just call or email MyLife Services at 844-405-LIFE (844-405-5433) or (TTY) 866-892-7162 and info@MITMyLifeServices.com. Or call or email the MIT Human Resources Center for WorkLife and WellBeing at 617-253-1592 and worklife@mit.edu.
Have Questions?
Get in touch with the MIT Human Resources Center for WorkLife and WellBeing.