About UsEmployee Assistance of the PacificOur Local EAPHawaii's Largest EAP

At the heart of our mission is a commitment to supporting Hawaii’s workforce with compassionate, expert care. Our statewide network of Employee Assistance Professionals serves organizations across the islands, offering trusted behavioral health services that are both accessible and culturally attuned.

Headquartered in Honolulu, our experienced corporate team works hand-in-hand with a diverse network of licensed clinicians located throughout Hawaii—from urban centers to rural communities. This broad reach ensures employees and their families have access to high-quality care, close to home.

Whether you're seeking support for your team or personal guidance for yourself or a loved one, we make it easy. One call to our central office connects you with professionals who are more than just names in a directory—we know our providers, their specialties, and their strengths. We take the time to match you with the right expert, whether it’s for workplace training, counseling, or family support.

Let us help you find the care you need, with the respect and aloha you deserve.

OurAwesomeHelpfulBrilliantCapableStaff

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David W. Mitchell, MA, LMHC (WA), CEAP, SAP

>>> Dave's kuleana has been Employee Assistance work for many years, having served over a thousand businesses. Before joining Employee Assistance of the Pacific, he ran WorkLife Hawaii as well as a large, regional EAP based in Seattle with national contracts and global employees -- First Choice Health EAP. He is active and well-respected in the EAP field, was elected President of the Hawaii Chapter and of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of EAPA. He has advanced critical incident training and decades of experience helping hundreds of businesses across Hawaii and the U.S. stay resilient following traumatic events. In addition, he has responded to large-scale events as a supervisor of clinicians, including the World Trade Center attack. He is a skilled trainer, a clinician with decades of experience, and oversees all administrative functions at this organization. He also is a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP) and a DOT-Qualified Substance Abuse Professional (SAP). He spends most of his time providing management consultations to our corporate clients across the Hawaiian islands and is ready to help your small, local business or large, global business access positive, proactive, robust EAP services that help your employees and your bottom line.

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Vali Hawkins-Mitchell, PhD, LMHC, REAT, CEAP

>>> Vali brings a wealth of experience to Employee Assistance of the Pacific. In addition to her work as a counselor and executive coach, she is a well-published author. Four of her books, Your Guide to Workplace Violence, The Manager's Guide to Bullies in the WorkplaceThe Cost of Emotions in the Workplace, and Emotional Terrors in the Workplace, directly relate to EAP work in helping businesses as well as employees recognize how to work with emotions as well as challenging people. In addition to her work here, she runs ImproVizion Consulting, where she provides Expressive Arts Therapy and coaching. She is also an advanced-level critical incident responder, having responded to incidents ranging from small corporate incidents to the World Trade Center attack. Her expertise on Resilience, and her beloved blog on the same topic -- Resiliency 4 Today-- demonstrate her ho'ohana in the EAP field. Vali is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Hawaii as well as Washington, and a Certified Employee Assistance Professional. She spends most of her time here doing coaching and trainings ("edutainment") across the islands. Her "52 Weeks of Well-Being" premiered to our customers (as a free service!), teaching reslience through self-care and artmaking. And her most recent book, #WeAreManyWomen: Many Voices, is now available in paperback and as an Kindle e-book! She was also chosen as a 2020 Women Who Mean Business honoree by Pacific Business News, and was a Cultural Advisor to the new Waikiki film (now streaming on Amazon!).

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Laura Schlesinger, MS, CSAC, SAP, CEAP

>>> Laura is a counselor with Employee Assistance of the Pacific. She has over thirty years of post-master's clinical experience working with clients of all ages in community mental health, substance abuse, and private non-profit settings. She has worked exclusively in the employee assistance field since 1990, providing counseling to employees and their family members, consultation to supervisors and management, and training and education on various workplace issues. Laura has a master's degree in clinical psychology, holds state and national certifications as a substance abuse counselor, and is a certified employee assistance professional. Laura was born and raised in Hawai'i.

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Greg Tanida, LCSW, CSAC, SAP

>>>Greg is a licensed clinical social worker and certified substance abuse counselor who has been working in the mental health and substance abuse field for over 25 years. He was born and raised on Oahu and credits his local experiences with shaping his counseling and communication style. Greg is certified in EMDR and enjoys his work with individuals and couples. His experience in the Employee Assistance field includes work with Straub and Kaiser Permanente. Greg also enjoys being a part-time lecturer at UH Manoa.

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Chloe Loftis, MS, CEAP

>>>Chloe is the Intake Specialist/Office Administrator at Employee Assistance of the Pacific, usually the voice you hear when you call. Growing up in Oahu, she learned that her calling was to help others improve their lives. Since then, she has been working as a mental health professional for several years and received a Master’s of Science in Counseling Psychology with a mental health emphasis. She is also a Certified Employee Assistance Professional. Chloe has worked with many types of people, including adults with severe mental illness (SMI), children with developmental disorders, and survivors of sex trafficking. She is deeply passionate about making a positive impact on the lives of others and is grateful to be a part of a company that allows her to achieve that.

Photos by Russell Tanoue. Cariactures by Jeff Langcaon.

OurStrongStatewideAmazingHelpfulProvider Network

We Have EAP Providers Across The Islands

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Additional providers are also available on the U.S. Mainland and Internationally for those companies who choose to cover those employees.

OurGrowth

We have come a long way from those first two contracts that Straub signed to become the largest EAP in Hawaii! Serving all industries across all Hawaiian islands, we continue to grow and look forward to serving even more employers.

It's also important to note that our primary Hawaii-based competitor boasts that 25% of their customers have been with them over a decade. Even though we have grown substantially, 41% of our customers have been with us for over a decade!

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OurHistory

1 October 1989

We begin!

Straub signs two EAP contracts with our new company!

1 October 1989

1 Sept 1992

We start to grow!

Straub signs the 25th contract -- with Punahou School (Still with us today!)

1 January 1995

SAP Services Begin

We begin to support corporate customers' compliance with the Omnibus Transportation Act's requirements for drug testing in the workplace

1 January 1995

1 January 1998

We Keep Growing!

Straub signs the 50th contract -- with Queen Liliuokalani Trust (Still with us today!)

1 July 2004

We Incorporate!

Our Founders, Cheryl Prince and Carey Brown, acquire the book of business from Straub and incorporate as Employee Assistance of the Pacific, LLC

1 July 2004

1 January 2005

100 Customers!

The 100th EAP Contract is signed

1 April 2009

We partner with Ho'okele

We start offering free Healthcare Navigation and Eldercare consultation to our clients

1 April 2009

1 May 2010

Our first move

We move to 1221 Kapiolani Blvd.

2013

We Keep Growing!

We have now grown to serving 150 employers across Hawaii

2013

October 2015

New Ownership!

David and Vali Mitchell acquire ownership of Employee Assistance of the Pacific

March 2016

New Services Added!

We start providing free Legal and Financial Consultation to all our clients -- robust work/life services at no extra fee!

March 2016

July 2017

A new website & 52 Weeks of Well-Being

We launch an improved website, as well as our unique 52 Weeks of Well-Being, available to all our clients at no extra fee.

September 2018

PAP Launches!

We launch our Physician Assistance Program (PAP) and website

September 2018

December 2018

200 Contracts!

We sign our 200th Contract!

March 2020

Telehealth

To support those dealing with the Coronovirus, we transition all services to Telehealth and add new resources and videos to our website.

March 2020

September 2020

Mediation!

We partner with all five nonprofit Mediation Centers across Hawaii to offer free Mediation Intakes to over 200,000 Hawaii residents.

November 2020

Identity Theft Recovery

We roll out free Identity Theft Recovery services, again without raising rates to all our capitated clients.

November 2020

July 2023

We move again!

We move our offices to the Pan Am Building.

August 2023

Maui Fires

We respond to the Maui fires, providing over 90 hours of onsite Critical Incident Support to hotels, stores, physicians, and other covered companies there in the first week. Support is ongoing for those impacted by the most deadly wildfire in our nation in a hundred years.

August 2023

July 2024

300 Customers!

We now serve over 300 employers across Hawaii!

1 January 2026

New Website and StressTools!

We launch our improved website and now offer the StressTools suite to all our customers, again at no additional cost!

1 January 2026

A few Testimonials From Our Corporate Customers