I’m currently on LTD (since August ‘24) for anxiety and have been seeing both a psychiatrist and a psychologist. My case manager at Canada Life just set up a meeting with a rehab consultant (it’s her second attempt - the first time my doctor wasn’t comfortable with it), now that things have stabilized a bit. The call is scheduled for this afternoon over zoom.
I’m just wondering what to expect from this first meeting… of course, many of you have been through something similar, so any tips or advice would be seriously appreciated.
I also need some advice on whether or not to bring something up with the rehab consultant. A few weeks ago, a former colleague reached out and told me something that really threw me off. Apparently, management has been making negative comments about my work ethic and even said that I wouldn’t be returning. Hearing that was really upsetting and felt pretty unprofessional… especially since I haven’t even finalized a RTW plan yet. Knowing those conversations were happening behind my back while I’m on medical leave made me feel disrespected and anxious about how I’d be treated if I went back.
It’s shaken my confidence and set me back quite a bit. I’ve worked really hard to manage my anxiety and get ready to return, but now I feel like going back to that same environment could be harmful for my mental health. I’ve been thinking it might be better for me to explore a different role within the company, maybe in another department or business unit… somewhere I could have a fresh start and rebuild without all that stress or tension.
Just to clarify, my leave wasn’t originally related to work, this is all new information that’s made me really question whether I can go back to that department.
Do you think I should bring this up with my rehab consultant during our call? I mentioned it briefly to my canada life case manager, but she didn’t seem too concerned and just suggested I reach out to my ability advisor at work to discuss it further.
Sorry this turned into such a long post! Basically, I’m just looking for advice on 1. what to expect from the first call with the rehab consultant, and 2. whether I should mention that I don’t feel comfortable returning to my old department.
Thank you so much in advance!