Opinions Please!

[MissCommando]

If you had been for private counselling twice to come to terms with a disability and your boss said you had "mental issues" due to this, would you be offended by this?

[EvianBaby]

I think it would depend on how much I liked the person that said that before hand.

[rowanwitch]

The phrasing would be wrong.... I'd ask him /her to rephrase it

[jno]

I guess coming to terms with something is a mental issue, yes. Whether I'd be offended would depend on whether it was said sympathetically, dismissively, threateningly etc.

[funnygirl]

Yes!

[Tilly2]

Was your boss referring to the amount of time you had off to go to counselling sessions? Did he/she say you had mental issues because you need counselling?

[MissCommando]

The counselling sessions were not during work time.

[MissCommando]

He had to have an Occupational Health Report done and the Dr noted that he had been for 2 private counselling sessions (he never paid to go again as he didn't find it was beneficial). The HR advisor said in a meeting then about his "mental issues", due to this!

[Mosaic]

Agree with Evian, it's all in the context.
However if you're asking the question, it suggests to me that you are incomfortable with how this has been expressed to you in the workplace, and that your boss is not exactly your mate, mucker or bosom-buddy.
So first off, only you can judge your boss and workplace, but if you have been hurt or upset by his/her remark it needs to be brought to their attention. This can be done by you, or by your representative either from HR or from your union.
My instincts and experience are that HR are of limited support to employees in need, but only you can judge the situation you have at your workplace.

[Kiki-frog]

It depends on the context in which he said it. If he's said that to someone else about me and I got to hear about it, I'd be furious. If he said it to my face, I'd probably just very politely try to discuss it with him and find out what he meant.

[MissCommando]

It really upset my husband and he told them he found it offensive.

I mean, do you think that is the correct terminology to use?

[EvianBaby]

It might not be the best term to use but then which one is?

[MissCommando]

I wouldn't class paying for 2 counselling sessions as having "mental issues", myself. It didn't even need to be brought up in the meeting but I don't want to say too much about it all as something will be happening soon and you never know who looks on AB!

Thanks for opinions.

[Tilly2]

So was it an HR advisor that said it, rather than his line manager?

[NOX]

I think it was a crass way of describing a situation which really doesn't amount to any sort of mental issue. People can have counselling for any number of reasons not all of them because they have any sort of problem and issue, and in some circles it's very usual to have a counsellor. I would probably have taken issue with the teminology used in the context it was used in if two self paid for counselling sessions were the only informaiton the person had. soem people go to counselling to try to stop smoking for instance- hardly a reason to cite they have mental issues.

[MissCommando]

Yes, it was definitely the HR advisor.

NOX - I agree completely. Thanks

[Old_Geezer]

Like many things, it is not so much the words themselves but how they are said/used. Counseling is not to alleviate physical issues so technically it is correct to say it is a mental issue. But that is a broad term and is likely to be an unfortunate choice. As to whether I'd be offended it would depend on the circumstances. Was it simply a 'matter of fact' description, or was it to insinuate the employee is a raving looney ? Maybe best to just let it be if it was a one off situation. Try not to take offence if none was intended.