unemployment; identity; identity work; role loss; counseling; addiction; transitions

Discussions about the effects of unemployment typically focus more on economic strain than on identity. However, in the United States, jobs are often central to identity. Therefore, losing a job can threaten identity which can, in turn, harm mental health. In this chapter, I describe three identity mismatches (feedback; time; and status) that may harm unemployed people’s mental health. I also present two identity-based coping strategies (shifting and sustaining) that people use to manage distress caused by identity mismatches. I then illustrate how identity-based counseling approaches can help clients, using the example of RecoveryWorks, an organization that assists unemployed people who are also recovering from addiction. Finally, I discuss challenges that may arise when using an identity-based counseling approach and present ways to manage those challenges.

Discussions about the effects of unemployment typically focus more on economic strain than on identity. However, in the United States, jobs are often central to identity. Therefore, losing a job can threaten identity which can, in turn, harm mental health. In this chapter, I describe three identity mismatches (feedback; time; and status) that may harm unemployed people’s mental health. I also present two identity-based coping strategies (shifting and sustaining) that people use to manage distress caused by identity mismatches. I then illustrate how identity-based counseling approaches can help clients, using the example of RecoveryWorks, an organization that assists unemployed people who are also recovering from addiction. Finally, I discuss challenges that may arise when using an identity-based counseling approach and present ways to manage those challenges.