Des Valdez, a licensed clinical social worker and financial therapist, dives into the emotional toll of long-term unemployment. He discusses how job loss impacts identity and mental health, exploring trauma responses like freeze, fight, flight, and fawn. Valdez emphasizes the importance of maintaining routines, managing rejection, and finding small meaningful projects to rebuild confidence. He offers strategies for navigating relationship dynamics during job loss and highlights when to seek outside mental support, reminding listeners that unemployment is often temporary.
