1. Has your employment ever been terminated involuntarily? Or, have you ever been under so much stress at work that you feared you would lose your job? If so, what helped you to get through the process? What gave you hope?
2. Has someone close to you ever had their employment terminated involuntarily, or been under a lot of job stress? How did you feel? What helped the other person?
3. Can you see what guest Chuck Castagnolo means when he says that job loss involves a kind of grieving? If this has happened to you or someone in your life, can you identify the stages of grief he pointed out?
4. Dr. Elizabeth McMahon talked about a stress management technique that involved scheduling an hour of worry time each day, and avoiding worrying during the other hours of the day. Do you think this would work for you?
5. What role do you think a person’s religious faith can play in helping them to cope with tough economic times?
6. Dr. McMahon talked about things that were unhelpful in handling job-related stress: drugs, alcohol, focusing on the negative, placing blame, expecting certainty. Have you ever observed this to be true in similar circumstances? If you or a loved one was doing one of these things, what action would you take?
7. Dr. McMahon also listed general stress management techniques: Exercise, Walk, Sleep, Relaxation, Diaphragmatic Breathing, Meditation, Prayer, Spiritual Practices, Mindfulness, Yoga, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, etc. Engage in pleasurable activities: Dance, Music, Read, Garden, Sports, Crafts, etc. Do you engage in any of these activities? Do they affect your stress level?
8. Are there any job-loss support groups in your area? How would you find out?
9. Are you confident that you would know when to seek professional counseling help to help manage your stress? What are the warning signals you would look for?

Notes: For resources see: Resources for Mental Health in Tough Economic Times