Recently, my husband lost his job, and the timing was terrible. We had just purchased a new home in need of major renovations, and of course, we were running on a tight budget. We were paying a mortgage in addition to the monthly rent on our previous home and the renovation expenses.

While not life-threatening, his unemployment was stressful for both of us. I’ve worked with clients facing similar stressors from being laid off or chronically unemployed.

Involuntary job loss exacts an emotional toll. Even when the person is financially secure, they might feel like they have lost part of their identity. Perfectionists are even more prone to the mental health effects of job loss because they tend to tie self-worth to achievement.

However, it’s also important to consider the effect that job loss has collectively on the person’s family. Research on heterosexual couples, for example, shows that women’s mental health declines following their spouse’s job loss. Gendered attitudes contribute to these effects. While women might compensate for job loss by taking on more household tasks, men might struggle to find purpose when they are no longer providing income.

Research shows, for instance, that men whose wives are the breadwinners have a higher allostatic load, which is a measure of the cumulative wear and tear of chronic stress on the body. That effect is only true, however, when they endorse traditional gender ideology.

Reflective of gender norms, male clients are reluctant to share their employment struggles with friends and family because of the

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