Support

According to the Holmes and Rahe stress scale, being dismissed from a job is the eighth most stressful life event of the 43 they studied. Retrenchment is major loss in a person’s life and with any loss in life comes grief. While everyone grieves differently, five stages have been documented;
• Denial
• Anger
• Bargaining
• Depression
• Acceptance

When dealing with retrenchment, and the losses you have incurred as a result, go easy on yourself. Allow time and space to process and grieve as you need to.

Seeking support is a positive and important step. While family might be a ready source of support, they are also processing the changed situation – reduced income, reduced security, increased stress.

Don't expect friends to know what you need. For the most part they are so busy with their own life, they are probably not even aware of the huge impact this has had on your life. But now is not the time to be dejected if your friends fail to respond as you would hope. This is a time to be proactive. State your needs, even if only to yourself, and seek professional objective support and help during this stressful time. It is a positive step forward.

If you worked for a large organisation, part of your redundancy package may include counselling for a short period of time. If you get to choose your own counsellor, try something different like creative counselling.

In many cases, your reduced income means seeing any health care professional is not an option. However, a listening ear can be found at no-cost or low cost through various volunteer and community organisations.

Lifeline 13 11 14
Beyondblue 1800 551 800
Mensline Australia 1300 789 978
WIRE (Women’s Information & Referral Exchange) 1300 134 130

Your local community centre, charitable organisation, or church group may also offer practical assistance and support.