Fear, Faith and the Forest

Fear, Faith and the Forest

If you're unemployed, you know the struggle. Hundreds of applications. Ghosting. Late-stage rejections. The 3 AM panic. The identity crisis. The endless negativity about how "the market is dead" and "AI is taking over." Fear, Faith, and the Forest is a weekly podcast for people walking through unemployment. It's created by someone still in the trenches with you. Moving forward. Driven by faith.

Recent Episodes

Episode 10: Welcome to The Long Walk
June 10, 2026

Episode 10: Welcome to The Long Walk

This episode opens Phase 2 of Fear, Faith, and the Forest, called The Long Walk. It's for the people who didn't get out in the first 90 days, who've reached an equilibrium they know is conditional, who are still walking through the forest of long-term unemployment. Rich names what the job search actually feels like at this point, the zombie ritual of applying into the void, and what's worth doing about it. He talks about two summers compared, the household that's sti…

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Episode 9: Reflection — Lessons Learned
May 8, 2026

Episode 9: Reflection — Lessons Learned

A reflection episode marking the close of Phase 1. More than a year into unemployment, Rich looks back at the things he said in the first eight episodes and asks what's held up under pressure, and what's changed. Eight Parts,...
Episode 8: Handling Rejection — It's Not Personal, It's Process
April 29, 2026

Episode 8: Handling Rejection — It's Not Personal, It's Process

Rejection is not a possibility in this job search, it's a certainty. In this final episode of Phase 1, Rich tackles one of the hardest parts of unemployment: handling rejection without letting it erode your confidence or dera...
Episode 7: Your Health — The Non-Negotiables
April 16, 2026

Episode 7: Your Health — The Non-Negotiables

Unemployment is a full-time job, and like any demanding job, it will break down the vessel carrying you through it if you're not careful. In this episode, Rich breaks down the non-negotiables: the things you cannot skip, and ...
Episode 6: Anxiety and The 3 AM Wake-Ups
April 8, 2026

Episode 6: Anxiety and The 3 AM Wake-Ups

Anxiety during unemployment is real, and it never goes away. It hits at 3 AM, but it also hits at 2:30 on a normal Tuesday afternoon, when the lull catches up to you. In this episode, I share a confession about dipping into m...
Episode 5: The Family Conversation - Navigating This Together
April 1, 2026

Episode 5: The Family Conversation - Navigating This Together

Unemployment doesn't just affect you. It affects everyone in your household. Your spouse, your kids, everyone who depends on you. And they can't support you if they don't know what's happening. In this episode, I share how I told my two sons about my layoff, why I chose the car ride to baseball pra…