I referred this reader to some excellent books by Bill Bridges. He also mentions the work done by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross with terminally ill patients. People going through other changes may experience a similar cycle. People facing a serious illness, a toxic work environment, or a failing business model have many choices and treatment options. However, it can be enormously difficult to abandon something we love, such as companies where we have invested effort and developed our professional identities.
Some people resist the idea of leaving because that signifies giving up all hope of change.
And those who leave may experience grief or guilt, much like partners after a divorce. According to my cousin, the death of one's partner is much easier than divorce. Companies that focus attention on people who are being laid off sometimes overlook the needs of survivors. Similarly, I have found that family caregivers may need as much support as the cancer patient, but may feel it's inappropriate to ask for any attention. Both types of survivors risk being abandoned, left to drift like flotsam and jetsam when the tide recedes.