Financial therapy can help you understand your relationship to money and the emotions you carry with it.
“Spending money stresses me out.”
“My anxiety gets the best of me when I have to deal with money.”
“Even though I can afford my wants and needs, sometimes I flashback to a time when I struggled and I freeze up. I have trouble making money decisions after that or avoid making them.”
“Money stresses me out and I avoid talking about it with my partner.”
“Having money makes me uncomfortable. When I have money I spend it or give it away because I don’t like the way it makes me feel.”
Together we can work on building a healthier relationship with money based on what's important to you.
Why money?
Money carries a lot of emotions. It can affect our decisions without us realizing if we aren't paying attention. We all have a money story - experiences and beliefs about money that we have picked up through our lives. Sometimes these stories can lead to experiencing money anxiety, fear, or shame around our finances, which shows up as different behaviors. This might look like underspending, overspending, or avoiding your bank accounts. If you've experienced homelessness, poverty or divorce, these can all have an effect on how you manage money.
Talking about money can be uncomfortable. I'm here to provide a safe, supportive and inclusive space for you. We'll have open conversations where you can share your worries without feeling embarrassed or ashamed. You'll find that a little understanding goes a long way in relieving some of that anxiety. We'll work together to set realistic goals that align with your values and dreams. These goals will give you a sense of direction and purpose, helping you focus on what truly matters to you.
I'll help you develop new skills to cope when those anxious thoughts about money start creeping in. We'll build a personalized toolbox with tools you can use to manage your stress and anxiety in healthier ways, and empower you to take charge in working with your finances. If you never learned money management, that's okay. We'll lay the foundation through basic financial education too.
I do want to take a moment to recognize that systemic oppression may be having an impact on your finances. As financial expert, Tori Dunlap states in her book Financial Feminist, "We cannot discuss personal finance, money, or economics without discussing systemic oppression. Outside forces - including but not limited to racism; ableism; homophobia; recession; natural disaster; and lack of access to health care, paid leave, or child support - are much to blame for why you might be struggling financially."
We'll take a look at how these things might be affecting you and how to navigate the system as they stand today, while we continue to work on improving these systems through advocacy.
Working together
Systemic Issues
Disclaimer:
I am not a financial planner or advisor. I cannot advise you on investments or how to allocate your assets. I can give referrals to you for other professionals that can make these recommendations.