Financial Coaching

It’s about the money
and it’s not about the money.

Tired of making New Year’s resolutions to straighten out your finances? Does the prospect of figuring out your money situation fill you with panic or dread? Have you tried budgets before, only to end up confused and defeated?

Many people have a troubled relationship with money. Some people spend too much, not thinking about the consequences. Others spend too little, keeping themselves in a state of deprivation and lack. Still others are focused on money almost constantly, equating their self worth with their net worth.

When efforts to change your behavior with money haven’t worked, perhaps it’s time to take a different approach.

Financial coaching focuses on the interplay of money and emotions. It offers individuals and couples a way to gain clarity about their financial situation, become aware of the attitudes and feelings that determine their relationship with money, and align their spending with their goals and values.

Many of us know what we should be doing to put ourselves on a firmer financial footing, but can’t seem to get there. It’s like losing weight: “Just eat a little less and exercise a little more.” We all know how that works! So, “Just spend a little less and save a little more” leaves people in the same state of frustration.

We will unpack what determines your spending decisions and take a realistic look at your current financial situation and the choices available to you. If you and your partner disagree about money matters, we will explore the roots of this conflict within your relationship to understand what’s going on beneath the surface. Ultimately, the goal of this work is to shift your relationship with money from self sabotaging to life enhancing.

FINANCIAL INFIDELITY
Financial Infidelity–when one partner in a committed relationship uses joint funds without their partner’s knowledge and keeps it a secret– can be as damaging to a relationship as sexual infidelity. Whether it’s the discovery that one partner has accumulated hidden credit card debt or used the couple’s retirement savings for a business investment, the betrayal of trust can have the same emotional impact as learning about an affair. I help the couple go through the painful process of repair in a safe atmosphere where all aspects of the situation are examined openly. As with other relationship crises, this can ultimately strengthen the partner’s connection with each other and lead to greater intimacy.

THE INTERPLAY OF MONEY AND THE COUPLE’S RELATIONSHIP

In this 2-day workshop we will use the relationship and communication tools of Imago Relationship Therapy to explore your connection to money and how that plays out in your relationship with each other.

PROBLEMS I CAN HELP WITH:

• Anxiety and dread over paying bills and managing finances
• Gaining clarity about your finances so you can see where the money goes
• Creating a spending plan you can live with
• Having a calm and constructive money meeting with your partner or other family member
• Getting out of the destructive cycle of spending and debt
• Anxiety and guilt over spending money on yourself
• Undervaluing and undercharging for your work
• Making do with things that don’t work anymore, even if you can afford better
• Relationship difficulties in families with wealth