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Shift your perspective on money & reshape your financial future.

Financial Therapist in Athens, Ohio

Every conversation about money feels like pulling teeth.

Honestly, even thinking about talking about your finances raises your blood pressure. No matter how much you try to use logic to make the stress you feel go away, there’s still a pit in your stomach and a pressure in your chest whenever the topic comes up.

MAYBE YOU’RE STRUGGLING WITH…

  • Maybe you don’t really understand why you keep spending more than you should. Often, it feels like you’re just trying to keep up with your friends or make others happy. Or maybe, you have a hard time saying "no" to loved ones when they ask for help, even though helping them is taking a major toll on your own finances. You know you’re spending more than you can afford, but don’t know how to set boundaries without feeling guilty.

  • As a couple, you know you make enough money, but your priorities around finances seem polar opposite. Addressing this topic with your partner is challenging in general, but especially if you come from different financial backgrounds or have different spending habits. Conversations about money can stir up anxiety, avoidance, or even conflict, making it hard to move forward together—but navigating finances can be made much easier with an unbiased third party in the room. Whether you’re combining finances for the first time or trying to get on the same page after years of disagreements, we can hone in on your goals and make sure you both feel heard in the process.

  • Money can be overwhelming to think about, which may have led you to avoid those thoughts in the past. The weight of debt or constant worry about your financial situation always seems to be looming over you regardless, no matter how hard you’ve tried to push them away. This underlying anxiety can manifest itself as overworking, hoarding money, or ignoring the reality of your finances altogether, and it’s left you in a cycle of stress and fear. In therapy, we can face reality and break that cycle together.

  • A major financial loss, like being laid off from a job or going through bankruptcy, can leave lasting scars that affect you well into the future. Even if things have improved, the memory of that experience can trigger fear, anxiety, or guilt whenever money comes up. You know the past is still shaping the way you feel about your finances, and it’s holding you back from enjoying the security you have access to now.

My approach

Financial therapy isn’t about numbers—it’s about figuring out what really matters to you and what’s getting in your way.

After we’ve discussed the issues you’re currently having around your finances, we'll take a step back to understand where things may have gone off track. Often, patterns around money come from early experiences in childhood, and it’s important to recognize that the beliefs we hold may not even be our own. We’ll identify how those “money scripts” (the things you heard about money as a child and learned to recite) are still influencing your choices today.

By bringing these patterns into the open, we can explore how they’re affecting your current financial situation and begin to shift your perspective in a way that works better for you in the present. We’ll also dive into specific goals you have for your finances. Maybe you want to negotiate for a raise, spend money on something that’s important to you, or navigate combining finances with your partner. Whatever you’d like to address, we’ll break things down in a way that feels manageable and work together to set realistic, measurable milestones to work toward.

Along the way,

We’ll also explore how you can feel more empowered in advocating for yourself in conversations about money, whether that’s in your relationship, at work, or just in everyday life.

By learning how to manage any anxiety or anger that comes up in these discussions, money doesn’t have to be such a stressful or overwhelming topic anymore. Through our work together, you can start to feel more comfortable and confident in every financial decision you make.

Financial therapy can help you…

  • Understand the choices you’ve made with your money in the past

  • Communicate about finances with confidence

  • Make decisions based on your core values rather than fear

  • Learn basic financial literacy skills

  • Get to the root of your financial issues and move forward in a healthier way

It’s time to stop feeling emotionally spent by your finances.

It’s time to stop feeling emotionally spent by your finances.

It’s time to stop feeling emotionally spent by your finances.

Questions?

FAQs

  • Financial therapy focuses specifically on how money is affecting your relationship. It’s about understanding your financial habits, beliefs, and anxieties, and figuring out how to get on the same page with your partner about things like spending, saving, or dealing with debt. Traditional couples counseling covers the broader aspects of your relationship, but financial counseling zooms in on how money can either support or strain your connection.

  • This kind of therapy may not be a good fit for anyone who wants their therapist to control money for them, invest for them, tell them what to do with their money, or give specific financial advice. It’s also not a good fit for couples where one partner wants to control all the finances in their relationship.

  • The number of sessions really depends on where you’re at and what you need. Some individuals or couples might feel more aligned after just a few sessions, while others may need a bit more time to work through deeper money-related issues. We’ll work together at a pace that feels right for you and your partner to make sure you’re building healthy financial habits and feeling good about your progress.

  • Talking about money can feel tough because it’s tied to so many emotions—security, trust, control, and even self-worth. Many of us grew up with certain beliefs about money that we don’t even realize we carry into our relationships. It can bring up a lot of vulnerability, but having open and honest conversations about it is crucial for building trust and understanding, and establishing healthy boundaries.