Financial Trauma
Money is hard. Having a history of money stress makes it harder.
What is Financial Trauma?
Financial Trauma is any adverse experience you’ve had with money that still bothers you today. The tricky part is “bother” is subjective and can be subconscious. We aren’t always directly aware of what’s causing our money hangups, but a lot of times, its trauma.
Examples of Financial Trauma
frequent fighting about money at home
financial abuse
poverty
inconsistent experiences with money (sometimes there’s a lot, sometimes there’s none)
debt
unexpected medical bills
job loss
being unable to provide for loved ones
Receiving money (or other expensive items) with manipulation, guilt, or harmful expectations attached
Economic events (recessions, wars, pandemics, resource scarcity)
If money is hard for you, you’re not alone.
Financial stress is almost universal. Regardless of income and net worth, most people report their finances are a source of strife in their lives. 73% of Americans rank their finances as the #1 stress in their life. 50% report feeling anxious when discussing money. 20% report feeling stressed about money every day.
Financial Peace
Peace and wholeness are achievable. Even if you are in debt, even if you are “bad with money,” even if you have made financial mistakes, even if you uncomfortable with the power and privilege money gives you. You deserve financial peace regardless of you financial landscape.
Symptoms of Financial Trauma
Think Financial Trauma might be impacting you? Here’s some signs:
Frequent distress, embarrassment, and worry over finances
Avoidance of finances
Debt
Overspending or underspending (unhealthy frugality)
Underdearning
Hoarding
Indecisiveness
Sleep issues
anxiety and discomfort over transactions
Financial Therapy can help you go from:
“Money Stresses me out” to “I am confident in my ability to manage money”
Guilt over spending to caring for your needs today and your future self.
Budgets are no fun to my spending plan works for me.
Avoiding money to enjoying what you have and watching it grow.
Financial Therapy
Our financial lives are a much overlooked part of our overall mental health and wellness. It is still taboo to talk about even in a therapeutic setting. In financial therapy, we dive into discussing finances. We will take a head on look at your relationship with money including mindset, spending habits, attitude, and conscious or subconscious beliefs about yourself and money. We will bring awareness and clarity to your financial life, and work through anything that is standing in the way of your money goals. This could include self esteem, financial trauma, fear, values misalignment, unhelpful cognitions, and avoidance.