MONEY HARMONY, LIFE HARMONY
MONEY HARMONY, LIFE HARMONY
Did you know that nearly two-thirds of American adults—63%, to be exact—say money is a major source of stress? It’s a startling number, and while not all financial stress leads to trauma, psychologists now recognize that chronic stressors, like ongoing…
Do you ever feel like you’re your own worst enemy when it comes to money? And no matter how hard you try to do better, your finances just don’t reflect your talents and abilities? Maybe you set a budget, but…
Behind closed doors, millions of us struggle with a hidden burden. Nearly 70% of adults feel we’ve experienced money trauma, but what’s rarely discussed is how this trauma is linked to shame. Financial trauma is a unique pathway to shame,…
Have you lived through a defining financial event that’s left a lasting impression? If so, you’re not alone. A majority of adults—68% according to a 2023 Experian survey—have experienced these significant money moments. I have too. Perhaps you remember the…
Money speaks its own language in the context of Complex PTSD. What appears on the surface as procrastination, avoidance, or ‘bad’ financial habits often masks a deeper story—one of survival responses, emotional flashbacks, and the ways trauma reshapes our relationship…
Like a river carving its path through stone, our earliest experiences with money shape lasting patterns. These childhood encounters create deep channels that often guide our financial decisions decades later. The way we saw money flow through our family home…
Money sweeps through our lives like ocean waves, sometimes gently sustaining, sometimes overwhelming. Our response to its ebb and flow is shaped by our most profound experiences—those that shook our sense of identity, safety, or security. The way we handle…
To understand financial trauma, we must first understand trauma itself. While many definitions exist—from clinical to casual—I’ve chosen this inclusive definition from SAMHSA as our foundation: Trauma results from an event, series of events, or a set of circumstances an…
Financial decisions touch every aspect of our lives, yet traditional advice often overlooks a critical truth: our relationship with money runs deeper than spreadsheets and budgets. Through my work and research, I’ve discovered how financial stress and trauma lie at…
As we wrap up our exploration of cognitive biases in personal finance, let’s bring together the key insights and practical wisdom from each article. This series has revealed how our minds process financial information and make decisions, often in ways…
Imagine finding a $100 bill in an old jacket pocket. Would you spend it any differently than $100 from your regular paycheck? If you answered yes, you’ve just encountered mental accounting—a fascinating cognitive bias that shapes how we think about…
Years ago, my unchecked spending habits collided with a family medical crisis, and the fallout was devastating. Without an emergency fund, I lost my home, my car, and nearly everything I had. My spending habits at the time were simple:…
Imagine navigating a river with an anchor dragging behind your boat. Instead of flowing freely, you’re constantly pulled back, restricted by a single point of contact. This isn’t just a nautical nightmare—it’s a metaphor for how our brains get stuck…
Ever notice how the pain of losing $50 feels more intense than joy of finding $50? That’s no accident. Our brains are wired to protect us from loss—so much so that we often avoid risks or decisions, even when the…
This post serves as your gateway to a four-part series exploring how cognitive biases shape our financial decisions. Think of it as your roadmap to understanding the fascinating ways our minds process and sometimes mishandle money matters. Each article in…