Hello dear readers,
It’s been longer than I intended since my last post and for good reason. I’m deep in the final proofreading and referencing phase of my book.
Proofreading a book about financial trauma isn’t like editing a cookbook. Every chapter asks me to revisit challenging topics, and sometimes the content triggers a deeply human nervous system response, the kind that halts the work until my system has time to settle.
I describe this response, known clinically as dissociation, in a section of the book. Here’s an excerpt:
Disconnecting When Handling Financial Tasks
Trigger Pattern: Financial tasks can trigger dissociation, an involuntary coping mechanism that disconnects you from your thoughts, feelings, or surroundings. You may find yourself “checking out” while paying bills, budgeting, or banking. Dissociation exists on a spectrum. Everyone spaces out or goes on autopilot occasionally; that’s normal. What distinguishes trauma-related dissociation is that it’s involuntary, happens repeatedly in response to specific triggers like financial tasks, and interferes with your ability to manage money effectively.
Response: You may feel as if you’re in a dream, a fog, on autopilot, or outside your body. Sometimes you might forget financial decisions or notice purchases you don’t recall making. These moments of disconnection happen without your choosing them.
Impact: Awareness slips. Planning becomes difficult.
Financial Consequences: Late fees pile up, deadlines get missed, credit scores drop, and funds disappear without a clear record.
Jamie’s Story: Jamie earns well but racks up late fees. When she sits down with her bills, she stares for hours, unaware of time. Purchases appear on her card she doesn’t remember making. The bills don’t scare her as much as the blank spaces in her memory. Each forgotten charge feels like proof that part of her is still living in survival mode, even now, in safety.
Even though parts of this book creation process can be triggering for me as someone who’s also known trauma, the proofreading care is non-negotiable.
I’ve come a long way in recognizing and soothing my trauma responses, yet they still surface from time to time. Recovery doesn’t entirely erase them; it just changes my relationship with ones that pop up. I’ve learned how to meet them with more intention and compassion now. Reframing them empowers my post-traumatic growth.
The proofreading process may stir old responses in me, but that’s precisely why I’m taking my time. I want the finished book to feel safe and supportive, not activating. Every section is intended to help you recognize your experiences, not relive them.
Here, in this corner, is where that work happens. It’s a space to write, pause, breathe, and return.
After proofreading, the next step will be transferring the manuscript into the formatting software. Along the way, I’ll share a real timeline update for publication.
Thank you for your continued support, even if it’s silent. And if you feel like sharing, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Warm regards,
Wendy
P.S. If you’re on Pinterest, I’ve created a collection of quotes, mantras, prompts, and perspectives about holistic finance and financial trauma that you might enjoy while you wait for the book.
P.P.S: This book builds on the ideas I’ve explored in my original financial trauma series, which you can revisit if you’d like a refresher.
Author Bio
Wendy helps people heal their relationship with money through a trauma-informed,
holistic approach. With a master’s in social work and years of experience as a social
worker, teacher, and financial well-being advocate, she brings deep insight from
both professional training and lived experience into the societal, relational, emotional, psychological, and somatic roots of financial behavior. She’s also the author
of Financial Trauma: Why Money Isn’t Just About Money, available here.