Welcome To Therapy-Informed Financial Planning™

Welcome to Therapy-Informed Financial Planning!

It is my honor to welcome you into a new way of thinking about and experiencing fee-only financial planning. You may have approached money from many different vantage points in the past, or perhaps you are just trying to keep the house of cards up—hoping this will be different. 

You are welcome no matter where you are on your financial journey. 

What is Therapy-Informed Financial Planning? 

Fee-Only Financial Planning + Financial Therapy + Couples Therapy 

= Therapy-Informed Financial Planning™

This approach blends the emotional understanding and healing touch of therapy with the mathematical know-how of financial planning. Financial planning can feel like stepping on the dreaded scale for many people and couples. What the numbers reveal can evoke anxiety, anger, regret, shame, or any other combination of uncomfortable emotions and bodily reactions. 

Working with complex reactions to your financial life is why Therapy-Informed Financial Planning is so important. Knowing how to help people and couples with their responses to their financial information helps craft a financial plan that works. 

We love goals, we love advice, and we love learning. You probably do too. But sometimes, that is not what we need. Often, we need love and connection before financial planning and goal-setting can help. We see love and connection as foundational to financial well-being.

Therapy-Informed Financial Planning is about finding the middle zone between what the numbers say and what your mind, brain, body, story, intuition, family, and culture say. Financial planning can help us understand the math and likely outcomes of different financial decisions. What financial planning can’t do is tell us what is essential in our lives, what we need help healing from, and whether we need to make small or big changes.

Who is Therapy-Informed Financial Planning For?

Therapy-Informed Financial Planning is for all people who struggle to talk about money with the people they love: those who don't want to talk or think about money and struggle to follow through on money behaviors and talks. 

Therapy-Informed Financial Planning is for those with ongoing mental and relational health challenges. It’s for people who want a financial planner who gets it and can talk openly and honestly about how mental and relational health impacts their financial life. 

Therapy-Informed Financial Planning is for all the people out there who are healing from trauma, abuse, neglect, or dysfunctional family experiences. They want a financial planner who understands the journey and can be a part of the community of people helping them along their path to wholeness and loving relationships. 

Therapy-Informed Financial Planning will provide a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment to work on your financial goals with your partner and yourself. 

Why do we choose a safe, nurturing, and supportive environment for financial planning instead of an advice-driven, goal-focused, or “tough love” framework? 

Simply stated, counseling psychology has shown us a different path. I have experienced both styles of financial planning, and the safe, nurturing, supportive one has helped me develop a far more balanced, healthy relationship with myself, my wife, my family, and money.  

 Common Types of Clients Who Benefit From Therapy-Informed Financial Planning

Financial planners/professionals who have a hard time working with their spouses to create a financial plan that works for their family. At first glance, it may seem counterintuitive that financial planners and money professionals would have challenges with their family finances, and yet I have seen it countless times. There are very understandable psychological explanations for the added challenges that money professionals have in navigating their family finances. 

Busy entrepreneurs and professionals who lack time or energy to sort through the moving pieces of their finances. They often struggle to communicate the impacts of what happens in their business and how it impacts their home life to their spouses. I commonly hear “It’s just easier to try and make more money, then try to get my partner to change.” 

Mental health professionals who dedicate themselves to understanding the human condition yet need to improve their relationship with money. Allowing someone to care for you and extend trust in your finances can be a major part of your self-work as a therapist.  

First-generation professionals who have crossed many barriers to achieve success but feel disillusioned or alienated from their family or community of origin. They may often also feel uncomfortable with their level of income or wealth. 

Individuals and couples who have benefited from therapy and realize they need help to tackle their financial lives. They have experienced the positive impacts of counseling and want it to help them develop a financial plan that works for them. 

Couples that are getting married or preparing to get married. Whether this is a first marriage or a new marriage, the process of bringing together people's financial lives is like merging two countries' cultures together. It is not always easy or smooth, but with help, it can be done well. 

There are many other people groups and identities not represented in these examples. I invite you to reach out if you want to talk about your particular needs. If I am not the right fit, I will gladly help you find someone that is. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Therapy-Informed Financial Planning™ Replace Therapy?

Therapy-Informed Financial Planning™ is not intended to replace mental health care and therapy. If a need for deeper, long-term therapy emerges, we will refer you to a mental health counselor. We believe in the value of depth-based, long-term therapy as part of the healing journey when needed. 

We will gladly remain your Therapy-Informed Financial Planner and advocate for your financial well-being while you pursue therapy.

What Does Therapy-Informed Financial Planning™ Cost?

Therapy-Informed Financial Planning™ with Healthy Love and Money is currently determined based on a tiered, flat-fee-only pricing model. This is a financial planning service. Please see the current fee disclosure. 

How Often Do I Meet With My Therapy-Informed Financial Planner™?

Therapy-Informed Financial Planning™ is offered on an annual and ongoing basis. During the first year of working together, we will likely meet between 8 and 12 times. There is flexibility in meeting frequency to adapt to the needs of each client. 

After the first year of working together, we meet with most clients four times a year to review progress and provide support around specific topics relevant to their current needs. Again, there is flexibility in meeting more or less frequently as needed. 

What Topics Are Covered In Therapy-Informed Financial Planning?

In financial therapy, we commonly discuss exterior and interior personal finances. 

Exterior Therapy-Informed Financial Planning will look at the six major areas of personal finance:

• Cashflow/Spending 
• Investments/Retirement 
• Taxes 
• Insurance 
• Estate Planning 
• Education Funding

Interior Therapy Informed Financial Planning will look at:

• Great Communication 
• Attachment Styles 
• Brain and Money 
• Navigating Emotions 
• Families & Money 
• Stages of Life 
• Social Class 
• Mental Health & Trauma Healing 
• Past, Present, and Future Money Experiences.

Will You Manage My Investments? 

We can help you manage your investments, or we can offer guidance as you self-manage your assets. Investment management services are part of our comprehensive, Therapy-Informed Financial Planning work. 

We will also work on your financial identity and how you see yourself as it relates to investing. Whether you spend large amounts of time on your investments or you would rather not think about them at all, we will explore the origins of this and help you find a middle ground that works for you and your family. 

Let’s Talk About Therapy-Informed Financial Planning™

If you are ready to explore Therapy-Informed Financial Planning™ and see if it is right for you, let’s schedule a time to talk. 

Don’t worry — there’s no high-pressure sales pitch at the end. This is a time for us to get to know each other and see if we can meet your needs.

Please use this link to schedule a free 30-minute discovery call. 

Wishing You Healthy Love and Money,

Ed Coambs -

MBA, MA, MS, CFP®, CFT-I™, LMFT