A staggering number of men and women in this country are unable
(R.Wolfsohn)
to meet the financial expectations placed upon them. They have
more month than money, more debt than assets, and more financial
problems than solutions. Their financial circumstances take a mental,
physical, and emotional toll which affects every area of their lives
including their jobs. They need more help than a budget.
What is Financial Social Work
Financial Social Work tries to address the thoughts, feelings, attitudes, values, experiences, and beliefs about
money to increase personal and financial clarity, understanding, and insight. It will take you on a deep dive into the behaviors that determine financial circumstances (how you earn, spend, save, share, and borrow) and present new and different ways of working with money in all areas of life.
It is a journey of self-discovery to enable you to create a better life for yourself, and those you care about. It is an excursion designed to change your relationship with your money and with yourself.
How a Financial Social Worker Educator can help?
Fear of finance leads to the avoidance of money management behavior, guaranteeing to produce negative outcomes. People avoid money because they don’t believe they make enough, feel undeserving or guilty about wanting things for themselves; feel incapable of doing anything right with their money, feel powerless to give up the fantasy of being taken care of.
Avoiding financial problems inevitably exacerbates them and may result in depression, anxiety, child abuse, crime, and drug/alcohol abuse or lead to divorce and domestic violence. Many of these social
problems stem from financial stress, worry, shame, and guilt, whether their own or those of others they know and care about.
As a compassionate witness, a Financial Social Worker Educator will provide a safe space, free of judgment for you to feel seen, heard and understand. Will help you gain a better understanding on your relationship with yourself and your money. Explain how financial circumstances impact clients physically, emotionally, mentally, psychologically, and socially. Also, will promote a client to develop skills and provide tools to improve or control financial circumstances. Engage clients on the journey to greater financial health.
I’ve been there!
I know what it feels to be in a financial turmoil and having the biggest fear of losing all! In a particular time in my life, I was avoidant of my financial decisions, delegating and trusting my own personal decisions to other people. This led me to have unhealthy behavior’s, agreeing to things that did not want just to avoid confrontations. At the same time, I have suffered a mayor rupture in my relationship that brought all my past unhealed trauma to the surface.
Pervasive toxic shame came along the other complex trauma symptoms compromising my mental and emotional health, thus not being able to make conscious decisions for my greatest benefit. I went on to have a dysregulated nervous system, not being able to concentrate, and making a lot of mistakes in my work. I couldn’t rest at night, I was anxious, hypervigilant, and very embarrassed by everything that was happening in my financial life. At that moment we made a conscious decision to file for bankruptcy to protect our properties and deal with our past due debts.
Financial Trauma
Financial stress leaves clients feeling vulnerable, overwhelmed, less able to cope, self-medicating, and at higher risk of poor decision making. These feelings and circumstances converge to create Chronic Financial Stress Syndrome (CFSS).
Trauma is associated with the most severe and negative events. Violence is the most recognized of traumatic events (domestic/ family, dating, sexual/physical abuse, death of family or friends, etc.) People who experience trauma are more likely to self-medicate, miss work, experience depression, and contemplate suicidal ideation. Financial problems are traumatic. The term Financial PTSD was coined by Dr. Galen Buckwalter, a research psychologist of twenty-five years and Chief Science Officer of The Science Team at Happy Money. Dr. Buckwalter also have identified a disorder that they’re calling Acute Financial Stress (AFS) — when stressful financial situations cause negative impacts on your thoughts, feelings and behaviors that match the diagnostic criteria psychologist use to identify people with PTSD. Financial trauma will impact all aspects of your life, reducing the ability to cope or function even in the simples’ things. Look for help if you or your loved ones is experiencing the negative aftereffects of financial trauma. This step will greatly help an individual regain power over their lives, have more stability in their mental and emotional state, being more empowered and developing better coping skills having a healthier life.
Financial trauma and chronic financial stress can become overwhelming.
The Suicide Prevention Lifeline organization is a useful resource.
The National Prevention Suicide Hotline, 800-273-8255, suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Are you ready to start walking in freedom and peace?
Contact us to schedule a free consultation
