I am back from a three-day trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where I was honored to co-facilitate a financial therapy workshop with therapist Amy West, founder of The Center of Unlimited Possibilities, Spring Lake, Michigan. In addition to the workshop, I met with some clients and did an evening speech in Grand Haven, Michigan.
We also managed to squeeze in four media interviews (WZZM, Fox, WOOD, and WGVU) thanks to my PR associate, Pam Kassner. The first interview was at 6 am ET on Friday meaning I awoke to my alarm at 2:50 am MT. When you are up before Starbucks opens, you are up way too early!
In the workshop, Amy and I implemented some new ideas designed to deepen the personal financial applicability of the experience for each participant. This was opposed to the more didactic, shotgun approach I’ve used in the past. We also gave the participants a reasonable amount of homework designed to reduce a two-day experience to one-day, with the intent of not sacrificing a lot of the content or impact of the two-day experience.
So, I learned a little more about financial therapy. Most things worked, a few didn’t, and I came away with a few new “ah ha’s.” Fortunately, so did the participants!
I am still amazed at the positive impact on a person’s money relationship a financial planner and a therapist can have. In my experience, it is far more impactful than when either work alone.
If you live near Grand Rapids, MI, and are looking for a therapist that understands financial therapy, drop Amy an email.
If you are a therapist and would like some information about training on how to incorporate financial therapy into your practice or would like to sponsor a financial therapy weekend in your city, drop me an email.
