The Mental Health and Wealth Show

In this episode, I bring back financial therapist Lindsay Bryan-Podvin. Lindsay is a biracial financial wellness expert, speaker, and author of the book "The Financial Anxiety Solution”. Lindsay uses a shame-free approach to help people get their minds and money in balance by focusing on the intersection of money and mental health using financial therapy.  We dig deep into when do we help people and when do we harm them by giving money, how to know if we are being taken advantage of and what to consider before giving someone money.   “Being an enabler prevents the person from having the natural consequences of their actions.” - Lindsay Bryan-Podvin “When you continue to save people and prevent them from experiencing consequences, it's a way to postpone making a decision” - Melanie Lockert “When we think about enabling, we also think about removing a person's natural ability to learn how to function a bit more independently.” - Lindsay Bryan-Podvin “Financial abuse is the next level, above and beyond just enabling or some dysfunction or some tension. It is really making it so the person cannot financially escape a relationship or situation.” - Lindsay Bryan-Podvin    What You Will Learn From This Episode  ●     The relationship between financial enabling and codependency ●     The difference between financial enabling and financial generosity ●     How enabling can be a part of a dysfunctional dynamic ●     How to set boundaries when you're from a culture that expects you to support your parents ●     How to set boundaries/expectations on sending money to your family in another country  ●     What to do if your boundaries are met with anger or resentment ●     When is the appropriate time to help out a loved one and what to do if you're being taken advantage of ●     How can you tell if you're being truly financially generous   About Lindsay Bryan-Podvin: Lindsay Bryan-Podvin (she/her) is a biracial financial wellness expert, speaker, and author of the book "The Financial Anxiety Solution." A practicing social worker since 2012, she uses a shame-free approach to help people get their minds and money in balance by focusing on the intersection of money and mental health using financial therapy. While financial literacy is important, she champions the belief that money is rooted in emotions and impacted by the systems around us. She has a degree in sociology and a Master's in Social Work with certificates in Financial Social Work and Financial Therapy. She lives with her partner and their dog on the occupied land of the Fox, Peoria, and Potawatomi peoples, also known as Michigan.  Resources: *Affiliate link          When Helping Hurts: 5 Recommendations For Planners Financial Enabling Clients          When Parents Can't Say NO: Financial Enabling          To the Limit: Financial Dependency and Enabling          Personal Finance: Family Savings Funds          Inheritance by Race          Migrant Remittances: The Impact of Immigrants Sending Money Back Home          Get Lindsay's session on how to Transform Your Money Mindset          FreeForm          *The Financial Anxiety Solution by Lindsay Bryan-Podvin   Connect with Lindsay:          Website          Instagram          YouTube          Podcast: Mind Money Balance          Pinterest  Connect with Melanie          mentalhealthandwealth.com          melanielockert.com          Instagram          Support the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert          Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt”          Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com     Want more content and support?  Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here!  Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Kyle Nichol has experienced divorce, bankruptcy, severe mental illness, and depression. In this episode, Kyle talks about his stories and how he started over. He also shares tips from his new book “Mind Body and Money” on how to manage physical, mental, and financial health. “The one thing that people can really use more of is just control. Control over everything in their life; their thoughts, their emotions, their money.” - Kyle Nichol  “The bankruptcy was a blessing and a curse at the same time. It was a wake-up call. It was scary but it also got me super, super focused.” - Kyle Nichol   What You Will Learn From This Episode How to work on your financial, physical, and mental health in less than 1 hour a day On drugs, divorce, and bankruptcy and how they affected Kyle's financial and mental health Mistakes that Kyle made in his business and how he knew it was time to file for bankruptcy How he was able to pay off his mortgage after the bankruptcy How fitness/exercise relates to finances The importance of deep breathing as a tool in times of stress The first actionable step that you can do if you're struggling with your physical, financial, and mental health About Kyle Nichol: Having spent more than two decades as a personal trainer, Kyle Nichol has improved the lives of hundreds of people by helping them improve their physical health. As a survivor of severe mental illness and depression, he overcame his own personal demons and suicidal impulses to reclaim control of his life and emerge emotionally stronger than ever. As an entrepreneur and business owner during the height of the 2008 Great Recession, Kyle achieved rapid success in a highly competitive industry, then hit rock bottom financially, prompting him to completely overhaul his financial life and relationship with money. Today, as a Performance Mindset coach and speaker, Kyle teaches others how to better manage stress, improve their relationship with money and overcome major challenges to achieve more control in their lives.  Resources: *Affiliate link  *Open Book by Jessica Simpson Mind Body and Money by Kyle Nichol Get Jason Vitug's Breathwork session from the Mental Health and Wealth Summit here: https://melanielockert.gumroad.com Insight Timer Amazing Grass  Connect with Kyle: Website Facebook Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

In today's episode, I'm bringing back my friend Jason Vitug who is a wellness advocate and best-selling author of two books, ‘Happy Money, Happy Life' and ‘You Only Live Once'. He's the founder of phroogal.com and is an award-winning creator of the Road to Financial Wellness Project. He is also a certified diversity, equity, and inclusion expert, a certified yoga teacher, and a breathwork specialist. We talk about how money can affect your happiness, the dimensions of wellness that relate to money, and how to achieve a happier life. “When we can use money as a tool, we can then use money to positively affect these different aspects of our being, these eight wellness dimensions (mental health, emotional health, physical, spiritual, social, environmental, occupational, financial).” -Jason Vitug “Money isn't everything, but money impacts most things.” -Jason Vitug What You Will Learn From This Episode The turning point and realizations that made Jason write his second book 'Happy Money Happy Life' What are the components of a happy life (the 8 wellness dimensions), how they are all connected, and how they are affected by money The difference between mental health and emotional health Why retail therapy and other coping techniques may actually cause financial distress How to spend our money to improve our emotional and mental health Why money is one of the most important things and yet also one of the least important things in life How can people who tie their self-worth and success with money or work change or stop with that association What is a happy life and how to use our money to get that happy life About Jason Vitug: Jason is a wellness advocate helping a generation achieve a victorious life through health and wealth. He is a bestselling NY Times-reviewed author of two books: ‘Happy Money Happy Life' and ‘You Only Live Once'. He is the founder of the personal finance website phroogal.com, creator of the Plutus Award-winning Road to Financial Wellness project, and a certified yoga teacher and breathwork specialist. While having professional success, Jason experienced financial distress and personal dissatisfaction. His quest to find a balance between achievements and fulfillment led him to resign from his executive job and backpack through 20 countries in 12 months. In that journey, he realized the importance of holistic well-being, where money isn't the goal but the tool to achieve the goals. Jason openly shares his problems with credit, the oversized debt, and the spending habits that kept him living paycheck-to-paycheck. He is now living financially well and educates others on achieving financial and career goals without sacrificing life satisfaction. Resources: Happy Money Happy Life: A Multidimensional Approach to Health, Wealth, and Financial Freedom by Jason Vitug You Only Live Once: The Roadmap to Financial Wellness and a Purposeful Life by Jason Vitug com Redefining Wealth Podcast with Patrice Washington Chronic Pain and Emotional Trauma: An Interview with Kent Bassett and Dr. Howard Schubiner of This Might Hurt Film Learn a new coping technique with this training called: Breathwork: Unlocking the Power of Intentional Breathing to Set, Reset and Relax Connect with Jason: Facebook Instagram Twitter Website Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

What would it look like to take a gap year and travel with your family? Find out in this episode as I chat with Heidi Dusek. Heidi is known as the “Adventurous Mom” and the podcast host and founder of Ordinary Sherpa, an online community designed to inspire families to connect through simple and authentic adventure experiences. You will hear her story of family adventure, how they prepared financially and mentally, and how she faces winding down her career in order to have a gap year. “I decided to, instead of having these external goals as metrics on what success looks like, I decided to say, what would it look like if joy was the metric.” - Heidi Dusek “The sooner and easier you make it to get out the door and do the thing, the more likely you are to start. And that's, I think, if you can focus on starting something as opposed to finishing, you have a step in the right direction.” - Heidi Dusek What You Will Learn From This Episode What inspired Heidi to take a gap year and travel with her family Heidi's and her family's whereabouts and how they face the challenge of getting out of their comfort zone The nuts and bolts of preparing financially and mentally for the gap year Heidi's advice for parents who want to have more adventures with their kids outside of what may be viewed as traditional How to take care of your mental and financial health while being on the road and traveling as a family Making the most out of the unexpected things that happen The fears that Heidi faced while winding down her career in order to have a gap year and how she overcame them How to get started on this journey even when you feel bogged down with job and family obligations About Heidi Dusek: Heidi Dusek has earned the title of adventurous mom after over a decade of packing up kids and setting off on adventures near and far. She is currently winding down her career in the public sector as a Foundation Executive to take a gap year with her family to live an intentional life challenging herself to not get too comfortable or align with the status quo. Some describe her as a disruptor and an unshakeable optimist. Her work is featured as the podcast host and founder of Ordinary Sherpa, an online community designed to inspire families to connect through simple and authentic adventure experiences.  As an “ordinary” mom, she creates content to guide and support other families on their quest to live a more adventurous life. Her book, Beyond Normal, a field guide to embracing adventure, exploring the wilderness, and designing an extraordinary life with kids shares research, tools, and novel tips to integrate adventure into your daily life. Heidi and her husband Brent, live in northeast Wisconsin with their three kids and Weimaraner dog. They spend their time skiing, building igloos, making maple syrup, and filling the gaps with hiking, mountain biking, and aim to spend as much time outdoors as possible.  While they crave travel they also recognize the privilege and comforts of coming home.  Resources: Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life by Bill Perkins Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl Paying Off Debt, Reaching FI, and Dealing with Online Hate: An Interview with Jillian Johnsrud Beyond Normal, A Field Guide to Embrace Adventure, explore the Wilderness and Design an Extraordinary Life with Kids by Heidi Dusek Heidi's freebie with 50+ everyday adventure digital cards filled with ideas for unique adventures Connect with Heidi: Instagram LinkedIn Facebook Website Ordinary Sherpa Podcast Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com    Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Benoit Kim is a US army veteran, Penn-educated former policymaker turned psychotherapist, and host of the Discover More Podcast. In this episode, he shares how he got his depression, his coping mechanism to overcome it, and how it led him to shift into a different career. We also talk about the phenomenon called post-traumatic growth (which is on the other side of PTSD), psychedelics, and what it looks like to have a healthy money mindset. “The famous mental health adage states that the opposite of depression is expression, what you don't express gets depressed. And of course, it's a general blanket statement, but it is the core ethos of a lot of mental health issues.” - Benoit Kim “I attribute a lot of my growth and this new lens that allows me to navigate life in such a hyper-intentional way to the phenomena of post-traumatic growth.” - Benoit Kim “When you let yourself grow from such hard experiences, that's the real beauty of healing and growth.” - Melanie Lockert What You Will Learn From This Episode How acceptance of limitation leads to healing Importance of breaking the stigma on masculinity Advantages of having an intentional personality What is post-traumatic growth and how to achieve it Why physical health and mental health are not two separate entities The mental health and emotional signs telling you that it is time for a career change How journaling and looking back at your life's data points can help you make changes and grow What a healthy money mindset looks like Psychedelics - its effectivity and risk factors What does it look like to have psychedelic-assisted therapy How healing can transform life and get people to optimal performance About Benoit Kim: Benoit Kim is a US army veteran, Penn-educated former policymaker turned therapist, and host of the Discover More Podcast. He worked in the policy sector for a few years then pivoted recently into the clinical field as an aspirational psychedelic-assisted psychotherapist. Lastly, he started the podcast 3 years ago by simply leaning into curiosity, and the show was featured on Top Apple Podcasts 200 chart two times in 2022. Resources: Discover More Podcast by Benoit Kim Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear Chronic Pain and Emotional Trauma: An Interview with Kent Bassett and Dr. Howard Schubiner of This Might Hurt Film On Toxic Masculinity and Mental Health: An Interview with Colin Becker Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel Dear Debt blog by Melanie New York Times article featuring Melanie I Will Teach You To Be Rich Podcast by Ramit Sethi How To Change Your Mind on Netflix Connect with Benoit: LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

In today's episode, I chat with licensed corporate finance adviser and spiritual wealth coach Mandy Cheung. Mandy helps people beat their debt, build wealth, and control their future. We talk about the relationship between spirituality and money and how self-love helps us with our money mindset. "The law of attraction is more about the universe sending you the people, the ideas, or the opportunities so that you can receive what you want.” - Mandy Cheung “Once my clients acknowledge that they are already enough, then they have so much more mental clarity in how to manage their finances.” - Mandy Cheung   What You Will Learn From This Episode On spirituality and money and how these two works together Manifesting or law of attraction - what they mean and why some people think it doesn't work for them What to do if you want to add manifestation in your financial life Three things you can do to get out of scarcity or negative mindset after being triggered by a financial situation, like a medical bill or tax bill On self-love and its relationship with money Why it's important for women to have their own money How women can improve their finances Exercises on how to improve money mindset About Mandy Cheung: Mandy Cheung is a licensed corporate finance adviser and spiritual wealth coach based in Hong Kong. She works with companies listed on Hong Kong Stock Exchange on their transactions like IPO, M&A, and equity fundraising exercises. She also supports women to be financially independent and live life on their own terms because she genuinely believes that the world will be a better place if more women become financially empowered. Resources: Quote by Henry Ford: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can...” (goodreads.com) On Toxic Masculinity and Mental Health: An Interview with Colin Becker Connect with Mandy: mandycheung.coach/ YouTube Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com  Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

What is the difference between surviving and thriving? It's all a matter of financial health. In today's episode, I chat with Angela Fontes of the Financial Health Network about their Financial Health Pulse report. Find out how income, race, gender, and more all impact financial health and what we can do to improve our financial health.  "I think we want to sort of think about financial health as both an individual responsibility and certainly as part of a macro-environment." - Angela Fontes  "So many different identities are getting left out of the conversation and it's like we all have to deal with money so why are some people getting more of the conversation when this is something we all have to deal with."- Melanie Lockert “Check your credit, pull your credit report on a regular basis and just make sure that what you think is happening with your debt and credit accounts is what is being reported and if you do see errors, make sure that you're addressing those so you do have the good credit score that is an important part of financial health.” - Angela Fontes What You Will Learn From This Episode Why we're seeing a drop in the financial health of American households How financial health increases and decreases based on income Four financial health metrics - how you can determine if you're financially healthy Why Black and LatinX communities experience less financial health Ways to improve financial health from an individual consumer perspective On the financial health gap between men and women and how we can decrease that gap What we can do to boost our financial health About Angela Fontes: As Vice President of the Policy and Research team, Angela oversees policy and measurement research for the Financial Health Network, including the Financial Health Pulse and FinHealth Spend initiatives. Using cutting-edge data and methodologies, Angela elevates important insights for policy-makers and the academic community to advance financial health for all.  Resources: annualcreditreport.com Financial Health Network  Connect with Angela:  finhealthnetwork.org Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Are you struggling with debt? Do you feel depressed and anxious wondering how you can get support? Today's episode is brought to you in partnership with Apprisen, an organization that helps people with their finances and credit. I chat with Tasha Bishop, the Director of Digital Innovation at Apprisen on why debt causes so much shame and guilt, when you should reach out for help, what your options are, the difference between a non-profit debt management plan and a for-profit debt settlement, and how to use credit in a smart way.  "The more that you open up and the more you share these, the less that shame and that guilt is going to impact you whether it's emotionally, your mental health, or physical." - Tasha Bishop  "I think with debt repayment it's as much, if not more, a mental shift, and then everything else can shift around you."- Melanie Lockert  This episode is brought to you in partnership with Apprisen  What You Will Learn From This Episode Common emotions/feelings that people with debt are experiencing Why debt causes so much shame and guilt and why it's so dangerous to continue with these feelings, without getting help Financial and emotional warning signs or clues which tell you that you should reach out for help The different options for debt repayment The difference between a non-profit debt management plan and a for-profit debt settlement Debt relief scams and signs to watch out for How Apprisen works with consumers and what their fees are How being in debt and paying off debt affect your credit score How the timing of credit card payments impacts your credit score as well About Tasha Bishop: As the Director of Digital Innovation at Apprisen, Tasha is responsible for creating and enhancing national partnerships, building and sustaining internal programs, and increasing financial health awareness through outreach, social media, and traditional marketing. Tasha holds an MA in Economic Development & International Commerce from the University of Kentucky and a BA in Economics from the University of Louisville. She lives in Louisville, KY with her husband & two cats. Apprisen is an accredited non-profit credit counseling agency focused on helping people improve their financial health. Since 1955, Apprisen has helped over 1 million individuals manage their finances and debt. Their signature program, the Debt Management Program, helps people pay down debt with lower interest rates and potentially minimum payments. Apprisen prides itself in finding solutions to their clients' unique financial concerns in an atmosphere of trust, creativity, and non-judgment. Connect with Tasha and Apprisen: www.apprisen.com Twitter Join Apprisen + Melanie for a Twitter chat on money and mental health on 9/13 @ 1pm ET for a discussion on how debt stress impacts mental health. One lucky participant will win a $50 Amazon gift card, incl. Apprisen swag items! Learn More #FinHealthChat https://bit.ly/3w1d3a9 Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Money can't buy everything. It can't buy you the most important stuff like love, health, and family. In this episode, learn how to have a rich and purposeful life regardless of money as I chat with Doc G aka Jordan Grumet about his new book on money and life advice as a hospice doctor. Jordan is a financial expert, host of the Earn & Invest podcast, author, and currently an associate medical director at Journeycare Hospice. "When I've sat with the dying, almost never do they say, I regret that I only ended up with a networth of $500,000 and I really wanted to hit that million mark. No one said that. What people tend to regret is that they didn't spend the energy, courage, or time doing those things that were most important to them." - Jordan Grumet "Even the most lucky of us are going to deal with life's issues, financial or otherwise, and having that strength of saying, I am already enough, as you face these problems is a great starting place." - Jordan Grumet "Money is not the goal, it's a tool. And it's a tool to utilize to better live out a life of purpose, identity, and connections." - Jordan Grumet    What You Will Learn From This Episode How working with people as they transition from life to death changed Jordan's view on life and money What really is the core of having a rich life, regardless of money 'Medicaid divorce' - what you should know about it FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) what people get wrong about it Some exercises to help you know your identity and your purpose in life Suggestions to manage your mental health and money if you feel burned out Why you should invest in other ways, not just financially How to use your money to actively avoid the regrets of the dying Steps you can take to protect your finances and your family in the face of death About Jordan Grumet: Jordan was born in Evanston, Illinois in 1973. His interest in becoming a doctor was ignited when his father, an oncologist, died unexpectedly in the prime of his life. This profound loss not only inspired him to practice medicine, but has also given him a unique perspective as a financial expert, challenging him to think deeply and critically about concepts like wealth, abundance, and financial independence. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Jordan received his medical degree from Northwestern University and began practicing Internal Medicine in Northbrook, Illinois. He currently is an associate medical director at Journeycare Hospice. After years of blogging about financial independence and wellness, Jordan launched the Earn & Invest podcast in 2018. In 2019 he received the Plutus Award for Best New Personal Finance Podcast and was nominated in 2020 and 2021 for Best Personal Finance Podcast of the year.  His book, Taking Stock: A Hospice Doctor's Advice on Financial Independence, Building Wealth, and Living a Regret-Free Life is being published by Ulysses Press in August 2022. Resources: Earn & Invest podcast Taking Stock: A Hospice Doctor's Advice on Financial Independence, Building Wealth, and Living a Regret-Free Life by Jordan Grumet Die with Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life by Bill Perkins Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing by Bronnie Ware Connect with Jordan jordangrumet.com Facebook Twitter Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Have you ever felt so anxious you feel sick to your stomach or need to go to the bathroom? How about when you feel depressed and your gut isn't working properly? Did you know that your gut is referred to as your second brain and has a big impact on your mental health? In this episode, I chat with Dr. Ali Kazemi, a gastroenterologist, about mental health and gut health, celiac disease, IBS, and how to keep your gut healthy. "People refer to the gut as a second brain, but it's not because the gut has the ability to think for itself but because it has such a strong complex nervous system and its interaction with the central nervous system can actually lead to issues in terms of diseases or even symptoms." - Dr. Kazemi "I already have anxiety and that can present as hypervigilance and so having to have a diet that requires me to maintain that hypervigilance, kind of makes me more anxious." - Melanie Lockert   What You Will Learn From This Episode The connection between mental health and gut health All about celiac disease esp. what causes the neurological symptoms like brain fog and anxiety The relationship between antibiotics and gut health that you should know about How mental health issues like anxiety and depression, if started in the mind, affect gut health What is IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome and what we can do to deal with it especially if all the medical tests done are negative What happens during the body's 'freeze' response to threat where your digestive system turns off All about the vagus nerve and its role in gut health, depression, and anxiety How gut disorders can disrupt your everyday life and mental health Signs that you need to see a GI doctor Ways that we can support our gut health and mental health About Dr. Ali Kazemi: Dr. Kazemi grew up in France until he was 11 years old and moved to Northern California. He then relocated to Northern Virginia at age 16. He graduated with honors from George Mason University with a B.S. in Biology. He received his M.D. from St. George's University SOM Grenada and completed his Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Louisville. Dr. Kazemi completed his Gastroenterology Fellowship at Allegheny General Hospital/ Temple University. He is board certified in gastroenterology. In addition to general GI procedures, Dr. Kazemi also performs specialized procedures including EUS. Connect with Dr. Kazemi gastrohealth.com TikTok Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com  Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Do you want to feel good about your money? Then listen to this episode as I chat with Aja Evans. Aja is a board-certified therapist who specializes in financial therapy. She's coined the 'feel-good financial therapist' because of her ability to use therapeutic approaches to improve financial outcomes for clients and listeners. Today when many people are concerned about a recession, she shares how to feel good about your money and deal with financial anxiety and low self-esteem. She also discussed how we can stop self-sabotaging our finances, reconcile our past and move on from shame and blame. "We don't want people to feel they can't spend their money because as much as saving money is important, so is spending it. Money is a tool and it should be enjoyed where you can." - Aja Evans What You Will Learn From This Episode Three steps you can take to feel good about your money Financial and mental health tips to avoid anxiety during these trying times How you can reconcile your past if you've experienced a low income or poverty and now have money and stability for the first time How low self-esteem and struggles with self-worth manifest in mental health and finances Why do we self-sabotage our finances without us realizing it and how we can be aware and stop such behaviors How to move on from shame and blame because of prior financial mistakes About Aja Evans: Aja is a board-certified therapist who specializes in financial therapy. She commonly speaks about how relationships with money impact all facets of our lives and have the power to shift how we feel emotionally and physically. She is determined to empower people to take control of their financial journey beginning with evaluating how their past experiences impact their financial decisions. Aja specializes in identifying how anxiety, self-esteem, and stress impact financial wellness. Because of her ability to use therapeutic approaches to improve financial outcomes for clients and listeners, she's coined the 'feel-good financial therapist'. Connect with Aja ajaevanscounseling Instagram LinkedIn Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Elena Sonnino is a life coach, speaker, and yoga teacher who shares how her unexpected pregnancy taught her to nurture her joy. She also talks about her cancer and how it changed her money mindset. Listen in and learn simple and free ways to navigate change, find joy, and feel more alive regardless of all the uncertainties in life. "When I feel I'm a little bit off track, what brings me back is to get rooted in my body." - Elena "To stay in intensity sometimes helps us then release it." - Elena  What You Will Learn From This Episode How to cultivate joy and gratitude when things don't go as planned The mindset changes or practices that Elena has now after battling cancer How to heal when you see yourself as broken and you feel like your body is betraying you - how belly dancing may help How the pregnancy and cancer affected Elena's financial life - seeing the concept of ‘being self-sufficient' and ‘receiving support' in a different light Tips to navigating change and finding joy in life - get rooted, be curious Three simple, small, and free practices to feel more alive About Elena: Elena is a life coach, speaker, and yoga teacher. Her writing has appeared on Tiny Buddha, Chopra.com, and Elephant Journal. Her debut book, Inhabit Your Joy: A Book of Nudges, was published in January. She has spoken to groups at Four Seasons Hotel Washington DC, Athleta, Lululemon, CorePower Yoga, AECOM, BlogHer, Mom 2.0 Summit, Sterling Women, and was one of the top travel bloggers invited to attend the White House Travel Blogger Summit. Elena has also been featured at Rancho La Puerta Fitness and Spa Retreat, the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, Safe States Alliance, and United Wellness Center & Sports Rehab in Reston, Virginia. On her podcast - Sunrise in Your Pocket - she offers playful, easy-to-implement guidance on how to explore moving beyond mindset and into embodiment, up-leveling your self-care practice, and replacing survival mode with thriving. Resources: Sunrise in Your Pocket Podcast Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez Inhabit Your Joy: A Book of Nudges by Elena Sonnino Connect with Elena elenasonnino.com Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

In today's episode, I chat with Jessica from The Fioneers, an award-winning blog that focuses on building financial freedom and designing a life you truly love. Jessica is a full-time human being and a part-time writer and lifestyle design coach. We talk about how she recovered from burnout and how she had a transformative time with her relationship with money. Learn how she manages her mental health today and uses money to design a new life. "You deserve to actually feel better." - Jessica "You don't need to stay in the difficult place that you're in just because others might have it worse. We all deserve to thrive and a rising tide lifts all the boats." - Jessica What You Will Learn From This Episode Experiencing burnout from work and the steps that you can take to get sick leave, get paid, and deal with your mental health How dialectical behavioral therapy helps Jessica How self-care by subtraction, burnout recovery activities, and self-discovery work Getting back up again and starting entrepreneurship that supplements her mental health Ways to build financial freedom now to help you enjoy life and improve mental health before reaching FI (what is coast FI) What Jessica is doing now to help with her money and mental health Tips if you're at a crisis point with your work and mental health About Jessica: Jessica is a full-time human being and a part-time writer and lifestyle design coach. She is a co-founder of the blog, The Fioneers, a globally recognized and award-winning resource focused on building financial freedom and designing a life you truly love. In her free time, you can find her spending time outdoors with her husband and dog, road tripping in her camper van, and playing complex board games. Resources: Paying Off Debt, Reaching FI, and Dealing with Online Hate: An Interview with Jillian Johnsrud Burnout Recovery: 6 Strategies I Found Super Helpful by Jessica You are Not Your Job: How to Reclaim your Identity by Jessica How to Set Boundaries at Work by Jessica Connect with Jessica thefioneers.com Instagram Twitter Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Host Melanie Lockert is taking May off of the podcast for Mental Health Awareness Month. After experiencing burnout and testing positive for celiac disease, she is focusing on her own mental health and physical health. 

We get to create the stories of our life. But sometimes we hold on so tightly to the stories that we create that they can negatively impact our mental health and money. In this episode, I speak with Dr. Varun Gandhi about the power of stories. Dr. Varun Gandhi is a life orchestrator, soulpreneur, Angel investor, inventor, philanthropist, and a water doctor. We talk about how to create or rewrite our life story in a way that serves our purpose, our finances, and our mental health. “Paying attention to what stories we are creating will help us reduce the anxiety and the unnecessary stress that's going on in our lives.” - Dr. Varun Gandhi  What You Will Learn From This Episode How stories can improve our mental health How we can manage or let go of the painful or harmful stories that we create in our life How to rewrite our story to support our mental health and move on to the next chapter of our life Tips to combat stress and anxiety Discarding unhelpful money stories + steps and tools to create new ones How to zoom out from hard/painful moments and see the bigger picture without falling into despair About Dr. Varun Gandhi: Dr. Varun Gandhi is a life orchestrator, soulpreneur, Angel investor, inventor, philanthropist, and water doctor. He enjoys orchestrating businesses, events, and ideas about the self (self-image)! He is currently focused on creating a digital course called What's Your Story, which allows you to create your Life Film, a chart consisting of your memories, experiences, and defining moments that have left an impression. Each of these moments has a lesson to be learned for you. Your ‘My Life Film' also allows you to create a new meaning to your past experiences, create a new future YOU, and write affirmations that help maintain the new you! Resources: How To Craft Your Story To Get More Press by Melanie Lockert Your Body's Many Cries for Water: You're Not Sick; You're Thirsty: Don't Treat Thirst with Medications by Batmanghelidj, M.D. Story: Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee The Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life by Deepak Chopra Chronic Pain and Emotional Trauma: An Interview with Kent Bassette and Dr. Howard Schubiner of This Might Hurt Film Connect with Dr. Varun drvarungandhi.com Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com  Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Have you thought about what happens to your money after you die? Do you know that doing nothing at all can lead to a mess for your family left behind and can cause more pain, drama, and grief? Learn how to let your money live on long after you're gone as I chat with Renee Fry. Renee is the co-founder and CEO of Gentreo, a next-generation financial estate planning, web-enabled software solution. Find out more about estate planning, how it can help your financial and mental health, and what you need if you want to get started.  “Estate planning is really making sure that you are the one making the decisions, whether it's around money or health because otherwise they will get made for you by complete strangers.” - Renee Fry  What You Will Learn From This Episode What is estate planning, the common misconceptions about it, and who should get an estate plan What do healthcare proxy, power-of-attorney, and probate mean How getting an estate plan helps your financial and mental health Estate planning for unmarried couples How we can make sure that people with mental health issues requiring a caregiver are well taken care of when they die Some examples of situations that go awry because of lack of estate planning Estate planning for your pets - why it's important too The documents you need to get started with an estate plan About Renee Fry: Renee Fry is the co-founder and CEO of Gentreo, a next-generation financial estate planning, web-enabled software solution. Fry, a Harvard Business School Rock 100 entrepreneur, graduated with honors from Pennsylvania State University and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. She took her first career steps in the political sphere, having served in the Massachusetts government cabinet as head of Business and Technology under Mitt Romney. This background has given her the business savvy and inspiration needed to create a company to help the tens of millions of Americans who need help to prepare, plan and protect all they love. Connect with Renee gentreo.com LinkedIn Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Your money is a tool to support the people and the causes that you care about. In this episode, I talk with Tanja Hester about becoming a wallet activist. Tanja Hester is the author of the award-winning book Wallet Activism: How to Use Every Dollar You Spend, Earn, and Save as a Force for Change. She is also, as The New York Times called her, “the matriarch of the women's FIRE movement.” Listen and learn how to find out what your values are, spend on what matters, and raise your consciousness around how things are made and the impact our purchases have on the environment and other people. “Wallet activism is using your financial power and all its forms for the greater good or the collective good.” -  Tanja Hester What You Will Learn From This Episode What is wallet activism and how it can help us spend our money appropriately How can we find out what our values are and how to not get paralyzed when making decisions that align with our values What are ‘externalities', why it's important to recognize them, how it can help us, and what to consider when shopping for deals Why Starbucks, notebooks, and the dollar store can be problematic How we can be aware when a company is using ‘greenwashing' as a marketing tactic What white people should consider before buying certain food or living in a certain area that can impact indigenous people or people of color All about ESG (Environmental Social and Governance) investing Do you need money to be a conscious and empowered consumer; what you can do if you don't have much financial resources About Tanja Hester: Tanja Hester is the author of the award-winning books Wallet Activism: How to Use Every Dollar You Spend, Earn, and Save as a Force for Change and Work Optional: Retire Early the Non-Penny-Pinching Way. After spending most of her career as a consultant to Democratic politics and progressive issue campaigns, and before that as a public radio journalist, Tanja retired early at the age of thirty-eight. She documented the process on her financial independence/retire early (FIRE) blog, Our Next Life. She's been an outspoken voice in the personal finance media community to consider systemic barriers and opportunity gaps, rather than simply pushing people with lots of advantages already to accumulate more wealth, part of why The New York Times called her “the matriarch of the women's FIRE movement.” She hosts a podcast also called Wallet Activism, writes an occasional opinion column for MarketWatch, and lives in a burgeoning permaculture food forest she's growing in North Lake Tahoe, California, with her husband, Mark Bunge, and a flock of tiny rescue dogs. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @our_nextlife and visit her blog at OurNextLife.com Resources: Wallet Activism: How to Use Every Dollar You Spend, Earn, and Save as a Force for Change by Tanja Hester Connect with Tanja ournextlife.com Instagram Twitter Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com  Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

There are times that you have to start from scratch and start all over again. Join me as I speak with Vee Weir about the journey she had to go through to pick herself up from ground zero. Vee is the owner and founder of Vee Frugal Fox, an inclusive online brand for those paying down debt, saving money, and living their best financial lives. We talk about paying off debt, dealing with divorce, healing, and how mental health and money are interrelated. “Ever since that divorce I've been in therapy and I will stay in therapy and I will stay on medication and I will not deviate from it because I saw what not addressing these things did. And I don't want to ever go back to that.” - Vee Weir  “I never wanted ever to give myself the title of 'self-made' anything because I'm not. I had support systems throughout my entire process. I am not self-made. I relied heavily on resources.” - Vee Weir  What You Will Learn From This Episode Paying off 71K debt and dealing with divorce Self-trust as a form of self-love Learning how to have self-trust again Why we should stop commenting on other people's appearances How her new relationship helped her heal/ have post-traumatic growth The big steps that Vee made to take control of both her mental health and financial life Taking the stigma away from mental health medication How freelancing and entrepreneurship can support your mental health About Vee Weir: Vee Weir is the owner and founder of Vee Frugal Fox, an inclusive online brand for those paying down debt, saving money, and living their best financial lives. She began her path to financial independence in 2016 when she realized she had to choose between medicine and food. In that moment, the course of her life changed, and she decided to learn everything she could about personal finance. After being introduced to the debt-free community on Instagram, Vee paid off $71k in five years. She fell in love with personal finance and opened her digital marketing firm, Weir Digital Marketing, which services other finance brands in the online space. Vee has been featured in Business Insider, Forbes, MSN, CNBC, Reader's Digest, and more. She spends her time offline hiking with her husband and dogs in Colorado. Resources: The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. (affiliate link) Connect with Vee www.veefrugalfox.com Instagram Twitter Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn!

In this week's episode, join me as I chat with my friend Paco De Leon about her new book “Finance For The People: Getting a Grip on Your Finances.” Paco is the founder of The Hell Yeah Group, a financial firm focused on inspiring creatives to be engaged with their personal and business finances. We chat about the concept of eudaimonic happiness, unhealed trauma and debt, capitalism and investing, why gratitude can change the way you think and so much more.   “When it comes to really big financial decisions you want to make sure that you're in the window of tolerance so that you're not making the worst situation for yourself.” - Paco De Leon  “If you want to create change in the world, you have to get the money. It's undeniable.” - Paco De Leon  What You Will Learn From This Episode What is eudaimonia/eudaimonic happiness and how it can help our mental health and money Gratitude as the antidote for scarcity One of the things that is pushing us towards artificial scarcity today The concept of 'window of tolerance' and how it applies in relation to our finances How to get into your 'window of tolerance' and what to do if you step out of it Debt due to unhealed trauma - how to recognize the symptoms Why you should invest even if you hate or criticize capitalism Red flags to watch out for in financial professionals to avoid getting scammed Money lesson - follow the flow of money! About Paco De Leon: Paco is the author and illustrator of Finance for the People. She founded The Hell Yeah Group, a financial firm focused on inspiring creatives to be engaged with their personal and business finances after her experiences in small business consulting, financial planning, and wealth management. She is a TED speaker whose work has been featured in The New York Times, New York Magazine, TIME, Bloomberg, Forbes, Fortune, Vice, Refinery 29, and Business Insider. She lives in Echo Park, Los Angeles with her wife Jenn. She plays in a band called Mister Fantasy, runs a boutique bookkeeping agency called Hell Yeah, Bookkeeping, is the co-host of the Money Diaries Podcast, and is a co-founder of the arts-based non-profit organization, Allies in Arts. Resources: Finance for the People: Getting a Grip on Your Finances by Paco De Leon Daniel Siegel Connect with Paco The Hell Yeah Group Instagram Twitter Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

You don't need a major life event to have experienced financial trauma. In this episode, I chat with Rahkim Sabree who specializes in financial trauma. We talk about what it is, where it comes from, and how you can work through it to accomplish your financial goals. He also shares his story of getting out of poverty, microaggressions at work, pursuing entrepreneurship, and mental health.   “You do not have to have experienced the (financial) trauma directly in order to inherit that trauma.” - Rahkim Sabree “I still believe in this idea of abundance. I still have aspirations and goals that have a monetary value but  I'm also realizing that as much as it's about the money, it's also not. It's about the impact. It's about the experience. It's about the freedom.” - Rahkim Sabree What You Will Learn From This Episode What is financial trauma and how it can affect you Some examples of insidious financial trauma that can happen every day How you can have financial trauma even if you don't experience it first-hand A three-part process on how to shift your money mindset if your experience has always been with lack On microaggressions that Rahkim experienced and what he did to change his situation How working for yourself for the first time can affect your money and mental health in good and bad ways About Rahkim Sabree: Rahkim Sabree is a nationally certified financial education instructor (CFEI), TED speaker, best-selling author of the book "Financially Irresponsible", and Financial Empowerment Coach who focuses on financial trauma. His work has been published in Entrepreneur, Business Insider, The Grio, Thrive Global, Black Enterprise, GoBankrates, CreditCards.com, and so much more. Rahkim is also someone who has grown up disadvantaged and experiencing poverty. Today, Rahkim works exclusively with leaders whose mission is to improve people's lives, who see bigger than themselves, and who in addition to wanting to propel their business to the next level, want to (re-) find greater flexibility and freedom using the power of money. Resources: Resources include affiliate links which support the website and podcast. Lea Landaverde Interview - On Money Trauma, First Generation Finance, and Building Wealth The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. Financially Irresponsible by Rahkim Sabree Connect with Rahkim rahkimsabree.com Instagram Twitter Facebook Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com    Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

How is your relationship with your money? Would your money want to date you if it were a person? Find out how to improve your relationship with money as I chat with Nicole Iacovoni. Nicole is a Financial Therapist & Licensed Couple's Therapist with seventeen years experience teaching women entrepreneurs how to make tending to their finances feel fun and flirty instead of boring and overwhelming. We talk about how to date your money, how to navigate finances in a partnership, deal with your own money baggage and so much more.  “Where we get hung up and where most of us find ourselves in debt is when we're not clear on our values and we just spend money on everything.” - Nicole Iacovoni “We bring all of our money baggage into any relationship that we're in. So, we have to work through that money baggage. We have to process that. We have to heal our own relationship with money before we can have this healthy joint relationship in our financial  lives that we share with our partners.” - Nicole Iacovoni What You Will Learn From This Episode The first step to shift your money mindset How to make your relationship with money more fun and flirty and less scary - how to ‘date' your money Two things on how to combat the habit of the mind wanting to go back to safety/comfort instead of growth during a big financial change The most common money issues between couples - how anxiety makes you want to control your partner Why some women opt out of taking control of their financial lives How to have a healthy financial life with your partner and navigate conflict in a healthy way About Nicole Iacovoni: Nicole Iacovoni is a Financial Therapist & Licensed Couple's Therapist with seventeen years experience who teaches women entrepreneurs how to make tending to their finances feel fun and flirty instead of boring and overwhelming. Through her trademarked program, Money Therapy, Nicole helps entrepreneurs make more profits, manage their money with Beyonce-level confidence, and transform their toxic relationship with money into a steamy love affair. Nicole has been featured in CNBC, Business Insider, and Elephant Journal. When she's not empowering women to take a more active role in their financial lives, you can find her chillin' with her chickens on her little “farmette”, devouring self-help books, and sipping on vanilla lattes. Resource: Nicole's FREE ‘The Money Therapy Quickie Class Connect with Nicole nicoleiacovoni.com Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com  Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Do you know how to enjoy your own company and be truly alone? In this episode, I chat with Rebekah Iliff about her new book "Champagne For One: A Celebration of Solitude". Rebekah is a writer, author, and entrepreneur. Her work has appeared in Forbes, Business Insider, New York Times, HuffPost Comedy, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Be You, and countless other publications. We talk about how you can enjoy solitude, how it positively impacts your mental health, and why you should ditch the shoulds and artificial timelines and enjoy your life today.  “We probably spend half of our lives alone on some level but I don't think we do it very well.” - Rebekah Iliff  “Solitude is kind of this proactive choice and a choice of self-love because we know that we need it and isolation is we're either forced into it or we're doing it because we can't function. And so from a mental health standpoint it's always good to be checking in if we're isolating or we're choosing an act of self-love.” - Rebekah Iliff What You Will Learn From This Episode Why learning how to love solitude is so important right now How we can let go of society's artificial timeline on things like marriage and having kids On losing a friend and how to handle the grief How to date yourself or manage Valentine's Day if you're single or in a complicated relationship Isolation vs solitude - how solitude and doing things alone positively impacts our mental health How to have more fun today About Rebekah Iliff: Rebekah Iliff is a writer, author, and entrepreneur based in Nashville, Tennessee. Her work has appeared in Inc., Entrepreneur, Mashable, Forbes, Business Insider, New York Times, HuffPost Comedy, Comediva, Points in Case, Weekly Humorist, Slackjaw Humor, Erma Bombeck blog, The Satirist, Little Old Lady Comedy, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Be You, and countless other publications. Her book, "Champagne for One: a Celebration of Solitude" (Collective Book Studio/IPG), is now on pre-order and will be released in the U.S. on February 8, 2022. Resources: Resources include affiliate links which support the website and podcast Pre-order Rebekah's book “Champagne For One: A Celebration of Solitude” All About Love by bell hooks How the Universe Works on Amazon Prime Lead Me Home on Netflix Connect with Rebekah rebekahiliff.com champagneforone.com Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here!   Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Every day we make thousands of decisions. Have you ever considered how each of your decisions may impact your mental health and money? In today's episode, I chat with Nika Kabiri, a decision scientist who shares her story of overcoming mental health struggles and taking back her agency through the power of her decisions and choices.  “My first decision I made was, what I like to call the decision you make before you make your decision, which is the decision to be physically healthy. Because if you're not physically healthy, you aren't capable of making the right choices.” - Nika Kabiri  “My hope is that more people really understand what decision making is about because I really believe that's the key to, not only just a better mental health but a better world.” - Nika Kabiri What You Will Learn From This Episode How decision science relates to mental health Ways in which looking at our choices and decisions can help with our mental health How our social connections can either be very destructive or very healing Tips on how to make decisions that can impact our mental health in a positive way How to react and move on when we make “bad” decisions Tips on making purchasing decisions from a consumer standpoint What is prospect theory and how it impacts the way we manage our money and finances About Nika Kabiri: Nika Kabiri has spent over two decades studying how people make decisions in various contexts, from business to politics to relationships. She teaches decision science at the University of Washington and works as a consultant helping businesses understand consumer decision-making. She's co-author of the bestselling book Money Off the Table: Decision Science and the Secret to Smarter Investing. She has also been featured in Business Insider, Yahoo News, Fast Company, and more, and has been a contributor to The Hill, Inside Sources, The Huffington Post, and others. Nika has a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Washington, where her academic focus was on choice theory and decision-making within constraints. She also has a JD from the University of Texas. Resources: Resources include affiliate links which support the website and podcast Money Off the Table: Decision Science and the Secret to Smarter Investing by Nika Kabiri and Tony Sablan Adults Make More Than 35,000 Decisions Per Day. Here Are 4 Ways to Prevent Mental Burnout Prospect theory holds that people are generally more biased toward avoiding losses than seeking gains by Melanie Lockert Connect with Nika yournextdecision.com Twitter LinkedIn Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Support the podcast through Ko-Fi Buy Melanie's book “Dear Debt” Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Do you want to have a more lighthearted relationship with money? Want to learn the integral concepts about money in one single book? Then listen to this episode as I interview for the second time my friend Emily Guy Birken about her new book “Stacked: Your Super Serious Guide to Modern Money Management”. We chat about investing for retirement vs saving for retirement, disability insurance, inflation, and learning as you go with compassion, grace, and humor.   “Saving for retirement is giving something up in order to get something later while investing for retirement sounds more like an opportunity rather than some kind of deprivation.” - Emily Guy Birken  What You Will Learn From This Episode Having a playful attitude with money and how it helps with your mental health Investing for retirement vs saving for retirement How we can deconstruct our money scripts to find out what we really want and need and what works for us Disability insurance policies - how we can prepare ourselves today for short-term/long-term disability All about term life insurance and how Covid may affect insurance policies Tips to combat the effects of inflation About Emily Guy Birken : Emily Guy Birken is a freelance personal finance writer and author of the new personal finance book “Stacked: Your Super Serious Guide to Modern Money Management” alongside Joe Saul-Sehy. She is also a money coach, retirement expert, and former educator. Her background in education allows her to make complex financial topics relatable and easily understood by the layperson. Her work has appeared on The Huffington Post, Business Insider, Kiplinger's, MSN Money, and The Washington Post online.   Resources: Resources include affiliate links which support the website and podcast Stacked: Your Super Serious Guide to Modern Money Management by Emily Guy Birken and Joe Saul-Sehy Emily's first interview - How Grief Affects Your Finances The Stacking Benjamins Podcast by Joe Saul-Sehy (listen to Melanie's episode here) End Financial Stress Now: Immediate Steps You Can Take to Improve Your Financial Outlook by Emily Guy Birken Connect with Emily emilyguybirken.com Twitter Facebook Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com    Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

It's the start of a new year and I know you probably have lots of money goals you'd like to reach this year. So, in today's episode, I chat with financial planner Gary Grewal about what a Certified Financial Planner is and how one can help you get your financial life in order. Gary is the author of Financial Fives: The Top 325 Ways to Save, Earn, and Thrive to Retire Before 65. We also chat about how to negotiate, FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) and why he doesn't agree with RE and so much more. “Being respectful, doing your research, and never ever be in a position where you need them more than they need you can really help you get comfortable with negotiating.” - Gary Grewal  “Asking yourself the reason why you want to pursue FIRE, what it's going to enable you to do and then designing your life around your values and eventually you will get there.” - Gary Grewal What You Will Learn From This Episode What is a CFP and how they help people with their finances When you should seek a CFP's help and what does the first session looks like Why negotiate and tips on how to negotiate Things you need to know about FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early) and how to avoid being miserable trying to reach it Barista FIRE and Fat FIRE and how to set/figure out your FIRE number What is the 4% withdrawal rule - is it a good rule to follow? Don't compare yourself to others, you have your own journey Why Gary doesn't agree with RE (Retire Early) How to find purpose in your money Financial tips for the new year About Gary Grewal: Gary Grewal is a CFP and author of Financial Fives: The Top 325 Ways to Save, Earn, and Thrive to Retire Before 65. He started a career in financial planning because he feels that personal finance knowledge can truly change the direction of someone's life in a drastic, positive manner. He has started two businesses, bought and sold 7 different cars, and negotiated almost everything while becoming more involved with volunteering and philanthropy. Resources: Resources include affiliate links which support the website and podcast Financial Fives: The Top 325 Ways to Save, Earn, and Thrive to Retire Before 65 by Gary Grewal FIRE Movement I Will Teach You To Be Rich podcast by Ramit Sethi I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi Your Money or Your Life: 9 Steps to Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez The Automatic Millionaire, Expanded and Updated: A Powerful One-Step Plan to Live and Finish Rich by David Bach Connect with Gary financialfives.com Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!  

In this week's episode, join me as I chat with my friend Jillian Johnsrud on how online hate or criticism affects our mental health. Jillian is a popular public speaker, coach, and writer. We talk about her new book “Fire the Haters: Finding Courage to Create Online in a Critical World.” She also shares her story of paying off debt, how she became financially independent, deal with bipolar disorder and retire at age 32.   “Having more money doesn't necessarily change your internal feelings about money. That fear, that scarcity, that panic of like what if I run out is still there even when people have large net worths unless they do the internal work.” - Jillian Johnsrud “Whenever I see people throwing tantrums online I'm like, nobody's cutting me a check to help this person grow and develop and become the best version of themselves.” - Jillian Johnsrud What You Will Learn From This Episode Paying off $55K in debt and having financial awareness at a young age How to achieve FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) and really do it by experimenting with it What is a ‘quit list' and how it can help with your money and mental health Common misconceptions about bipolar disorder and why some people struggle with being medicine compliant Work tips to manage money and mental health How to set online boundaries and deal with the emotional impact of doing that How online hate or criticism affects our mental health and how to deal with it About Jillian Johnsrud: After becoming financially independent at 32 years old, Jillian turned her personal and professional experience towards a creative life. She is a popular public speaker, teaches online classes, coach, and writer. Her book Fire the Haters: Finding the Courage to Create Online in a Critical World helps creatives and entrepreneurs share their best work with the world. She hosts the Everyday Courage Podcast. Her husband and she live in Montana, near Glacier National Park with their 5 kids. She's an avid traveler and drinker of hot tea. Resources: Fire the Haters: Finding Courage to Create Online in a Critical World (affiliate link) by Jillian Johnsrud FIRE Movement Chris Brogan Connect with Jillian jillianjohnsrud.com Facebook Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert   Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

At the age of 38, Tavona Givens lost her husband due to complications related to H1N1. Today, she shares her story in service of others and works with other women to learn how to manage grief and create new possibilities with life while honoring the past. In this episode, I chat with Tavona about dealing with racism, poverty, and widowhood. Learn the tools and tips she has used to build her confidence and resilience and how she supports other widows on their journey to healing.   “Ever since my husband passed away, if we are all alive and well and breathing at the end of the day, then it is a successful day.” - Tavona Givens What You Will Learn From This Episode Dealing with trauma caused by racism experienced during childhood What most people don't understand about becoming a widow The impact on the financial life of being a widow and how to be prepared - aside from having savings and insurance Mental health practices and tools you can use to rebuild resilience and confidence Losing a loved one to H1N1 and being a solo parent during the pandemic How Tavona manages to keep her husband's memory alive for her children and at the same time allowing time and space for healing About Tavona Givens: Tavona Givens is a life coach and host of The Hungry Widow podcast. Throughout her life, she has dealt with poverty, racism, fat-shaming and at the age of 38, her world shifted when her husband died of complications related to H1N1. She now shares her story in service of others to help them regain their confidence, resilience and start over again. Raising two boys on her own and based in Washington, Tavona works with other women to learn how to manage grief and create new possibilities with life while honoring the past. Resources: The Hungry Widow Podcast Happy Money - How to Improve Your Relationship with Money: An Interview with Ken Honda Happy Money: The Japanese Art of Making Peace with Your Money by Ken Honda (affiliate link, if you purchase a book using the link you'll support this site and podcast) Connect with Tavona www.tavonagivens.com Facebook Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com  Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert   Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

How do you deal with grief, find forgiveness and hope after the loss of a loved one due to murder? In this episode, I speak with Hope Reger who lost her son to murder and now supports others dealing with grief with her group Grief 2 Hope. Grief 2 Hope is a virtual peer grief support group that allows grievers a safe space to be their authentic selves. We chat about anger, justice, grief, forgiveness, and the financial impact of planning a funeral.  “Yes, I was angry and I was mad. And it didn't just go away, but it taught what control I had over this situation and it was me.” - Hope Reger “I've absolutely forgiven him because it is not my responsibility to carry that burden. I can't carry that hatred. I can't carry that anger. It would eat me alive.” - Hope Reger What You Will Learn From This Episode How to grapple with feelings of anger and/or revenge What helped Hope's mental health during those dark days How dealing with grief can affect your financial life plus tips to be prepared How to practice forgiveness for yourself after unspeakable tragedies About Hope Reger: Hope Reger lives in Delaware, Ohio with her husband Mike, She has two sons Brian, 31 and Justin, forever 19, and two amazing granddaughters, Haylynn and Addi. Hope's "day job" is a talent coordinator with a major financial institution for the past 25 years. Hope believes her purpose in life was given to her after the traumatic loss of her son to murder. That purpose is to provide positivity, inspiration, and hope to others through her Grief 2 Hope program she created in honor of her son. Grief 2 Hope is a virtual peer grief support group that allows grievers a safe space to be their authentic self with support of others who understand and know exactly what they are going through. One of Hope's quotes she likes to end each session with is " Grief changes your entire world, it can also inspire you to change the world". Resource: How Mental Health Affects Life Insurance: An Interview with Laura Boylan from Haven Life Insurance Agency Connect with Hope Grief2hopesupport.com Facebook Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

In this powerful podcast episode, I chat with Lea Landaverde, a first-generation queer, Latina entrepreneur and finance professional about how money trauma shaped her life and career and what she's doing to uplift others. Learn how to break generational money curses, build wealth and provide for your family while acknowledging your parent's money trauma. “We try to find resources (to build wealth) but none of them are made for us.” - Lea Landaverde “As a first-gen Latina, all I can say is do the work for yourself; build trust for yourself and if your parents follow, great, but if not, just make sure they're taken care of.” - Lea Landaverde What You Will Learn From This Episode Money challenges unique to first-generation, queer, and LGBTQ+ communities How to cultivate your own money beliefs being first-generation while at the same time acknowledging your parent's money trauma and experience How money trauma can keep you stuck in an unhealthy cycle and how you can get out Dealing with depression and anxiety and accumulating debt during the pandemic How to maintain/manage mental health on a budget Realizing your financial power and using it for good About Lea Landaverde: Lea Landaverde is a First-Generation, Queer, Latina - Entrepreneur, Master of Finance, Professor, Wealth Coach, and Podcast Host of Mi Riqueza Podcast. After working 6+ years in the Finance Industry, Lea decided to break away from corporate to follow her passions in helping underrepresented communities. She is on a mission to help Women, BIPOC & LGBTQ+  cultivate a beautiful relationship with money, through breaking generational money curses to align, build and grow their wealth. Resources: The Big Short Interview with Ken Honda Open Path Collective Connect with Lea Riqueza Is Wealth Instagram Twitter Facebook Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!  

Do you consider yourself a sensitive person? Do you feel everything very deeply? Do you find criticism, feedback, and conflict very difficult? Learn how you can master your emotions and deal with your sensitivity as I chat with Melody Wilding, author of Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work. We talk about how Sensitive Strivers® can manage their mental health and achieve success in life and in the workplace.   “Managing your emotions needs to start through managing your physiology so that you can manage your psychology.” - Melody Wilding “Trusting yourself really comes down to believing in your own resourcefulness and resilience.” - Melody Wilding What You Will Learn From This Episode Who may be considered as Sensitive Strivers® - are you one of them? How being a Sensitive Striver® affects your mental health and money Grounding techniques you can use if you're feeling hijacked by your emotions How to deal with constructive feedback especially at work The 4 types of overthinking and how to move away from it What is a ‘brag file' and how it can help with imposter syndrome The connection between being a Sensitive Striver® and anxiety How to trust yourself more and avoid jumping to conclusions and/or catastrophizing How Sensitive Strivers® can be successful in the workplace About Melody Wilding: Melody Wilding is the author of Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work. Recently named one of Business Insider's Most Innovative Coaches for her groundbreaking work on “Sensitive Strivers”, her clients include CEOs, C-level executives, and managers at top Fortune 500 companies such as Google, Amazon, and JP Morgan, among others. She has been featured in The New York Times and Wall Street Journal and is a contributor to Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Psychology Today, and Forbes. Melody is a licensed social worker with a master's from Columbia University and a professor of Human Behavior at Hunter College. Resources: Resources include affiliate links which support the website and podcast. Trust Yourself: Stop Overthinking and Channel Your Emotions for Success at Work by Melody Wilding Connect with Melody melodywilding.com Instagram Twitter Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

What if we could look at our money with joy and gratitude instead of shame and blame? In this episode, I chat with money coach Lauren Canafranca about how to do just that. We also chat about her own financial journey, why judgment never works in money coaching, why we should de-stigmatize debt, and how she helps others step into their financial power. “When you have communion with your money and you are able to have a conversation around money that doesn't put you in a defensive fight-or-flight sympathetic response, when you can understand where you stand financially and when you're able to make decisions from a calm regulated place, that's what I mean when I say financial power.” - Lauren Canafranca What You Will Learn From This Episode Why judgment never works in money coaching Reasons why people are in debt Why we should de-stigmatize debt How to deal with the feeling of ‘being othered' when you start prioritizing your money and mental health How the current financial world or systems prey on the most vulnerable people What it looks like to step into your financial power Money mindset issues like scarcity, fear of investing, fear of charging more, and the biggest issue - fear of making money Tips on how to improve your relationship with money and improve your financial standing About Lauren Canafranca: Lauren is a money coach dedicated to helping people cultivate a more joyful relationship with money. She is an Accredited Financial Counsellor Canada and has a 12-week coaching program called RESET + RISE that promises a judgment-free space where she helps clients relieve the stress of their debt, learn money management systems that make them feel safe to dream again, and engage with their money joyfully. Lauren is passionate about people and spent ten years as a massage therapist holding space for clients to release stress from their body and now helps people relieve the stress out of their money. Through her own money journey, she found a passion for personal finance and became certified in cash flow management and financial counseling so that she could help others who felt like they needed help getting out of auto-pilot and step into their financial power. Resources: Resources include affiliate links which support the website and podcast. Happy Money - How to Improve Your Relationship with Money: An Interview with Ken Honda Happy Money: The Japanese Art of Making Peace with Your Money by Ken Honda Connect with Lauren elbiecoaching.com Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!  

In this week's episode, we're talking about something that everyone has to deal with -  and that is TIME. I chat with Holistic Time Consultant and Coach Becca Rich on how time management and a feeling of time scarcity affect our mental health and our ability to earn and manage money. Find out how to spend time based on your values, allow yourself to actually rest, and know where your time is going.   “You have to believe and think that you have enough time in order for you to plan your time authentically.” - Becca Rich  “If something is important to you, is of value to you, is part of your core values, that is productive. It's not about what society thinks is productive or what other people in your life think is productive. Anything that is important to you is productive to you.” Becca Rich What You Will Learn From This Episode The feeling or mindset of having time scarcity and how to combat it What to do if you're overbooked and overwhelmed - learn about this amazing mental exercise that you can do Why tracking your time is important - how most people have an aversion to tracking or auditing their time How poor time management affects our mental health and money Knowing how much to put on your plate per day - figuring out your limits Managing your time and updating your schedule - why it's a continual experimentation How to manage your time and be productive if you have a mental health condition Toxic productivity, its relation to trauma, and how to get out of this feeling - 2 great exercises from Becca (one is a rebellious one!) Work less and live more!   About Becca Rich: Becca Rich is a Holistic Time Consultant and Coach at theholistictimecoach.com. She works with business owners, creatives, and leaders who started their businesses to get time freedom yet end up overworked and overwhelmed. If you want to make the most of your time and life and create a thriving and more sustainable relationship with time and work, make sure to connect with Becca. Resources: Resources include affiliate links which support the website and podcast. Rescue Time SelfControl How I Discovered That Slowing Down Could Save Me Money by Melanie Lockert The Top Five Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware Connect with Becca www.theholistictimecoach.com Instagram LinkedIn Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert   Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!  

Dealing with children who have learning disabilities can be quite a challenge. But there are different ways in which parents, teachers, and even school administrators can assist and support them. In this episode, I spoke with Laura Reber, a school psychologist and the founder of Progress Parade, about the various ways people with learning disabilities can cope and thrive. She explains why early intervention and a proper professional diagnosis are so important, and she challenges the current academic system to replace punitive discipline methods with more positive and encouraging approaches. Stay tuned to learn more! “We all have strengths and weaknesses to our personalities, whether or not we meet diagnostic criteria for a disability.” - Laura Reber “Some people find the disability labels empowering. And they find that it helps them find community and advocate for themselves and understand themselves. If you find it to be disempowering, or something that doesn't help you, it also doesn't have to be the end all be all, you know, you get some say in that.” - Laura Reber What You Will Learn From This Episode What is a learning disability and how it is defined The different factors considered in diagnosing learning disabilities Why early intervention is important What are the first steps you can take if your child has a learning disability What are the difficulties that students with ADHD and autism face in today's school system How teachers and school administrators can help with the mental well-being of students with non-traditional learning abilities Encouraging positive behavior versus giving punishment - which is more effective Dealing with a learning disability diagnosis - what are the ways to cope What parents can do to help their children succeed if they have a learning disability What are the wealth implications for parents who may be required to pay for specific learning disability services or assistance   About Laura Reber: Laura Reber is a school psychologist and founder of Progress Parade. At Progress Parade, they know what makes you different makes you strong. They provide 1:1 online tutoring with hand-picked specialists to students with academic needs, ADHD, learning disabilities, autism, and social-emotional challenges. Laura works with a team of school psychologists and specialized teachers to create personalized approaches for homework support, academic intervention, homeschooling, unschooling, and more. Laura holds a BS in Psychology and graduated as valedictorian from Truman State University before completing her graduate degree in School Psychology from Illinois State University with a 4.0 grade point average. She's a bit of a smarty-pants, really. After working as a school psychologist for over a decade, Laura founded Progress Parade to complement her celebrated team at Chicago Home Tutor. Laura loves to see how well students respond to individual instruction that is designed 100% with their needs in mind. Resource Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) Connect with Laura Website - Progress Parade Facebook - Progress Parade Twitter - Progress Parade Instagram - Progress Parade LinkedIn - Progress Parade Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Learn how Clint Robert Murphy achieved personal and financial success in life despite struggles with ADHD and depression. Clint is a Chief Financial Officer, real estate investor, writer, and host of the Pursuit of Learning Podcast. In this episode, he shares his story dealing with depression and ADHD, how he became successful as a real estate investor, and how he helps men deal with their own mental health issues. “I've achieved a reasonable level of success in my career and in my life professionally and financially. You can achieve these things despite the diagnosis, despite ADHD, despite depression. Those don't define you.” - Clint Robert Murphy “In some ways, ADHD helped me. I think of it 80% as a superpower, 20% as a challenge.” - Clint Robert Murphy   What You Will Learn From This Episode What is an industrial psychologist and how it can help people Thought auditing, improving emotional intelligence, and Buddhism - 3 things that help Clint make better choices How we can fix our thinking and eventually fix what we feel How ADHD helped Clint become successful in real estate and saved his family from perceived financial ruin Tips on real estate investing Helping men who are building a career and family with their mental health issues About Clint Robert Murphy: Clint is a husband and father to two young boys, now 10 and 13. By day, he's a chief financial officer and in the evenings, he reads, invests, is writing a fantasy novel series, and hosts the Pursuit of Learning Podcast. Clint also supports other men on their journeys by facilitating a men's workgroup in his community. Resources: Resources include affiliate links which support the website and podcast. Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David Burns, M.D. Investing in Real Estate to Paying Off Debt: An Interview with Ogechi Igbokwe On Toxic Masculinity and Mental Health: An Interview with Colin Becker Under Saturn's Shadow: The Wounding and Healing of Men by James Hollis Connect with Clint clint-robert-murphy.com Twitter Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

In this episode, I interviewed Liz Davidson about how financial wellness and security can impact all areas of your life for the better. Liz is the Founder and CEO of Financial Finesse, the leading provider of workplace financial wellness solutions in the nation. We talk about what financial wellness really means, how the pandemic changed a person's financial awareness and concerns, and what to do if you have a mental health issue that's hindering your financial wellness journey. “Financial wellness is the only way to achieve sustainable financial security.” - Liz Davidson   What You Will Learn From This Episode What financial wellness means and how it differs from financial security The growing concern of financial insecurity and how financial awareness for some people changed due to pandemic How financial security impacts mental health and total wellbeing of a person What to do if you have a mental health issue that's hindering your financial progress Wealth gaps that have more to do with income and education rather than race How women are more likely to be financially insecure than men Actionable tips you can do today to start your financial wellness journey About Liz Davidson: Liz is the Founder and CEO of Financial Finesse. As a leading advocate for fiduciary reform, Liz testified before the Department of Labor and consulted with the White House and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) influencing the 2016 decision to tighten fiduciary standards and legislature promoting incentives for employers who offer financial wellness programs. Financial Finesse was founded in 1999 with the sole mission to provide unbiased financial education to people everywhere. Today, it is the leading provider of workplace financial wellness solutions in the nation. Resources: Race and Financial Stress Special Report Connect with Liz financialfinesse.com info@financialfinesse.com Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here!  If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert   Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

In this episode, I chat with Zack Rutledge about how food and exercise can impact your mental health. Zack is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Nutrition Specialist and a Certified Brain Health Trainer through the Functional Aging Institute. We also talk about his personal story dealing with depression, the gut-brain connection, how a synergistic approach can help with mental health issues, and so much more. “You have to forgive yourself for eating junk food. You're not going to feel great after you eat a pile of stuff so it's not like you have to beat yourself up on top of it.” - Zack Rutledge  “There's not one flavor of depression and there's not one specific cause but the unifying factor in everyone's depression is we can all climb out of it.” - Zack Rutledge What You Will Learn From This Episode The importance of understanding your feeling/emotions and doing the work How exercise affects your mental health - the cognitive boost and the formation of cannabinoids The impact of nutrition on your mental health - the mind-gut connection What to do to optimize nutrition and exercise as a tool for mental health issues How a synergistic approach can help in dealing with mental health issues How to be more compassionate with yourself in regards to your eating choices What a Brain Health Trainer does to help people   About Zack Rutledge: Zack S. Rutledge is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, an ACE Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist, and a Certified Brain Health Trainer through the Functional Aging Institute. He has a black belt in karate and has practiced yoga for almost a decade. He holds an MA from American University in Washington, D.C., and starts his Licensed Professional Counseling grad program in January of 2022. Resources: Resources include affiliate links which support the website and podcast. The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health by Emeran Mayer, M.D. Pickleball The Official Depression Relief Playbook: Real-Life Strategies From a Guy Who Has Lived It by Zack S. Rutledge The Effects of Acute Exercise on Mood, Cognition, Neurophysiology, and Neurochemical Pathways: A Review Connect with Zack  zacksrutledge@gmail.com Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here!  If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Dr. Lindsay Jernigan is a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in South Burlington, Vermont. She also has training in intuitive awareness and healing, which allows for deep, rapid change towards a state of natural health and well-being. In this episode, I chat with Dr. Lindsay about the rise in mental health challenges due to the pandemic and what we can do if we don't have access to a therapist right now. We also talked about anxiety, depression, how to sit with discomfort or negative emotion and not numb it out, and how to build resilience whether we have access to a therapist right now or not. “Strength and resilience mean being able to feel fully and expand and deepen our sense of ourselves as a result of life's struggles. And so resilience means being able to feel it all and keep growing and keep going.” - Dr. Lindsay Jernigan   What You Will Learn From This Episode The common mental health issues that Dr. Lindsay has been seeing in her patients over the past year and a half How taking care of ourselves and our healthy coping mechanisms had been compromised because of the pandemic and how to course correct What to do if you need a therapist but can't or don't have access to one right now Ways to deal with negative emotions, pain, or discomfort without resorting to bad vices - sit with discomfort and not numb it out How to tell the difference between healthy sadness/grief from depression and worry compared to full-blown anxiety Resilience versus stoicism or toxic positivity How to build resilience About Dr. Lindsay Jernigan: Dr. Lindsay Jernigan is a leading clinical psychologist who has worked with hundreds of individuals, couples, and organizations during her career spanning over twenty years. Her areas of expertise include female empowerment, joyful living, couples intimacy, intuitive awareness, and building strong teams. In addition to her private practice, she facilitates integrative retreats for women, spouses/partners, and leaders; conducts training for therapists; and provides expert commentary and advice to publications such as Psychology Today, US News & World Report, Oprah Magazine, Washington Post, Conde Nast Traveler, Bustle, Fatherly, Well and Good, and Parents. Using her broad knowledge base and vast experience, Dr. Lindsay has developed REBOOT: a series of self-paced, online courses to reach those who may not have in-person access to professional psychologists or be able to afford ongoing therapy. She believes that every individual should embrace life to the fullest, and with REBOOT hopes to reach anyone who wants to explore what's possible when we shed old habits, learn new skills, and rewrite our own stories of liberation, connection, and resilience. Resources psychologytoday.com Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World by Mark Williams and Danny Penman (affiliate link) The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael Singer (affiliate link) Use promotional code “MELANIE” to get a 20% Discount on Dr. Lindsay's Resilience e-Course Connect with Dr. Lindsay drlindsayjernigan.com Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert   Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!  

How do you pay off $150K in debt and become financially free at the age of 32? Learn how Robert Riopel did it as he shares his inspiring story in this week's episode. Robert is a highly sought-after speaker and trainer, entrepreneur, and best-selling author of “Success Left A Clue”. We chat about paying off debt, mindfulness, and financial freedom. He offers tips on how you can build passive income and shift your thinking to become successful. Also, learn how he has been able to pivot during Covid and so much more. “Financially free and financial freedom doesn't mean you're wealthy. What it means is that you have more passive income.”  - Robert Riopel “Don't try and get rich first. Create financial freedom/financial stability first and then go for the wealth. And you'll see that it's a lot less stressful, a lot easier and you'll have a lot more fun.” - Robert Riopel   What You Will Learn From This Episode A new perspective on meditation and mindfulness to manage mental health and experience more joy in life How Robert paid off $150K debt and became financially free Three (3) tips to build passive income How Robert takes care of his mental health and wellbeing today How to shift your thinking from being a victim with two powerful words 6 steps to be successful - how Robert's book Success Left A Clue can help you About Robert Riopel: Robert Raymond Riopel is an International Best-Selling author, App Designer, Entrepreneur, and Trainer who has spent the past 18+ years traveling around the world sharing his passion. He has also shared the stage with and trained many of the top trainers and thought leaders in the world today. With his high energy and heartfelt style, Robert draws on his journey from humble beginnings to financial freedom at the age of 32, to inspire individuals into tapping into their greatness. Realizing that he is not the only person that struggles, Robert's “Clues” open individuals up to the possibilities that lie within them and that is why he is a highly sought-after presenter. Resources Get Robert's Free Ebook Success Left A Clue Free mindfulness course Melanie took online Connect with Robert successleftaclue.com Facebook LinkedIn Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!  

In this week's episode, I chat with mindfulness coach and life enthusiast Tonikia Steans about mindfulness, NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming), infidelity, being an adoptive mom and so much more. Tonikia connects some aspects of NLP with mindfulness to help her clients fulfill their life purpose. Please note that she discusses her religious faith as part of her unique perspective. At the Mental Health and Wealth Show, we believe that we can learn from a variety of different perspectives even when they don't match our own. “In order to have a full life you have to have a full mind. And you've got to get your mind mentally prepared because things happen.”  - Tonikia Steans   What You Will Learn From This Episode The intersection of NLP and mindfulness How to quiet your mind, relax, and get in tune with who you are inside Dealing with a mental breakdown and infidelity How to stop being a control freak Knowing your boundaries/limits and taking responsibility for your life Appreciating life! About Tonikia Steans: Tonikia is a Certified Life Coach, Spiritual Mentor, Certified Mindful Instructor, Motivational Speaker, and Minister. Her goal is to glorify God by serving. As a Life Enthusiast, her belief is, you can be transformed by the renewing of your mind, just as Jesus said, "And be not conformed to this world: but "be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God". | Romans 12:2 (KJV). She is a Relationship Expert practicing reconciliation and restoration. Healing the Mind, Body, and Soul to reconstruct the mind frame and renew relationships on all levels. As a mother raising five school-age children, she speaks to other mothers through her blog Mommie Needs A Nap. Resources Free mindfulness course Melanie took online Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World (affiliate link) Connect with Tonikia yourfullmindlife.com the-mindful-coach.lifecoachhub.com/ Facebook Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!  

Do you have anxiety about spending money or shame around debt? Do you feel like you're in a constant negative loop with your money mindset? You might want to see a financial therapist. Learn more about financial therapy as I chat with Wendy Wright, a financial therapist, founder, and CEO of Financial Therapy Solutions. She sheds light on what financial therapy actually is, what to expect and how it can help you shift your money mindset and your financial life. “Just coming into a financial therapy session is really helpful to calm down some of the stories that are in our head and release us from some shame in some mindsets.” - Wendy Wright "I would say that probably 90% of things that we think are about money are not. So when we begin to really delve into it in a financial therapy setting we get to see maybe it's about self-worth, fear, safety, security, all those kind of things.” - Wendy Wright   What You Will Learn From This Episode What is financial therapy, what to expect from it, and who should go to it How financial therapy works and what is the cost Wendy's advice on the following issues or mindsets:  - You can't stop thinking about money  - You believe you're ‘bad with money'  - You have highly vigilant or highly avoidant money behaviors  - Getting out of the debt cycle  - You want to invest and talk with a financial advisor/financial planner  - The feeling of shame and guilt either around debt or being a low-income earner The common issues that Wendy sees in her clients Other root causes of our issues that we tend to think are about money but really aren't Tools and resources that are sometimes part of a financial therapy session About Wendy Wright: Wendy Wright, LMFT, CEDS, CIEC, Financial Therapist, is a psychotherapist and consultant based in Denver, CO. She offers financial counseling and helps you name the blocks that get in the way of your best financial life. In her early career, she was a mortgage loan officer, business owner, and a successful house flipper. Then later she became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. It is the blend of the therapeutic and the financial that can help you find more clarity and freedom in your relationship with money, spending, saving, and debting. Wendy is the founder and CEO of Financial Therapy Solutions, LLC, a financial therapy group practice based in Denver, CO. The Financial Therapy Solutions team of therapists also offers telehealth services. Wendy is a featured guest on several podcasts, including It's Not a Crisis, The Nav.it podcast, and was a featured speaker for the Mental Health and Wealth Summit in 2021. When she is not helping others find freedom in their relationships with finances, she is likely on her yoga mat, the ski slope, or a hiking trail! Resources — (some may be affiliate links to support the website and podcast) Financial Recovery: Developing a Healthy Relationship with Money by Karen McCall The Art of Money by Bari Tessler Overcoming Underearning(TM): Overcome Your Money Fears and Earn What You Deserve by Barbara Stanny Overcoming Underearning: A Five-Step Plan to a Richer Life by Barbara Stanny Clever Girl Finance: Ditch debt, save money and build real wealth by Bola Sokunbi Clever Girl Finance: Learn How Investing Works, Grow Your Money by Bola Sokunbi Clever Girl Finance: The Side Hustle Guide by Bola Sokunbi Download Wendy's Tracking Sheet here: Financial Therapy Solutions Breaking Down the Myths and Stigma of Therapy: An Interview with Cecille Ahrens, LCSW Connect with Wendy financialtherapysolutions.com wendy@financialtherapysolutions.com Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!  

Health care costs are a growing concern for many people. But there's one under-utilized tool that can really help and that is a Health Savings Account or HSA. In this episode, I spoke with Begonya Klumb, the Head of HSAs for Fidelity Investments to discuss everything you need to know about HSAs. Learn what it really is, the common myths and misconceptions about it, the advantages of having an HSA, how it can support your mental wellbeing, and how to open an account today.  “HSA has this triple tax advantage in the sense that the money that you put into the account is tax-free, the money that you withdraw from the account is tax-free and the money that is in the account grows also tax-free.”  - Begonya Klumb   What You Will Learn From This Episode What is a Health Savings Account (HSA) and the advantages of using it Current definition of a qualified high-deductible health plan or HSA eligible health plan How you can get an HSA through Fidelity Investments as a retail investor How an HSA can support your mental and financial wellbeing Debunking common myths and breaking the stigma around HSAs Things you can do to take advantage of HSA's triple tax benefit What to consider when saving for medical expenses and investments HSA funds cover long-term care insurance premiums for your future How to open an HSA account today About Begonya Klumb: Begonya Klumb is the Head of HSAs for Fidelity Investments, where she manages the HSA business with almost $7 billion in assets in more than 1.5 million health savings accounts. Prior to joining Fidelity in 2018, Begonya was the CEO of UMB Healthcare Services, a division of UMB Bank, and grew it to more than $2 billion in assets, more than 1 million health savings accounts, and more than 5.3 million benefit cards. Prior to this position, she held positions at UMB Financial Corporation as Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Director of Financial Planning & Analysis, Director of Mergers & Acquisitions, and Director of Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations. Resource Fidelity Investment - HSA Connect with Begonya Twitter - Fidelity Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Join us for the next Money Management Check-In Party   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Can you imagine mortgage payments being drawn from your account without your consent? Getting harassed by debt collectors? These are some situations where you need a consumer rights attorney. In this episode, I'm interviewing someone who can help you out with debt collection and consumer needs and that is Taylor Kosla. Taylor Is a Partner in  Agruss Law Firm. They represent consumers harassed by debt collectors and individuals and families who have suffered an injury or loss due to an accident. Learn how to protect yourself, and your finances, as a consumer and how consumer rights attorneys may be able to help. “It's scary to know that someone can just take funds out of your account without any authorization to do so.” - Taylor Kosla “It is very likely that consumers who are being harassed over a debt could not afford to hire an attorney, so really the consultations are free and the things that we can do with statutory damages, debt waiver, trade line deletion, you can really get these people out of a tough situation and help their mental wellbeing so much.” - Taylor Kosla What You Will Learn From This Episode How it's possible that mortgage payments can be drawn from your account without your consent and what to do when it happens The common types of harassment being done by debt collectors and 3 things you can do if it's happening to you The common mental health costs of debt collection and how to protect yourself and your finances in general What your legal options are if you're facing large debt that leads to suicidal ideation How to dispute a debt and what to do if you believe you're a victim of identity theft The legal action you can take if you've paid a debt in response to a threat or harassment from a debt collector How a consumer rights attorney can also help in accidents and disputes with insurance Situations where you need a consumer rights attorney and where you can find one About Taylor Kosla: Taylor Kosla joined Agruss Law Firm in August 2017 and was promoted to Partner in February 2021. Agruss Law Firm, LLC, focuses on consumer law and personal injury. They represent consumers harassed by debt collectors and individuals and families who have suffered an injury or loss due to an accident. Taylor is a Chicagoland native. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign before receiving her law degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law. She concentrates her legal practice on cases involving debt collection harassment, credit report problems, car accidents, and nursing home abuse cases. Taylor enjoys giving back to the legal community through mentoring programs. Outside her legal practice, Taylor enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and fiancé. She loves traveling, cooking, and playing golf. Resource Electronic Fund Transfer Act annualcreditreport.com agrusslawfirm.com Agruss Law Firm Podcast Connect with Taylor taylor@agrusslawfirm.com Call or text: 3127947219 Instagram - Agruss Law Firm Facebook - Agruss Law Firm Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Subscribe to Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

  Learn more about toxic masculinity and how it affects mental health as I chat with Colin Becker. Colin is a video editor based in California and a regular at the Mental Health and Wealth Hangout. We talked about what toxic masculinity is, the factors that contribute to it, and how it affects both men and women. Find out how to help men get out of toxic masculinity, how to handle or de-escalate men's bottled-up anger, and how we can get them started on talking about mental health. “Toxic masculinity is like an onion, full of issues, and it affects so many different people and we need to figure out how to peel it.”  - Colin Becker   What You Will Learn From This Episode What is toxic masculinity and how it can affect both men and women The factors that contribute to toxic masculinity and how it affects men's mental health Tips to handle or de-escalate men's bottled-up anger How we can help men get out of toxic masculinity Tips on how men can get started on talking about mental health How The Mental Health and Wealth Hangout helps Colin   About Colin Becker: Colin Becker is a video editor who currently lives in Los Angeles, California. Colin's interest in mental health awareness began in early college after he noticed a change in his own mental health. Ever since, Colin aims to help break the stigma by being a support system to his friends, educating himself within the field, and consistently being a willing listener.   Resource Colin's interview on Martinis and Your Money Podcast The Mental Health and Wealth Hangout Connect with Colin Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here!  If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert   Subscribe to Apple Podcast! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!  

I'm excited to share that this is my 50th podcast episode. The Mental Health and Wealth Show is officially binge-able. We have a solo episode today with me sharing some of my reflections on the past year and a half of the podcast as well as some tips to get you through Mental Health Awareness Month. Enjoy! “It can be easy to say like, I'm not drinking anymore, I quit therapy, I'm better and it's going to stay this way forever. And that is completely illogical. It's not rational. It's not the way life goes.”  - Melanie Lockert “Sometimes I feel like I'm shouting into the void. Sometimes I wonder, is my stuff even helping people? Is anything I do even matter? That's when I start getting in my own head and my own mental health and it's been a struggle. But then I continue to show up because I know these conversations are important. And I know that we are the trailblazers and that we have to be the first ones to start this conversation.” - Melanie Lockert What You Will Learn From This Episode Why I started my blog Dear Debt and the Mental Health and Wealth Summit Breathwork and breathing techniques to calm your nerves Why and how I stopped drinking and changed my relationship with alcohol My journey within the past year and a half with the podcast 2 methods I use when I don't feel good Resource Dear Debt Jason Vitug Interview Tawny Lara Interview Emotional Trauma and Chronic Pain Episode Ken Honda Interview Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Attend our next Money Management Check-in Party   Want more content and support? For Mental Health Awareness Month, get your FREE 31-day calendar with daily actions to get your mind and money in a better place. Get it here! Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert Subscribe to Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!

Have you been thinking of investing in real estate but don't know what to do? Are you hesitant to do it because of mental health reasons like anxiety and fear? Then listen to today's episode as I interviewed Ogechi Igbokwe. Ogechi is a financial educator, real estate investor, and founder of OneSavvyDollar, a purpose-driven personal finance platform for millennials. Find out how she started investing in real estate at the age of 21 and how she used it to pay off her debt. Also, learn if investing is suitable for you, what you can do if you're concerned about your mental health, tips for getting started, and everything else you need to know about the process. “When you go with real estate, it's like a 2-in-1 because you own a property and you own a business at the same time.” - Ogechi Igbokwe “Real estate investing is not for everyone, you have to know that real estate is for you.” - Ogechi Igbokwe “Even if you're afraid to invest in real estate because of mental health reasons, it's still possible to invest in real estate you just have to know which method or plan works for you.” - Ogechi Igbokwe What You Will Learn From This Episode How Ogechi invested in real estate at age 21 and used it to pay off student loan debt 4 things you need to know before starting to invest in real estate The difference between buying a home for you to live in and a home as a rental How investing in real estate may affect your mental health and wealth Ways to avoid having problematic tenants Handling the difficult situation between landlord and renter due to the pandemic What you can do to invest in real estate and protect your mental health at the same time Tips for getting started in real estate investing About Ogechi Igbokwe: Ogechi Igbokwe is a financial educator, real estate investor, and founder of OneSavvyDollar a purpose-driven personal finance platform for millennials. She started investing in real estate at 21 which helped her pay off her student loan debt. Today, she teaches newbies how to successfully invest in real estate so they can skip the sob stories. Her money tips have been featured on Business Insider, Credit Karma, GoBankingrates, TheStreet, Nerdwallet, and BravoTVBlog. Resource REITS Connect with Ogechi onesavvydollar.com Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Attend our next Money Management Check-in Party Grab your seat for the Mental Health and Wealth Summit Want more content and support? Join the week-long virtual summit all about money and mental health this May 17 -21, 2021. Learn more about The Mental Health and Wealth Summit and get your tickets here! For Mental Health Awareness Month, get your FREE 31-day calendar with daily actions to get your mind and money in a better place. Get it here! Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert  

Are you suffering from chronic pain and have already tried a lot of different treatments but still no results? Your pain may have an emotional root. Learn more about an alternative way of treating chronic pain as I interviewed Kent Bassett, one of the directors of the documentary film This Might Hurt, and Dr. Howard Schubiner. We talk about their film that addresses the fact that sometimes pain can have emotional causes and how you can take the steps to heal and eliminate pain. “There's no such thing as negative emotions. Emotions are there to help, protect, and alert us.” - Dr. Howard Schubiner “Roughly 30 - 40% of people who come to see a doctor do not have a structural problem for which their symptoms are attributable to. The vast majority of people with chronic pain do not have a structural injury.” - Dr. Howard Schubiner “Pain in a way is a fascinating window into the mind-body process that we all deal with all the time that has so much richness and texture that we're often not aware of.” - Kent Bassett What You Will Learn From This Episode The relationship between emotional trauma and chronic pain How we can deal with pent-up emotions (like anger) to help mitigate physical pain How the majority of people who have chronic pain do not have a structural problem/injury 2 factors that drive pain to become worse or chronic Why traditional doctors/medicine are hesitant to use this kind of treatment How this treatment is proven to be effective The 4 steps to healing chronic pain using the mind-body connection Is relapse possible once a person had been healed How we can find safety within our own bodies About Kent Bassett: Kent Bassett is an Emmy-nominated editor and director from Arizona. Much of the drive to make This Might Hurt came from his own struggle with pain as a 22-year-old. Unable to type or even turn a doorknob, he was forced to drop out of college. Although he saw several doctors and tried physical therapy, strength training, and was put on opioids—his pain grew steadily worse. It wasn't until he had an insight into the role of the brain in triggering real physical pain that he was able to completely recover. About Dr. Howard Schubiner: Dr. Howard Schubiner is the Director of Mind-Body Medicine Program at Ascension Providence Hospital and a Clinical Professor at Michigan State University. He has been treating chronic pain patients for nearly two decades. He is recognized as a leading researcher and physician in the field of pain medicine. Resources The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain by John E. Sarno, M.D. Spontaneous Healing: How to Discover and Embrace Your Body's Natural Ability to Maintain and Heal Itself by Andrew Weil, M.D. Psychophysiologic Disorders Association (PPDA) Connect with Kent Bassett www.kentbassett.com thismighthurtfilm.com Connect with Dr. Howard Schubiner unlearnyourpain.com Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Attend our next Money Management Check-in Party Grab your seat for the Mental Health and Wealth Summit Want more content and support? Join the week-long virtual summit all about money and mental health this May 17 -21, 2021. Learn more about The Mental Health and Wealth Summit and get your tickets here! For Mental Health Awareness Month, get your FREE 31-day calendar with daily actions to get your mind and money in a better place. Get it here! Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert

Is your money mindset holding you back from wealth? Then listen to this episode as I chat with personal finance best-selling author Barbara Huson. Barbara is the leading authority on women, wealth, and power. She shares how neuroplasticity can change your mindset and rewire your brain for wealth. We also talk about codependency, how to face the fear of change and what differentiates highly successful women from the rest. Also, learn about our upcoming Mental Health and Wealth Summit. “In order to change our life we need to rewire our brain... And in order to change our brain, we need to train our mind to think differently.”  - Barbara Huson   Timestamps 4:08 - How Barbara learned all about money the hard way and became who she is today 8:27 - On codependency, how it manifests in her money and relationship and how she dealt with it 12:55 - What is neuroplasticity and how Barbara studied it and incorporated it into her work 16:23 - Three steps on how we can rewire our brain for wealth plus how neuroplasticity works 22:12 - How to face the fear of change especially as it relates to money 24:58 - One thing that differentiates highly successful women from those who aren't plus how to deal with feelings of discomfort 27:04 - How to know if the rewiring for wealth is working 28:52 - Barbara's advice to women who are struggling with financial loss because of the pandemic 32:15 - One quote that helps Barbara during tough times Resources Prince Charming Isn't Coming: How Women Get Smart About Money by Barbara Stanny/Huson Secrets of Six-Figure Women: Surprising Strategies to Up Your Earnings and Change Your Life by Barbara Stanny/Huson Rewire for Wealth: Three Steps Any Woman Can Take to Program Her Brain for Financial Success by Barbara Huson CoDA - Co-Dependents Anonymous The Meadows Overcoming Underearning(R): A Five-Step Plan to a Richer Life by Barbara Stanny/Huson The Wealth Connection Connect with Barbara barbara- huson.com Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Attend our next Money Management Check-in Party Grab your seat for the Mental Health and Wealth Summit   Want more content and support?  Join the week-long virtual summit all about money and mental health this May 7 -21, 2021. Learn more about The Mental Health and Wealth Summit and get your tickets here! For Mental Health Awareness Month, get your FREE 31-day calendar with daily actions to get your mind and money in a better place. Get it here! Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com.  Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here!   If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert

In this week's episode, listen to Dannie Lynn Fountain's adoption story and how it affected her mental health and wealth. Dannie is a passionate storyteller, marketing strategist at Google, strategic businesswoman, author, doctoral student, and debt-free millennial. She shares her experience of being adopted as a teenager and her grounding techniques when she's feeling the uncertainty and anxiety caused by the loss of her original family. She also discusses how she deals with anxious attachment and being estranged from a family member and why that can actually be okay. Lastly, Dannie talks about re-inventing her life and how she paid off all her debt. “When you lose your original family system, you lose sort of the first anchor that you're given. You feel like you're floating, untethered and you don't have a connection point holding you to one space and it can cause you to float away from whatever dreams, goals, ambitions that you might have had.” - Dannie Lynn Fountain   Timestamps 3:00 - Dannie's adoption story and its effect on her mental health and personal finance 6:00 - What it's like to be adopted at her teenage years and her experience with her new family 8:17 - How Dannie deals with the longing, uncertainty, and anxiety caused by the adoption 11:28 - Dannie's ongoing therapy and how she's dealing with anxious attachment 15:00 - How Dannie reconnected with her siblings after more than a decade of no communication 18:20 - Why it's okay to be estranged with a family member and how Dannie handles and talks about it with other people 21:44 - On re-inventing her life and paying off all her debt plus Dannie's tips for paying off debt 24:31 - Dannie's final advice for people dealing with adoption or family estrangement and getting out of debt Resources User Interviews PayTime Connect with Dannie Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Attend our next Money Management Check-in Party   Want more content and support?  Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com.  Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here!   If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert

Elizabeth Westendorf is an Associate for Atwood Financial Planning, LLC and a comprehensive fee-only by the hour financial planner. She specializes in working with young professionals to help them start financially strong and meet their goals. In today's episode, Elizabeth shares how she manages her money and mental health after surviving a traumatic accident. Also, after reaching what she thought was success and realizing from her mistakes the connection between money and mental health, Elizabeth left her full-time job and shifted careers. Learn how she was able to rebuild a vision for her life into something new. “There's a whole lot of risk in staying somewhere where you know you won't be happy and that you know will kind of erode at your mental health long-term.” - Elizabeth Westendorf   Timestamps 02:22 - Elizabeth's experience that made her realize the correlation between money and mental health 06:52 - When Elizabeth was hit by a truck and how it affected her perspective on money and mental health 14:00 - Why Elizabeth left what she thought was her dream job to focus on being self-employed 21:24 - The "sunk cost fallacy" - how it's preventing you to pivot and how to deal with it 24:40 - How Elizabeth considered money/financial aspect during her career transitioning 29:00 - How self-employment affected her mental health 33:34 - The financial challenges that women are facing today and how we can address those 40:20 - Elizabeth's money tip Resources and People Mentioned Lori Atwood Lola Retreat Merrill Lynch Study Connect with Elizabeth Instagram - Elizabeth owningthestars.com Instagram - Fearless Finance by AFP atwoodfinancial.com Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Attend our next Money Management Check-in Party   Want more content and support?  Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com.  Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here!   If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert

There are still a lot of inequalities that women face with regards to finances like the gender wage gap and the gender investing gap. In this episode, learn how Miracle Olatunji is bridging those gaps and advocating for financial equality among women. Miracle is an amazing college student, entrepreneur, speaker, and author. At 17, she founded OpportuniMe, a digital media and education company which empowers the next generation of leaders to develop life, leadership, and career skills. We talked about financial feminism, navigating college debt-free as well as money mindset. We also touched on the importance of investing, building generational wealth, and why self-trust is a form of self-love. Listen in to hear her story and get some great tips.  “When I think about wealth and finances, it's not really just about the money, it's more of the freedom and what you can get with the money.” - Miracle Olatunji   Timestamps 2:37 - Miracle's personal finance story and how she became a financial feminist 6:08 - How Miracle managed to go to school in Boston, earn money while studying, and soon graduate debt-free 12:00 - The mindset shift in investing and financial anxiety that Miracle had to make to survive being an immigrant in America 15:05 - What you need to know about investing, why it is so important, and how to handle money mistakes 24:20 - How Miracle is continuously building generational wealth and why she thinks it's so important 28:20 - What is self-love and why investing is an act of self-love 33:04 - Miracle's ongoing therapy for self-love and Melanie's self-love journey 38:30 - Normalizing the slow progress in therapy and healing journey 45:46 - The importance of financial wellness, taking small actions/steps to change your life plus other tips to achieve financial wellness Resources and People Mentioned OpportuniMe Purpose: How To Live and Lead With Impact by Miracle Olatunji Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert Kiyosaki Interview with Erin Lowry Robert Farrington The College Investor Interview with Ken Honda Happy Money: The Japanese Art of Making Peace With Your Money by Ken Honda Backstage Capital Self-Love Workbook for Women: Release Self-Doubt, Build Self-Compassion, and Embrace Who You Are by Megan Logan Interview with Emily Guy Birken Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear Connect with Miracle Instagram Twitter Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Attend our next Money Management Check-in Party   Want more content and support?  Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com.  Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here!   If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert  

In today's episode, I'm interviewing my friend Terri Huggins. Terri is a freelance journalist, blogger, dance fitness instructor, and is a self-proclaimed queen of expression who's convinced life becomes terrific once you say it is. She shares her story on how affirmations with an action plan can actually change your life. We also talk about imposter syndrome which is something we all deal with, motherhood in the pandemic, and why she slowed down her debt repayment for her mental health. “These inspirational quotes and motivational things, they're supposed to light the fire. They are not the fire. You are the fire and you have to do something with it.” - Terri Huggins   Timestamps 2:41 - The story behind Terri's favorite quote and how it lead her to what she is today 08:16 - Struggles of a mom and a freelancer during the pandemic and how Terri is dealing with it 13:51 - Why and how Terri slowed down on the process of paying off her debt 19:25 - On Terri's ebook Actionable Quotes and how it can help you with your mental health and wealth 25:57 - Quotes and affirmations that can help during a bad mental health day 32:45 - On imposter syndrome, how Terri was affected by it and how to combat it 40:44 - Terri's personal finance goals, how she's spending her money and pays her student loan 46:40 - The ‘luck' aspect in every success stories and why it's important to include it in personal finance stories 50:40 - The one quote that Terri lives by daily Resources and People Mentioned Actionable Quotes: Your Favorite Quotes Don't Work Unless You Do by Terri Huggins Marie Forleo Ken Honda (of Happy Money) Interview The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel Connect with Terri terrificwords.com Twitter Instagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.com melanielockert.com Instagram Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support?  Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com.  Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here!   If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert