“According to a September report from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, half of retirees are afraid to use their savings, often refusing to touch money they spent decades socking away expressly so they could enjoy leisure activities in their 60s, 70s and 80s.” Retirement spending is not always simple.
“Given that 50% of households are currently at risk of not having the funds to maintain their living standards in retirement, according to the center, their fears are not unfounded. But while retirees who live extra cautiously may be securing the sense of contentment that comes with having the resources to deal with sudden expenses like long-term care, they may also be sacrificing quality of life to do it.” https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/06/your-money/retirement-savings.html
How Elaine Korngold Can Help
Most therapists are trained to talk about issues such as sexual behavior or substance abuse eating, but not about financial issues and their significance. This is despite the fact that couples rank money as the top problem prior to marriage, and in the early stages of marriage. Money is one of the main reasons that couples argue or divorce.
This is where I can help. My professional background and my training give me a unique perspective on how money impacts individuals and couples. Frequently, it is not the lack of money that creates stress and anxiety, but how people mismanage their finances. I can help you clarify your values around money, identify the messages you received from your family, and understand what drives your money behaviors. For couples, I integrate Financial Therapy with Gottman Method Couples Therapy to help couples communicate more constructively and develop tactical skills to foster a healthy financial partnership. For compulsive behaviors related to money, such as shopping addiction or gambling, I offer Brainspotting therapy for addiction.
In my private practice I encourage clients to explore how their finances affect their emotional well-being through discussions about budgets, financial values, retirement spending, and core beliefs about money and spending. Research indicates that good financial health is important to reducing stress and increasing stability and satisfaction. With counseling, clients can begin addressing and resolving complex issues and emotions that manifest when they encounter financial stresses. Contact me to learn more.