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There are people who need help managing the emotions associated with money, especially in times of economic uncertainty and financial instability. Money-related anxiety can trigger feelings of shame, guilt or obligation that can stem from overspending, avoiding bills or other financial stressors. 

A Safe Space to Talk About Finances

In financial therapy, counselors can help uncover and address unhealthy money habits that can trap people into cycles of stress and shame and steer them on a path toward greater control of their finances. It combines emotional work with practical strategies for managing finances.  

Professional counselors work with individuals and couples on issues related to taking on or paying down debt, managing credit cards or student loans, reconciling differing attitudes about money and resolving “financial infidelity.”

The Benefits of Getting Financial Help

Tackling financial issues can be vital to individuals who don’t talk enough about money and in cultures where these discussions are considered taboo. This lapse in conversation can leave people without the language, confidence or basic knowledge to manage their finances effectively.

A 2025 NerdWallet survey found that 51% of Americans regularly stress about money. However, the Personal Finance Index that measures Americans’ financial knowledge, finds that only 4% of adults can correctly answer five questions about borrowing, saving, investing and insurance. 

Some of the strategies counselors use with clients include:

• Harm reduction by focusing on “stopping the bleeding” of the current financial situation that’s causing stress. 
• Having conversations on typical weekly spending, behaviors contributing to increasing debt or their current level of financial distress. 
• Delving into the beliefs and emotions that are driving unhealthy money habits.
• Exploring money messages clients can recall from childhood and how it influenced their current behavior. 
• Establishing goal-based plans that can shift them out of old patterns and into healthy habits. 

Committing to dealing with longstanding emotional issues tied to financial stress and working with a counselor to formulate a plan of action, can improve your financial confidence and overall well-being. 

Special thanks to Eric Dean, JD, MBA, LPC; Aja Evans, LMHC; Heather Lowrey, LPC, LMHC, CSAT and Jennifer Dunkle, LPC, CGT, from Money Matters, published in the January 2026 issue of Counseling Today.