Couples who are hesitant to start therapy often miss out on the most significant benefits. One common topic that can create discomfort is finances. Managing money as a couple is vital to a relationship, and exploring each person’s emotions, views, and history through couples therapy can help you build a stronger financial foundation. A couple’s therapist can provide a safe space for each individual to share their feelings and worries about finances. They can also help you communicate in ways that create safety and understanding. By answering questions like “What does having money mean to each of you?” or “What is your attitude toward money?” couples can better understand each other’s perspectives and form shared values. So, if you’ve been avoiding these tough conversations, it may be time to consider the benefits of working with a couple’s therapist. Check out resources like “Managing your money as a couple” or “Find a couple’s therapist” to get started. Don’t let discomfort hold you back from building a stronger financial future together!
A common theme I have noticed throughout my work with couples is the hesitancy to get started with couples therapy. Many couples feel nervous about getting started with therapy for several reasons that range from feeling like they may not be comfortable sharing, will not have enough to talk about, and how their partner may think about going to therapy. A theme I often notice is that couples who are most uncomfortable or nervous about starting couples therapy usually benefit the most!
Suppose a couple is reluctant to discuss certain Couples who are hesitant to start therapy often miss out on the most significant benefits. One common topic that can create discomfort is finances. Managing money as a couple is vital to a relationship, and exploring each person’s emotions, views, and history through couples therapy can help you build a stronger financial foundation. A couples therapist can provide a safe space for each individual to share their feelings and worries about finances. They can also help you communicate in ways that create safety and understanding. By answering questions like “What does having money mean to each of you?” or “What is your attitude toward money?” couples can better understand each other’s perspectives and form shared values. So, if you’ve been avoiding these tough conversations, it may be time to consider the benefits of working with a couples therapist. Check out resources like “Managing your money as a couple” or “Find a couple’s therapist” to get started. Don’t let discomfort hold you back from building a stronger financial future together. topics or feels that therapy may be uncomfortable as a couple. In that case, it usually means some topics would be beneficial to dive into and explore! Many couples can go months or years without exploring each person’s emotions about certain situations. One of the most common unspoken topics that can be the most important topics to explore is finances. Managing your money as a couple is vital to a relationship and can bring up significant feelings and emotions. Individuals often bring their circumstances, views, and history of money into a relationship that will impact their future. Couples therapy can be an ideal place to explore a couple’s relationship with money and finances because the therapist can offer a safe space for each individual to share their emotions, feelings, and worries related to finances. The therapist can also help the couple communicate healthily so everyone feels safe and understood. Questions that a couple’s therapist may explore regarding finances within therapy may be:
What is your earliest memory related to money?
Understanding someone’s experience and memories of money growing up is an excellent indicator of why they behave a certain way as adults. Having your therapist explore this question and noticing patterns through memories is a great place to start!
What does having money mean to each of you?
Money can be viewed and experienced differently for each person in a relationship. This may include safety, access, fulfillment, freedom, or power- exploring the roots and themes with your therapist in couples therapy is integral to navigating difficult conversations in the future!
What is your attitude approach to money?
What outlook does each person have when they think about money? One person’s attitude may impact the other, so exploring in therapy is essential!
What is your most joyful money memory?
Answering this question as a couple helps explore how you may want to plan to use money and spend or save money for experiences to bring joy to your family
How comfortable was your family talking about money growing up?
If one partner is comfortable discussing money and the other partner has experience with it, it can be difficult to have safe and meaningful conversations. Understanding where behaviours come from can guide difficult conversations moving forward!
What are your most significant financial fears?
How do you think you should manage your money as a couple?
Name three values you would like to guide your family’s life
As a couple, it’s crucial to have shared values; if you know your values and share them as a family, it can be easier to make choices related to money and the future!
If these are questions you have avoided or may cause ruptures in the relationship to bring up on your own consider exploring therapy. This may indicate that having a couples therapist explore this topic with you and your partner or family could be beneficial! Some resources to get started if you are interested in exploring this topic: