Financial stress and anxiety: a deeper look through the lens of therapy
Money can be one of the most common sources of stress in our lives. Whether you’re worried about paying the bills, managing debt, navigating a job loss, or even dealing with financial success, the emotional weight of money can be profound.
As a therapist, I’ve witnessed how financial anxiety doesn’t just live in budgets and spreadsheets, it lives in our bodies, our relationships, and the stories we tell ourselves. Our relationship with money is rarely just about money. It is often a symbol—a stand-in for security, power, autonomy, worth, or even love. These associations typically stem from early childhood experiences and the emotional climate around money in our families.
Were your parents constantly fighting about finances?
Was money used as a reward—or as a punishment?
Did you grow up in scarcity or in abundance, and what emotions were tied to that?
These early dynamics often create unconscious patterns that play out in adult life. For example, someone who grew up in financial instability might hoard money or feel a pervasive sense of dread, even when their financial situation is secure. Another person might overspend or avoid money altogether, reenacting early feelings of chaos or rebellion.
Through therapy, we can explore and uncover these hidden emotional legacies and begin to understand, without judgement, our financial behaviors. This awareness allows for deeper, more compassionate change.
As I work with clients I help them consider how money can be deeply embedded in our relationships—with partners, parents, children, friends, and even ourselves.
Financial anxiety often arises not just from individual beliefs or circumstances but from how money operates within our relational systems. In relationships, money can become a proxy for power, care, control, or equality. It’s not uncommon for clients to bring in concerns like, “I feel guilty making less money than my spouse,” or “I can’t tell my parents I’m struggling, they will think I’ve failed.”
I help clients bring these interpersonal dynamics into the open, creating space for open conversations, boundary setting, and mutual understanding. The goal is not just financial stability but relational authenticity which is the ability to stay connected while being honest about financial realities and our emotions.
Financial stress is real, and it’s valid. But it’s also navigable, especially when we approach it with curiosity, compassion, and courage. If money anxiety is weighing heavily on you, know that you’re not alone and that meaningful change is possible.
Sometimes, the first step isn’t fixing the numbers. It’s an openness to exploring the underlying feelings and asking, “What is this really about for me?”
From there, new possibilities begin to emerge.
Written by: Jessie Beebe