Episode 152 - Jeannie Dougherty - From Grief to Guidance: Jeannie Dougherty on Caregiving, Money, and Turning Adversity into Advocacy

This episode: From Grief to Guidance: Jeannie Dougherty on Caregiving, Money, and Turning Adversity into Advocacy.

Here’s what you’ll learn about:

Introduction and Purpose of the Meeting (0:02)

• Drew initiates the recording and introduces Jeannie Dougherty, expressing excitement about the discussion.
• Drew thanks Priscilla Leto for introducing Jeannie and sets the stage for the conversation.
• He discusses the linear view of life taught in childhood and how external circumstances can derail this path.
• Drew introduces the concept of three types of women: one with blind spots, one who sees adversity as a victim, and one who sees adversity as an opportunity for growth.

Jeannie's Journey to Becoming a Caregiver Advocate (1:53)

• Jeannie shares her background, mentioning that both her parents passed away from Alzheimer's with no previous family history.
• She describes the financial exploitation her mother faced from a family member, which was hidden until after her death.
• Jeannie recounts her defining moment at her mother's grave site, where she realized she would not let the situation kill her and decided to make changes.
• She explains the impact of her parents' deaths and the financial exploitation on her family, emphasizing the importance of awareness and prevention.

Impact of Parents' Illnesses and Financial Exploitation (3:55)

• Drew and Jeannie discuss the initial shock of Jeannie's father's Alzheimer's diagnosis and the lack of clear information from doctors.
• Jeannie shares her experience of her mother's Alzheimer's diagnosis and the control issues within her family.
• She describes the challenges of being the official caregiver and the emotional toll of dealing with financial exploitation.
• Jeannie reflects on the importance of addressing financial expectations and the need for open communication about final wishes.

Transition to Caregiver Advocacy and Emotional Money Coaching (6:00)

• Jeannie talks about her job working for a federal government contractor, where she built a retirement readiness and caregiver program.
• She shares her experience of taking dance classes and discovering emotional behavioral learning, which led her to become an emotional money coach.
• Jeannie explains the concept of emotional money coaching and the importance of addressing family rules and emotions related to money.
• She discusses the impact of the pandemic on caregivers and the need for better support and resources for caregivers.

Challenges and I...