• Financial Enabling vs Financial Generosity: An Interview with Lindsay Bryan-Podvin
    Feb 17 2023
    In this episode, I bring back financial therapist Lindsay Bryan-Podvin. Lindsay is a biracial financial wellness expert, speaker, and author of the book "The Financial Anxiety Solution”. Lindsay uses a shame-free approach to help people get their minds and money in balance by focusing on the intersection of money and mental health using financial therapy.  We dig deep into when do we help people and when do we harm them by giving money, how to know if we are being taken advantage of and what to consider before giving someone money.   “Being an enabler prevents the person from having the natural consequences of their actions.” - Lindsay Bryan-Podvin “When you continue to save people and prevent them from experiencing consequences, it's a way to postpone making a decision” - Melanie Lockert “When we think about enabling, we also think about removing a person's natural ability to learn how to function a bit more independently.” - Lindsay Bryan-Podvin “Financial abuse is the next level, above and beyond just enabling or some dysfunction or some tension. It is really making it so the person cannot financially escape a relationship or situation.” - Lindsay Bryan-Podvin    What You Will Learn From This Episode  ●     The relationship between financial enabling and codependency ●     The difference between financial enabling and financial generosity ●     How enabling can be a part of a dysfunctional dynamic ●     How to set boundaries when you’re from a culture that expects you to support your parents ●     How to set boundaries/expectations on sending money to your family in another country  ●     What to do if your boundaries are met with anger or resentment ●     When is the appropriate time to help out a loved one and what to do if you’re being taken advantage of ●     How can you tell if you’re being truly financially generous   About Lindsay Bryan-Podvin: Lindsay Bryan-Podvin (she/her) is a biracial financial wellness expert, speaker, and author of the book "The Financial Anxiety Solution." A practicing social worker since 2012, she uses a shame-free approach to help people get their minds and money in balance by focusing on the intersection of money and mental health using financial therapy. While financial literacy is important, she champions the belief that money is rooted in emotions and impacted by the systems around us. She has a degree in sociology and a Master’s in Social Work with certificates in Financial Social Work and Financial Therapy. She lives with her partner and their dog on the occupied land of the Fox, Peoria, and Potawatomi peoples, also known as Michigan.  Resources: *Affiliate link          When Helping Hurts: 5 Recommendations For Planners Financial Enabling Clients          When Parents Can’t Say NO: Financial Enabling          To the Limit: Financial Dependency and Enabling          Personal Finance: Family Savings Funds          Inheritance by Race          Migrant Remittances: The Impact of Immigrants Sending Money Back Home          Get Lindsay’s session on how to Transform Your Money Mindset          FreeForm          *The Financial Anxiety Solution by Lindsay Bryan-Podvin   Connect with Lindsay:          Website          Instagram          YouTube          Podcast: Mind Money Balance          Pinterest  Connect with Melanie          mentalhealthandwealth.com          melanielockert.com          Instagram          Support the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockert          Buy Melanie’s book “Dear Debt”          Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com     Want more content and support?  Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here!  Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!
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    47 mins
  • On Divorce and Bankruptcy + How to Get Control Over Your Physical, Mental, and Financial Health: An Interview with Kyle Nichol
    Feb 3 2023
    Kyle Nichol has experienced divorce, bankruptcy, severe mental illness, and depression. In this episode, Kyle talks about his stories and how he started over. He also shares tips from his new book “Mind Body and Money” on how to manage physical, mental, and financial health. “The one thing that people can really use more of is just control. Control over everything in their life; their thoughts, their emotions, their money.” - Kyle Nichol  “The bankruptcy was a blessing and a curse at the same time. It was a wake-up call. It was scary but it also got me super, super focused.” - Kyle Nichol   What You Will Learn From This Episode How to work on your financial, physical, and mental health in less than 1 hour a dayOn drugs, divorce, and bankruptcy and how they affected Kyle’s financial and mental healthMistakes that Kyle made in his business and how he knew it was time to file for bankruptcyHow he was able to pay off his mortgage after the bankruptcyHow fitness/exercise relates to financesThe importance of deep breathing as a tool in times of stressThe first actionable step that you can do if you’re struggling with your physical, financial, and mental health About Kyle Nichol: Having spent more than two decades as a personal trainer, Kyle Nichol has improved the lives of hundreds of people by helping them improve their physical health. As a survivor of severe mental illness and depression, he overcame his own personal demons and suicidal impulses to reclaim control of his life and emerge emotionally stronger than ever. As an entrepreneur and business owner during the height of the 2008 Great Recession, Kyle achieved rapid success in a highly competitive industry, then hit rock bottom financially, prompting him to completely overhaul his financial life and relationship with money. Today, as a Performance Mindset coach and speaker, Kyle teaches others how to better manage stress, improve their relationship with money and overcome major challenges to achieve more control in their lives.  Resources: *Affiliate link  *Open Book by Jessica SimpsonMind Body and Money by Kyle NicholGet Jason Vitug’s Breathwork session from the Mental Health and Wealth Summit here: https://melanielockert.gumroad.comInsight TimerAmazing Grass  Connect with Kyle: WebsiteFacebook Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.commelanielockert.comInstagramSupport the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockertBuy Melanie’s book “Dear Debt”Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Connecting Money to the 8 Dimensions of Wellness to Achieve a Healthier, Wealthier, and Happier Life: An Interview with Jason Vitug
    Jan 20 2023
    In today’s episode, I’m bringing back my friend Jason Vitug who is a wellness advocate and best-selling author of two books, ‘Happy Money, Happy Life’ and ‘You Only Live Once’. He's the founder of phroogal.com and is an award-winning creator of the Road to Financial Wellness Project. He is also a certified diversity, equity, and inclusion expert, a certified yoga teacher, and a breathwork specialist. We talk about how money can affect your happiness, the dimensions of wellness that relate to money, and how to achieve a happier life. “When we can use money as a tool, we can then use money to positively affect these different aspects of our being, these eight wellness dimensions (mental health, emotional health, physical, spiritual, social, environmental, occupational, financial).” -Jason Vitug “Money isn't everything, but money impacts most things.” -Jason Vitug What You Will Learn From This Episode The turning point and realizations that made Jason write his second book 'Happy Money Happy Life'What are the components of a happy life (the 8 wellness dimensions), how they are all connected, and how they are affected by moneyThe difference between mental health and emotional healthWhy retail therapy and other coping techniques may actually cause financial distressHow to spend our money to improve our emotional and mental healthWhy money is one of the most important things and yet also one of the least important things in lifeHow can people who tie their self-worth and success with money or work change or stop with that associationWhat is a happy life and how to use our money to get that happy life About Jason Vitug: Jason is a wellness advocate helping a generation achieve a victorious life through health and wealth. He is a bestselling NY Times-reviewed author of two books: ‘Happy Money Happy Life’ and ‘You Only Live Once’. He is the founder of the personal finance website phroogal.com, creator of the Plutus Award-winning Road to Financial Wellness project, and a certified yoga teacher and breathwork specialist. While having professional success, Jason experienced financial distress and personal dissatisfaction. His quest to find a balance between achievements and fulfillment led him to resign from his executive job and backpack through 20 countries in 12 months. In that journey, he realized the importance of holistic well-being, where money isn’t the goal but the tool to achieve the goals. Jason openly shares his problems with credit, the oversized debt, and the spending habits that kept him living paycheck-to-paycheck. He is now living financially well and educates others on achieving financial and career goals without sacrificing life satisfaction. Resources: Happy Money Happy Life: A Multidimensional Approach to Health, Wealth, and Financial Freedom by Jason VitugYou Only Live Once: The Roadmap to Financial Wellness and a Purposeful Life by Jason Vitug comRedefining Wealth Podcast with Patrice WashingtonChronic Pain and Emotional Trauma: An Interview with Kent Bassett and Dr. Howard Schubiner of This Might Hurt FilmLearn a new coping technique with this training called: Breathwork: Unlocking the Power of Intentional Breathing to Set, Reset and Relax Connect with Jason: FacebookInstagramTwitterWebsite Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.commelanielockert.comInstagramSupport the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockertBuy Melanie’s book “Dear Debt”Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!
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    53 mins
  •  How to Mentally and Financially Prepare to Take a Gap Year and Have an Adventure with Your Family: An Interview with Heidi Dusek
    Dec 9 2022
    What would it look like to take a gap year and travel with your family? Find out in this episode as I chat with Heidi Dusek. Heidi is known as the “Adventurous Mom” and the podcast host and founder of Ordinary Sherpa, an online community designed to inspire families to connect through simple and authentic adventure experiences. You will hear her story of family adventure, how they prepared financially and mentally, and how she faces winding down her career in order to have a gap year. “I decided to, instead of having these external goals as metrics on what success looks like, I decided to say, what would it look like if joy was the metric.” - Heidi Dusek “The sooner and easier you make it to get out the door and do the thing, the more likely you are to start. And that's, I think, if you can focus on starting something as opposed to finishing, you have a step in the right direction.” - Heidi Dusek What You Will Learn From This Episode What inspired Heidi to take a gap year and travel with her familyHeidi’s and her family’s whereabouts and how they face the challenge of getting out of their comfort zoneThe nuts and bolts of preparing financially and mentally for the gap yearHeidi’s advice for parents who want to have more adventures with their kids outside of what may be viewed as traditionalHow to take care of your mental and financial health while being on the road and traveling as a familyMaking the most out of the unexpected things that happenThe fears that Heidi faced while winding down her career in order to have a gap year and how she overcame themHow to get started on this journey even when you feel bogged down with job and family obligations About Heidi Dusek: Heidi Dusek has earned the title of adventurous mom after over a decade of packing up kids and setting off on adventures near and far. She is currently winding down her career in the public sector as a Foundation Executive to take a gap year with her family to live an intentional life challenging herself to not get too comfortable or align with the status quo. Some describe her as a disruptor and an unshakeable optimist. Her work is featured as the podcast host and founder of Ordinary Sherpa, an online community designed to inspire families to connect through simple and authentic adventure experiences.  As an “ordinary” mom, she creates content to guide and support other families on their quest to live a more adventurous life. Her book, Beyond Normal, a field guide to embracing adventure, exploring the wilderness, and designing an extraordinary life with kids shares research, tools, and novel tips to integrate adventure into your daily life. Heidi and her husband Brent, live in northeast Wisconsin with their three kids and Weimaraner dog. They spend their time skiing, building igloos, making maple syrup, and filling the gaps with hiking, mountain biking, and aim to spend as much time outdoors as possible.  While they crave travel they also recognize the privilege and comforts of coming home.  Resources: Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life by Bill PerkinsMan’s Search for Meaning by Viktor FranklPaying Off Debt, Reaching FI, and Dealing with Online Hate: An Interview with Jillian JohnsrudBeyond Normal, A Field Guide to Embrace Adventure, explore the Wilderness and Design an Extraordinary Life with Kids by Heidi DusekHeidi’s freebie with 50+ everyday adventure digital cards filled with ideas for unique adventures Connect with Heidi: InstagramLinkedInFacebookWebsiteOrdinary Sherpa Podcast Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.commelanielockert.comInstagramSupport the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockertBuy Melanie’s book “Dear Debt”Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com    Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!
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    47 mins
  • On Post-Traumatic Growth, Psychedelics, Overcoming Depression and Achieving a Healthy Money Mindset: An Interview with Benoit Kim
    Nov 11 2022
    Benoit Kim is a US army veteran, Penn-educated former policymaker turned psychotherapist, and host of the Discover More Podcast. In this episode, he shares how he got his depression, his coping mechanism to overcome it, and how it led him to shift into a different career. We also talk about the phenomenon called post-traumatic growth (which is on the other side of PTSD), psychedelics, and what it looks like to have a healthy money mindset. “The famous mental health adage states that the opposite of depression is expression, what you don't express gets depressed. And of course, it's a general blanket statement, but it is the core ethos of a lot of mental health issues.” - Benoit Kim “I attribute a lot of my growth and this new lens that allows me to navigate life in such a hyper-intentional way to the phenomena of post-traumatic growth.” - Benoit Kim “When you let yourself grow from such hard experiences, that's the real beauty of healing and growth.” - Melanie Lockert What You Will Learn From This Episode How acceptance of limitation leads to healingImportance of breaking the stigma on masculinityAdvantages of having an intentional personalityWhat is post-traumatic growth and how to achieve itWhy physical health and mental health are not two separate entitiesThe mental health and emotional signs telling you that it is time for a career changeHow journaling and looking back at your life's data points can help you make changes and growWhat a healthy money mindset looks likePsychedelics - its effectivity and risk factorsWhat does it look like to have psychedelic-assisted therapyHow healing can transform life and get people to optimal performance About Benoit Kim: Benoit Kim is a US army veteran, Penn-educated former policymaker turned therapist, and host of the Discover More Podcast. He worked in the policy sector for a few years then pivoted recently into the clinical field as an aspirational psychedelic-assisted psychotherapist. Lastly, he started the podcast 3 years ago by simply leaning into curiosity, and the show was featured on Top Apple Podcasts 200 chart two times in 2022. Resources: Discover More Podcast by Benoit KimAtomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James ClearChronic Pain and Emotional Trauma: An Interview with Kent Bassett and Dr. Howard Schubiner of This Might Hurt FilmOn Toxic Masculinity and Mental Health: An Interview with Colin BeckerPsychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan HouselDear Debt blog by MelanieNew York Times article featuring MelanieI Will Teach You To Be Rich Podcast by Ramit SethiHow To Change Your Mind on Netflix Connect with Benoit: LinkedInYouTubeInstagram Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.commelanielockert.comInstagramSupport the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockertBuy Melanie’s book “Dear Debt”Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • How to Create Wealth from a Place of Spirituality and Self-love: An Interview with Mandy Cheung
    Oct 21 2022
    In today's episode, I chat with licensed corporate finance adviser and spiritual wealth coach Mandy Cheung. Mandy helps people beat their debt, build wealth, and control their future. We talk about the relationship between spirituality and money and how self-love helps us with our money mindset. "The law of attraction is more about the universe sending you the people, the ideas, or the opportunities so that you can receive what you want.” - Mandy Cheung “Once my clients acknowledge that they are already enough, then they have so much more mental clarity in how to manage their finances.” - Mandy Cheung   What You Will Learn From This Episode On spirituality and money and how these two works togetherManifesting or law of attraction - what they mean and why some people think it doesn’t work for themWhat to do if you want to add manifestation in your financial lifeThree things you can do to get out of scarcity or negative mindset after being triggered by a financial situation, like a medical bill or tax billOn self-love and its relationship with moneyWhy it's important for women to have their own moneyHow women can improve their financesExercises on how to improve money mindset About Mandy Cheung: Mandy Cheung is a licensed corporate finance adviser and spiritual wealth coach based in Hong Kong. She works with companies listed on Hong Kong Stock Exchange on their transactions like IPO, M&A, and equity fundraising exercises. She also supports women to be financially independent and live life on their own terms because she genuinely believes that the world will be a better place if more women become financially empowered. Resources: Quote by Henry Ford: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can...” (goodreads.com)On Toxic Masculinity and Mental Health: An Interview with Colin Becker Connect with Mandy: mandycheung.coach/YouTube Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.commelanielockert.comInstagramSupport the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockertBuy Melanie’s book “Dear Debt”Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com  Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!
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    43 mins
  • Why We’re Seeing a Drop in the Financial Health of American Households and How We Can Improve It: An Interview with Angela Fontes
    Sep 23 2022
    What is the difference between surviving and thriving? It’s all a matter of financial health. In today’s episode, I chat with Angela Fontes of the Financial Health Network about their Financial Health Pulse report. Find out how income, race, gender, and more all impact financial health and what we can do to improve our financial health.  "I think we want to sort of think about financial health as both an individual responsibility and certainly as part of a macro-environment." - Angela Fontes  "So many different identities are getting left out of the conversation and it’s like we all have to deal with money so why are some people getting more of the conversation when this is something we all have to deal with."- Melanie Lockert “Check your credit, pull your credit report on a regular basis and just make sure that what you think is happening with your debt and credit accounts is what is being reported and if you do see errors, make sure that you’re addressing those so you do have the good credit score that is an important part of financial health.” - Angela Fontes What You Will Learn From This Episode Why we’re seeing a drop in the financial health of American householdsHow financial health increases and decreases based on incomeFour financial health metrics - how you can determine if you’re financially healthyWhy Black and LatinX communities experience less financial healthWays to improve financial health from an individual consumer perspectiveOn the financial health gap between men and women and how we can decrease that gapWhat we can do to boost our financial health About Angela Fontes: As Vice President of the Policy and Research team, Angela oversees policy and measurement research for the Financial Health Network, including the Financial Health Pulse and FinHealth Spend initiatives. Using cutting-edge data and methodologies, Angela elevates important insights for policy-makers and the academic community to advance financial health for all.  Resources: annualcreditreport.comFinancial Health Network  Connect with Angela:  finhealthnetwork.org Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.commelanielockert.comInstagramSupport the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockertBuy Melanie’s book “Dear Debt”Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!
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    38 mins
  • How to Pay Off Your Debt By Getting the Help You Need: An Interview with Tasha Bishop of Apprisen
    Aug 26 2022
    Are you struggling with debt? Do you feel depressed and anxious wondering how you can get support? Today's episode is brought to you in partnership with Apprisen, an organization that helps people with their finances and credit. I chat with Tasha Bishop, the Director of Digital Innovation at Apprisen on why debt causes so much shame and guilt, when you should reach out for help, what your options are, the difference between a non-profit debt management plan and a for-profit debt settlement, and how to use credit in a smart way.  "The more that you open up and the more you share these, the less that shame and that guilt is going to impact you whether it's emotionally, your mental health, or physical." - Tasha Bishop  "I think with debt repayment it's as much, if not more, a mental shift, and then everything else can shift around you."- Melanie Lockert  This episode is brought to you in partnership with Apprisen  What You Will Learn From This Episode Common emotions/feelings that people with debt are experiencingWhy debt causes so much shame and guilt and why it's so dangerous to continue with these feelings, without getting helpFinancial and emotional warning signs or clues which tell you that you should reach out for helpThe different options for debt repaymentThe difference between a non-profit debt management plan and a for-profit debt settlementDebt relief scams and signs to watch out forHow Apprisen works with consumers and what their fees areHow being in debt and paying off debt affect your credit scoreHow the timing of credit card payments impacts your credit score as well About Tasha Bishop: As the Director of Digital Innovation at Apprisen, Tasha is responsible for creating and enhancing national partnerships, building and sustaining internal programs, and increasing financial health awareness through outreach, social media, and traditional marketing. Tasha holds an MA in Economic Development & International Commerce from the University of Kentucky and a BA in Economics from the University of Louisville. She lives in Louisville, KY with her husband & two cats. Apprisen is an accredited non-profit credit counseling agency focused on helping people improve their financial health. Since 1955, Apprisen has helped over 1 million individuals manage their finances and debt. Their signature program, the Debt Management Program, helps people pay down debt with lower interest rates and potentially minimum payments. Apprisen prides itself in finding solutions to their clients’ unique financial concerns in an atmosphere of trust, creativity, and non-judgment. Connect with Tasha and Apprisen: www.apprisen.comTwitterJoin Apprisen + Melanie for a Twitter chat on money and mental health on 9/13 @ 1pm ET for a discussion on how debt stress impacts mental health. One lucky participant will win a $50 Amazon gift card, incl. Apprisen swag items! Learn More #FinHealthChat https://bit.ly/3w1d3a9 Connect with Melanie mentalhealthandwealth.commelanielockert.comInstagramSupport the podcast through Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/melanielockertBuy Melanie’s book “Dear Debt”Contact: mentalhealthandwealthshow@gmail.com   Want more content and support? Sign up for the Mental Hump Newsletter and get our free Mental Health and Money inventory worksheet. You can sign up at MentalHealthandWealth.com. Also, we host a Mental Health and Wealth Hangout every other Thursday over Zoom at 5 pm PT to chat about all things money and mental health. Join here! Follow us on Apple Podcast or Libsyn! Love the podcast? Leave a review on iTunes!
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    55 mins