Money is consistently one of the leading causes of mental health stress, according to the survey “Stress in America” by the American Psychology Association. This sense of unease can be even more overwhelming for those of us who identify as highly sensitive.
Highly Sensitive Money is a new podcast that offers resources to highly sensitive people (HSPs) committed to aligning their money with their values. In our hyper-individualistic society, where money often serves
as a significant source of stress, Highly Sensitive Money is meant to ease this burden by normalizing the deep, thoughtful contemplation that can sometimes paralyze HSPs into inaction, particularly when it comes to living out our values through our financial choices.
The podcast is a mixture of interviews and live coaching with HSPs. There are conversations with fellow financial experts, like leo freeman from Capital J Collective, who prioritize social justice. Solo episodes explore key money concepts, such as saviorism in philanthropy and cultivating a sense of enough to build a happier money life (I literally push against the word abundance because you can never fill it, whereas enough is in the present). Overall, it’s a podcast that aims to bring a gentle and curious approach to money, social justice, and the meaning of high sensitivity.
What is High Sensitivity?
High sensitivity, a concept pioneered by Dr. Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D., in the early 1990s, is estimated to be present in 15 to 20 percent of the population. This innate trait is characterized by heightened reactivity to stimuli, both internal and external. While sensitivity might present challenges, such as heightened responses to pain or tension and easily becoming overwhelmed, high sensitivity also gifts individuals with heightened creativity, awareness of subtleties, and clear sight on our interconnectedness.
As a money coach, my sensitivity enables me to create a space where people can come to their own conclusions and best next steps. I give people a lot of permission to just be where they are with money because once you know where you stand, you can evaluate what is and is not working for you.
In this podcast project, I share my approach as a money coach: Although I am an expert in money (thanks to years of training and experience), I am not an expert on my client’s life. This not only invites clients to own responsibility for their money decisions, but also brings in compassionate witnessing when they are navigating money changes. You can listen to a live coaching example of this compassionate witnessing in Lily Kerrigan’s episode “Generosity, Vulnerability, and Letting Down Defenses Around Money.”
THE EPISODES
In the first episode of the podcast, “Seeking Refuge: Self-Care and Community Support as a Money Expert,” I share my own experience as an HSP and how my parents’ immigration to the U.S. from Mexico impacted me as a child, in both positive and difficult ways.
The approach to social justice I explore in Highly Sensitive Money is best described by Lila Watson, an aboriginal artist and activist: “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come here because your well-being is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
Lila Watson’s words remind us of something those of us that are highly sensitive already know—
our well-being is intricately linked, weaving a tapestry of mutual reliance and shared responsibility.
No one is coming to save us, so let us join hands and create what we want to see. The money expert guests you’ll hear on this podcast reflect this same approach and are doing innovative things to make social justice a reality.
WHO IS HIGHLY SENSITIVE MONEY FOR?
While this podcast can serve everyone, it’s especially useful for:
- Highly sensitive people (HSPs) who want to add more depth and nuance to their money relationship
- People who value social justice and understand that our well-being is interconnected
- Money experts who want to bring more social justice to their work
Listen to the Highly Sensitive Money podcast here .
THIS FIRST SEASON’S EPISODES:
- Seeking Refuge: Self-Care and Community Support as a Money Expert
- Generosity, Vulnerability, and Letting Down Defenses Around Money with Lily Kerrigan
- The Intersection of Inner Peace and Outer Change: A Mindful Approach
- Wisdom & Money: A Community Supporting Mindful Financial Decisions with Rose Feerick
- Connecting Money and Social Change: A Path to Collective Liberation and Overview of Edgar Villanueva’s Book “Decolonized Wealth”
- Anything and Everything Can Become Our Teacher: Lessons on Healing and Justice with leo freeman
- Beyond Capitalism: Rethinking Money, Meaning, and What It Means to Have Enough
- The Intersection of Creativity, Sensitivity, and Financial Freedom with Mike Ciul
- Money in Full Bloom: Cultivating Financial Stability from the Roots Up
- Rest, Relationships, and Alignment: Keys to Sustainable Social Impact with Michelle Jackson
You can expect a second season of 10 more episodes this summer!