Practitioners and academics representing the fields of financial planning and mental health providers, including certified financial planners, family therapists, psychologists, counselors and social workers, will gather for the second annual conference of the Financial Therapy Association,Sept. 11-13 at the Hotel Indigo and Classic Center in Athens.
FTA was formed two years ago after 30 individuals met in California and agreed there was a need for a group focused on the confluence of issues that arise around finances and relationships, according to Jerry Gale, associate professor of child and family development in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. Gale and Joseph Goetz, FACS assistant professor of housing and consumer economics, are co-chairs of this year’s conference.
“The formation of the Financial Therapy Association was a loud acknowledgement that finances are intertwined in the health of relationships and physical health as well,” said Goetz. “This is a holistic perception of financial wellness, in which it’s not just about the dollars, but about the other areas of clients’ lives.”
The conference will include more than 40 sessions and contain a mix of research presentations by faculty and graduate students, as well as treatment-based sessions by psychologists and financial planners who have years of practice working with clients.
Goetz and Gale agreed that they would like to see a future where students pursuing degrees in financial planning take courses in relationship and family therapy.
Likewise, they agree that students interested in counseling careers should have a base understanding of financial planning.
