“In neuromarketing, those companies are smarter than we are. They know how to exploit this stuff, so now they know how to get us to do things. The more that we can understand that the better, and the more that we can understand our own decision-making, the better.”

Curious about how your brain influences financial decisions? Our host Ed Coambs welcomes Dr. Oliver Schnusenberg, a pioneer in the fusion of neuroscience, behavioral finance, and financial therapy. From hospitality management to behavioral finance, Dr. Schnusenberg shares his intriguing journey and provides a fresh perspective on financial planning by emphasizing the importance of empathy and compassion, aiming to create a more holistic approach for clients.

Ed and Dr. Schnusenberg also shed light on the power of neuroplasticity and its role in shaping financial behaviors. Discover how intentional changes in thoughts and actions can transform neural pathways over time. Inspired by the work of Joe Dispenza, they discuss practical grounding techniques and the necessity of repetition in therapy to cultivate new financial mindsets. The conversation challenges conventional financial planning, advocating for more personalized and effective strategies that adapt to the unique needs of each individual.

They unravel the intricate connections between fear, addiction, and relationships, and how these factors can impact financial decisions. Dr. Schnusenberg delves into the concept of neuromarketing and its exploitation of the brain's reward systems, urging the importance of understanding these mechanisms. They also touch on the role of emotional availability in developmental growth, emphasizing the significance of human interaction and awareness in nurturing healthier relationships and decision-making. Tune in for an episode that promises to expand your understanding of the mind's influence on money and love.

Key Topics:

• Understanding Decision-Making and Financial Therapy (00:00)
• Exploring Behavioral Finance and Neuroscience (03:23)
• Neuroplasticity and Financial Therapy (07:42)
• The Role of Neuroscience in Financial Therapy (14:20)
• Understanding Addiction and Marketing (20:07)
• Attachment Theory and Relationships (25:08)
• Neuroception and Theory of Mind (30:22)
• Wrap-Up and Call to Action (34:30)

Resources:

• EquilibriaEvolution.com
• Dr. Oliver Schnusenberg on LinkedIn

Connect With Healthy Love and Money:

1. Schedule your free 30-minute Discovery Call About Therapy-Informed Financial Planning™.
2. Learn about your money and attachment style with this short Attachment Style Quiz.
3. Buy the Double Award Winning Book: The Healthy Love and Money Way.
4. Hit Follow on Your Favorite Podcast Player To

“You have to let go of the anger, and this may be the hardest part of it all, because you have to face your own feelings and accept that you do not want this to eat you alive for the rest of your life.”

How do you reconcile with a sibling who has become a stranger? In this captivating episode, our host Ed Coambs is joined again by Fern Schumer Chapman, the insightful author of "Brothers, Sisters, Strangers." Fern delves into the complex dynamics of sibling estrangement and reconciliation, drawing on her personal experiences with Holocaust trauma. She shares how her mother's harrowing escape from Nazi Germany cast long shadows over their family life. Get ready to learn about the profound healing that comes from sharing these stories and the emotional relief it brings when past traumas are openly acknowledged.

Ed and Fern also unpack the unique parenting patterns within Holocaust survivor families, laying bare the psychological impacts of extreme trauma, favoritism, and memorial children. Fern's poignant anecdotes reveal how children in these families often become parentified, prematurely taking on adult responsibilities. Their discussion sheds light on the intricate interplay between identity and inherited trauma, providing a deeper understanding of how these factors shape subsequent generations.

Ed and Fern continue their conversation on navigating sibling estrangement and the arduous road to reconciliation. The Hicks Dignity Model offers a pathway through genuine listening and empathy, but they also emphasize the importance of acknowledging when a relationship is beyond repair. Setting boundaries with toxic individuals is crucial, and sometimes walking away is the healthiest option. All this and more in this episode of Healthy Love and Money.

Key Topics:

• Sibling Estrangement and Reconciliation (00:00)
• Impact of Holocaust Trauma on Family Life (02:53)
• Healing Through Storytelling and Witnessing (06:54)
• Memorial Children and Parentified Children (11:16)
• Sibling Estrangement and Parental Responsibilities (29:40)
• Empathy and Listening in Reconciliation (30:04)
• Boundaries and Toxic Relationships (32:38)
• Fern Schumer Chapman’s Work and Resources (35:29)

Resources:

• FernSchumerChapman.com

Connect With Healthy Love and Money:

1. Schedule your free 30-minute Discovery Call About Therapy-Informed Financial Planning™.
2. Learn about your money and attachment style with this short Attachment Style Quiz.
3. Buy the Double Award Winning Book: The Healthy Love and Money Way.
4. Hit Follow on Your Favorite Podcast Player To Get the Latest Episodes.

“In many ways, sibling estrangement is like mourning the living.”

After witnessing firsthand the heartache of fractured sibling relationships, journalist Fern Schumer Chapman embarked on a journey to understand and heal family estrangement–in her own life and those of others.

Our host Ed Coambs chats with Fern as she shares her deeply personal experiences and professional insights from her book, Brothers, Sisters, Strangers: Sibling Estrangement and the Road to Reconciliation. As the daughter of a Holocaust refugee, her story brings a unique and poignant perspective to this often misunderstood issue, shedding light on how trauma can ripple through generations.

“Sibling estrangement is an expression of a family system.”

Fern guides us through the different types of estrangement, from physical separation to emotionally distant relationships, and brings up the difficult question of whether reconciliation is even possible. Emotions run deep as they address the feelings of unlovability and failure that often accompany estrangement, and talk about the cultural barriers that prevent open discussion of these difficult topics.

“If you shut down the relationship here and now, you’re not just affecting this relationship. You’re affecting this generation and possibly the next.”

Aging and life transitions can also complicate sibling dynamics, often bringing hidden tensions to the surface during moments of crisis, such as parental illness or inheritance disputes. Ed and Fern analyze risk factors like narcissism, mental health challenges, and political differences that can strain sibling bonds.

Fern asks us to never forget the value of strong foundational relationships, offering guidance and hope for those navigating the rocky terrain of sibling estrangement.

Key Topics:

• Why Fern Writes on Sibling Estrangement (02:51)
• Defining “Family System” (05:05)
• Sibling Estrangement Risk Factors (07:11)
• Defining “Sibling Estrangement” (8:26)
• Navigating the Estrangement-Reconciliation Cycle (17:22)
• How Your Children’s Behavior May Trigger Your Own Fears and Insecurities (24:22)
• Other Sibling Estrangement Risk Factors (26:11)

Resources:

• FernSchumerChapman.com

Connect With Healthy Love and Money:

1. Schedule your free 30-minute Discovery Call About Therapy-Informed Financial Planning™.
2. Learn about your money and attachment style with this short Attachment Style Quiz.
3. Buy the Double Award Winning Book: The Healthy Love and Money Way.
4. Hit Follow on Your Favorite Podcast Player To Get the Latest Episodes.