Recently, I had the occasion to speak at the national Financial Planning Association (FPA) Conference in San Diego. One of the benefits of participating in such a venue is the joy of hearing the best of the best thought leaders in the financial planning profession.
Once again, I was rewarded with an “aha moment” as I experienced George Kinder’s life planning and financial coaching session. The Kinder Institute of Life Planning takes a holistic approach when designing a wealth holder’s financial plan. Holistic to the point that one of the Institute’s participants, CFP Rick Kahler, in Rapid City, South Dakota, is a leading proponent and co-founder of the Healing Money Issues Program.
Kahler and his colleagues at the Financial Therapy Association believe this emerging field of financial therapy, a very sensitive and highly emotional profession, can help clients understand and work through the issues blocking their ability to deal effectively with money and life planning.
All this leads me to the question, could such a concept, under the right circumstances and with properly trained and qualified practitioners, benefit those in the field of giving philanthropic advice to wealth holders? Would there be a safe space for individuals with wealth who are searching for the meaning of their money during their lifetime to openly discuss their fear, hopes, and dreams? Could a dialogue take place that would ethically and emotionally help clients discover and understand their life-stories about money? And in this setting would the dialogue help foster a cultural shift in society’s consciousness that would allow a free flowing and honest conversation as to the good money can do to bring more balance and harmony into the world?
It’s a fact, “Money Makes the World Go ‘Round,” so let’s find a way to get on the merry-go-round and grab the brass ring for the greater good.
Stuart Wilde, author of The Little Money Bible, says, “Money is just a symbol we use to facilitate the gathering of memories and experiences. It assists in interaction with others, and it allows us to come to concepts of honor and integrity, fairness and compassion.”
Is this the meaning of money that so many are looking for in their philanthropic life planning? And if so, is there a way philanthropic therapy can make that happen?
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