Money Healing Club Podcast

🔄 When budget culture meets diet culture w/ anti-diet dietician Lean Kern

EPISODE SUMMARY
Rachel Duncan, Financial Therapist, and Leah Kern, RD, an anti-diet dietician from the Shoulders Down Podcast explore the striking parallels between budget culture and diet culture.
How do these two systems use similar tactics of restriction, shame, and unrealistic standards to keep us trapped in destructive cycles?
The conversation explores:
How both diet and budget culture are rooted in white patriarchy and privilege
The binge-restrict cycle that happens with both food and money
How understanding the "want beneath the want" can help break these cycles
Why shame is never an effective motivator for lasting change
💬 "It's not the money, it's the restriction."
Key takeaways from the episode:
Both budget culture and diet culture promise simple solutions but fail to address deeper emotional needs
The "f- it" moment happens in both cycles when restriction becomes unbearable
Progress isn't linear - healing your relationship with money or food means the magnitude and frequency of binges decreases over time
Often our spending or eating addresses an unmet need - identifying that "want beneath the want" is crucial
Creating micro-moments of pleasure throughout the day helps prevent end-of-day binges
Social media normalizes and even celebrates disordered relationships with both food and money
True healing often means rebelling against cultural norms and expectations
GUEST INFO
Leah Kern is an anti-diet dietician, certified intuitive eating counselor, and host of the "Shoulders Down" podcast. She helps people heal their relationship with food and body through intuitive eating principles and challenging diet culture.
 
⏰ EPISODE BREAKDOWN
[00:15:08] The binge-restrict cycle and how it applies to both money and food
[00:23:00] The "want beneath the want" - identifying deeper needs behind impulse spending
[00:42:16] Discussion about addiction - parallels and differences with food and money
[00:53:46] The impact of social media and "hauls" on our relationship with money
📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED
Leah Kern RD - Intuitive Eating Starter Pack
The Year of Less - Memoir about overcoming shopping addiction
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy approach
Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski - Discussion of the stress cycle
💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Send us your stories of consumer culture, diet culture, and budget culture showing up in ads, marketing or other messaging! We'll collect stories for an upcoming episode of the pod. Click on the big orange button on our site right from your phone or browser and leave a voicemail sharing your experience. https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
🎧 Your next listen:
S1 E10: ✍🏽 THE journal prompt for healing - Dear Money, what would you have me know?
💫 Use code PODCAST for 50% off your first month and start your money healing process!
https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/club
Full transcript: https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
🎙️We're a proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective where creators like me are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change.

💼 Job Secrets: What Your Employer Isn't Telling YOU with Shannon Bowen, the Salary Whisperer

Make your work visible - don't assume people notice your contributions
Post about professional accomplishments on LinkedIn to build your reputation
5. Activate and Warm Your Network
Engage with connections regularly before you need their help
Join professional organizations in your field for extended networking
Tell everyone when you're job searching, including people outside your industry
Remember there's no shame in job loss - people want to help
Guest Info
Shannon Bowen is a career advancement coach + salary whisperer who coaches professionals on how to ace their job search and step into a higher salary band. She is also a nonprofit executive leader, fundraiser, and job search expert. Currently, she is the Chief Advancement Officer for Pacific Northwest Research Institute, is the Co-President for AFP Advancement Northwest Board of Directors, and is the CEO of Monsoon Leadership, which trains nonprofit professionals how to land their dream job and get paid what they deserve. Shannon also teaches ballroom dance, DIY designs her house, cooks gourmet meals, and plans her next foodie vacay.
 
⏰ EPISODE BREAKDOWN
[00:03:00] the current job market and employer dishonesty
[00:09:00] Strategies for protecting your current position through self-self-promotion
[00:14:00] Create a compelling LinkedIn profile that tells your unique story
[00:22:00] negotiate your salary from your very first job
📚 Resources Mentioned
Monsoon Leadership (Shannon's career coaching business)
Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment
Dependable Strengths Articulation Process from University of Washington
Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)
💬 Join the Conversation (H3)
Click on the big orange button on our site right from your phone or browser and let me know, are you on a job search? got a story about salary negotiation? https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
🎧 Your next listen: [H3]
S1 E11: 🫣 The REAL Reason You’re Struggling to Sell Your Services
💫 Use code PODCAST for 50% off your first month and start your money healing process!
https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/club
Full transcript: https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
🎙️We're a proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective where creators like me are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change.

😶‍🌫️ Tax anxiety and what to do about it

Rachel Duncan, Financial Therapist, responds to a listener question about the emotional side of taxes. Why do we still feel tax anxiety even when we've improved our systems and understanding? We dive into the psychology behind our tax-related stress and offer practical solutions to help soothe your tax anxiety.
How childhood experiences with taxes can create lasting anxiety
The anniversary effect - how your body remembers past stressful tax seasons
Understanding anxiety as your body's call to action
The four trauma responses (fight, flight, freeze, fawn) in relation to taxes
Somatic awareness exercises to identify and soothe tax-related fears
💬 "Your logical brain knows that you've done everything right, but your body is remembering past experiences of tax anxiety. It would make sense that your nervous system today is trying to protect you from that perceived threat happening again."
Key takeaways:
Tax anxiety is incredibly common, especially for self-employed people
Our bodies may be responding to past negative tax experiences even when our minds know we're prepared
Anxiety is your body's signal to take action - physical movement can help process it
The four trauma responses can manifest in our tax behaviors: fighting the system, avoiding/procrastinating, freezing up, or overcompensating
Rightsizing the threat helps put tax concerns in perspective
Creating positive sensory associations can help rewire your tax experience
Problems and mistakes with taxes are fixable
⏰ EPISODE BREAKDOWN
00:02:00] Amelia's question: why do I still have tax anxiety despite having systems in place?
[00:08:00] How to understand anxiety as your body signaling you to take action
[00:09:00] The four trauma responses and how they manifest around tax time
[00:14:00] Somatic awareness exercise to identify and soothe tax anxiety
📚 Resources Mentioned
Off the Grid Podcast (Amelia Hruby, thanks for the question!)
Tax calculator (but if you're self employed, add an additional 7.65%)
Find a volunteer to help you with your taxes for free
💬 Join the Conversation
Click on the big orange button on our site right from your phone or browser and let me know what's one step you'll take to work through tax anxiety?https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
 
🎧 Your next listen: How I became a Financial Art Therapist
💫 Use code PODCAST for 50% off your first month and start your money healing process! 
https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/club
Full transcript: https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
 
🎙️We're a proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective where creators like me are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change.

🔄 How you can repair and regenerate from harm in community w/ Maz George

Have you ever experienced harm in a community? It's common, and we all have the opportunity to learn, clarify, and regenerate, even through difficult conversations. Here, you'll learn the ingredients for safer spaces and healing conversations.
Financial Therapist, Rachel Duncan is joined by Maz George, a queer, trans, nonbinary coach, facilitator, sacred galvanizer and visual artist based in Brooklyn who supports people seeking greater joy, creativity, and connection with a focus on embodied liberation around gender, sexuality, and spirituality. We talk about the opportunities for growth in uncomfortable conversations, repairing harm, and promoting safety for all in all types of communities. We also talk about the special responsibilities for leaders of communities, and how the Money Healing Club is celebrating Trans Day of Visibility.
Maz fills us in on:
How compassion comes before comprehension when navigating community repair
How to create soft places to have hard conversations and establishing clear community guidelines
Developing clear plans for accountability and responses in group spaces
Why leaders need their own support outside of community to offer effective repair
The importance of claiming "no" and practicing boundary-setting
When you make a mistake or cause harm, do not isolate - here's what to do instead
The financial realities of trans experience and approaching trans visibility with safety
💬 "Visibility without safety is a trap. It makes you a target, it makes things more dangerous. And one of the ways that people create safety is through financial abundance." - Maz George
Key takeaways from the episode:
Community repair requires mutual compassion between all parties
Leadership involves both softness and the ability to set clear boundaries
Having a flexible accountability plan helps leaders navigate difficult situations
Supporting others through harm requires us to first regulate our own emotions
We don't need to solve everything in one conversation - repair is ongoing
Claiming your "no" is as sacred, if not more sacred, than your "yes"
Community is not about being with people exactly like you - it's about having agreements that allow for safe connection across differences
The gender binary harms everyone - for some it's annoying, for others it's fatal
⏰ Episode Highlights
[01:43] Rachel shares the story of reparative connection she had with Maz
[12:06] Strategies for leaders to address situations when things don't feel safe
[27:03] Guidance for participants when they experience discomfort in spaces
[37:59] Increasing equity and addressing queer tax for this year’s Trans Day of Visibility in the Money Healing Club
💌 Connect with Maz
Instagram @theemazshow
The Kindling Kind
The Maz Show on Substack
📚 RESOURCES MENTIONED
How to Hold Power: A Somatic Approach to Becoming a Leader People Love and Respect--30+ embodiment practices to empower your team and lead with intention by Pavini Moray PhD
"Disclosure", Documentary by Laverne Cox (Netflix)
Financial Activist Playbook by Jasmin Rashid
Ring Theory by Susan Silk
💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Have you ever had to navigate a difficult conversation in a community setting? What helped you feel safe enough to engage? Click on the big orange button on our site right from your phone or browser and leave a voicemail sharing your experience with community/relational repair. https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
🎧 Your next listen: [H3]
S1 E12: 🏳️‍🌈Queer Finance & Anti-Capitalist Money Strategies with River Nice
💫 Use code PODCAST for 50% off your first month and start your money healing process! [H3]
https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/club
Full transcript: https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
🎙️We're a proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective where creators like me are uplifting diverse voices and driving meaningful change.

💸🥲 How I became a Financial Art Therapist

How does someone become a Financial Therapist? This episode weaves together Rachel's childhood counting coins, a love of bugs, college surprises, being "office mom", and getting a C in self care.
🎯 Key Moments:
- Were you ever the banker in Monopoly too?
- The Feminism & religion that changed how I see everything
- My love/hate relationship with being "Office Mom"
- How can Art therapy and financial therapy work together?
- Why financial therapy needs to be part of all mental health education
Resources:
Center for Financial Social Work Training (Affiliate link)
Financial Therapy Association
NY Times article about financial therapy
🎧 Your next listen: Cultural perspectives on money with a Ukrainian twist. Get to know my husband, Alex!
🖐️Leave us a voicemail: What topics or speakers do you want to hear about next season? Click on the big orange button on our site right from your phone or browser and let me know https://www.moeyhealingclub.com/podcast
💫 Use code PODCAST for 50% off your first month and start your money healing process!
https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/club
Full transcript can be found here: https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast

🏳️‍🌈 Queer Finance & Anti-Capitalist Money Strategies with River Nice

Are you exhausted from trying to make "ethical" financial choices in a system built for billionaires? This week’s episode of The Money Healing Club Podcast will redefine how you think about financial justice, mutual aid, and community care.
Host Rachel Duncan and Angie Fitzpatrick sit down with River Nice (they/them), a queer, anti-capitalist financial educator, to break down:
Why "voting with your dollars" isn't enough—and what actually works.
How to invest with an anti-capitalist mindset (yes, it’s possible).
Why estate planning is crucial for queer & chosen families.
Creative ways to build financial security outside the system.
💭 "Y’all, this episode is packed. We talk about the financial systems stacked against us, but more importantly—how we take care of ourselves and each other anyway. I walked away from this conversation thinking about money in an entirely new way, and I hope you do too." —Rachel
 
Connect with River Nice:
River helps their clients with topics like budgeting, debt, financial emergency preparedness, investing, insurance, and planning how to afford life goals like gender transition, family planning, buying a house, and retirement in their signature 12 week program, Take Control of Your Money.
 
📚 Resources & Links from the Episode
FreeWill.com – Create free estate planning documents.
I'm Dead, Now What? – A practical guide for end-of-life planning.
PrisonFreeFunds.org – Screen investments for ethical concerns.
Decolonizing Wealth by Edgar Villanueva – A book on redistributing wealth equitably.
Offers & Needs Market – Participate in mutual aid exchanges.
 
⏰ Episode Breakdown
00:59 | Queer Budgeting & Financial PrioritiesWhy traditional budgeting advice fails queer communities—and how to fix it.
04:23 | Estate Planning for Chosen FamiliesEssential legal steps to protect LGBTQ+ families and relationships.
10:57 | Ethical Investing & Harm ReductionHow to invest while minimizing harm in a capitalist system.
11:36 | The Hidden Costs of Capitalism in the Stock MarketHow the stock market exploits workers while enriching billionaires.
14:42 | Balancing Financial Security & Social JusticeHow to align personal financial goals with ethical commitments.
21:07 | Why "Personal Responsibility" is a MythHow corporations shift blame onto individuals—and what to do about it.
23:58 | Alternative Retirement Planning for Queer & Nontraditional FamiliesHow to prepare for the future without relying on broken systems.
25:55 | Mutual Aid & Collective Financial SolutionsHow communities can support each other financially outside capitalism.
29:53 | Rethinking Philanthropy & Radical Wealth RedistributionWhy traditional philanthropy falls short—and what actually helps.
36:51 | Practical Steps for Building Financial ResilienceKey takeaways and action items to implement today.
42:26 | Final Thoughts & How to Work With River Nice
 
🎧 Your Next Listen:
S1E3: Women's Relationship with Earning (ft. Angie Fitzpatrick)
 
💬 Join the Conversation!
📢 Leave us a voicemail! What are your thoughts on queer financial planning, ethical investing, or mutual aid? Click the big orange button on our website and share your story: 👉 www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
💡 Start your money healing journey today! Use code PODCAST for 50% off your first month in the Money Healing Club:👉 www.moneyhealingclub.com/club
📩 Get my free mindful spending course:👉 www.moneyhealingclub.com/challenge
📜 Full transcript available here:👉 www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast

🫣 The REAL Reason You’re Struggling to Sell Your Services

Ever feel weird or uncomfortable when it’s time to sell your services? You’re not alone. In this episode, Rachel Duncan, financial therapist, and Lexi, hypnotherapist, dive deep into the subconscious blocks holding you back from selling with confidence.
Inside this episode, we cover:✔ Why childhood experiences shape your money & sales mindset✔ How hypnotherapy can help rewire subconscious beliefs✔ The 4 brainwave states and how they impact money blocks✔ Why inner child work is key to overcoming sales fear
Lexi also shares how she cleared a major money block using self-hypnosis—and how you can too!
 
📚 Resources Mentioned
Free hypnotherapy consult with Lexi's hypnotherapy: Journey For Joy with Lexi: hynotherapywithlexi@gmail.com
Aqua Love notes
Sub reddit about selling stuff as a kid for fundraisers
 
⏰ Episode Breakdown: Overcoming Sales Fear & Money Blocks
00:37 | Exploring the Fear of SellingWhy selling your services feels uncomfortable—and where those feelings come from.
01:15 | Lexi’s Journey & Professional BackgroundHow hypnotherapy became a tool for healing money mindset.
02:47 | Childhood Experiences & Money BeliefsHow childhood influences shape our relationship with selling.
06:04 | The Psychological Impact of Early Sales ExperiencesHow school fundraisers and childhood "sales competitions" influence adult money habits.
16:37 | Understanding Brainwave States & Their Role in MindsetAn overview of Beta, Alpha, Theta, and Delta brainwave states and how they impact subconscious beliefs.
19:39 | Rewiring Beliefs with HypnotherapyHow hypnosis works to shift limiting money beliefs.
22:44 | Money Blocks & Childhood MemoriesHow past experiences shape subconscious fears around charging for your services.
25:25 | Parental Influence on Money & Self-WorthHow family money beliefs can create blocks in business and sales.
29:55 | Conclusion & Final Thoughts
 
🎧 Your next listen: S1 E4: How can I teach my kids good money habits?
🖐 What was your experience selling stuff as a kid? Leave me a voicemail!👉 www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
💫 Start your money healing journey! Use code PODCAST for 50% off👉 www.moneyhealingclub.com/club
🤑 Get my free mindful spending course:👉 www.moneyhealingclub.com/challenge
📜 Full transcript available:👉 www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast

✍🏽 THE journal prompt for healing - Dear Money, what would you have me know?

Do you have deep emotions around money? Like, no matter how hard you try to be more aware and organized, it feels like there's a force working against you? In this episode, Rachel Duncan, Financial Therapist and Art Therapist guides you in a powerful writing prompt called 'Dear Money, What Would You Have Me Know?' as an adaptation of Liz Gilbert’s daily prompt. I share my own writing, and invite listeners to write their own, offering a chance to hear money’s voice and reshape their relationship with it.
🖐️Leave us a voicemail: Read me part of your letter from money! Long or short, doesn't matter. I'm making a collaborative episode with lots of our letters! Click on the big orange button on our site right from your phone or browser and let me know https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
00:00 Introduction to Money as a Relationship
00:21 The 'Dear Money' Activity
00:47 A Personal Letter from Money
03:31 Guidance for Writing Your Own Letter
05:33 Sharing and Reflecting on Your Letters
07:08 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
 
Dear money, what would you have me know?
© Rachel Duncan, Jan 29 2025
 
Girl, I got you.
I will grow, I will impact,
I will support you
when you are resourced with me.
 
This work is not a hobby.
It is a vocation.
You are speaking the word of something bigger
That makes me feel good and sparkly.
 
I know I have a bad reputation.
But I've just been in the room when crappy things happen.
 
Remind yourself that I’m a tool.
And I want to work.
But I’m nothing without you.
 
But hold me close.
Spend me carefully. 
I love caring for you, and for people, and for causes.
Plug up the holes
so that I can support you and others completely.
Delight in my growth.
 
I love it when you get out the spreadsheet
and when you hold the tension
of sadness and excitement.
 
I wish you would charge more.
Equal me with your time.
Let me make this business with you!
 
I hold the pent-up dreams of your parents,
we've been tinkering, and making-do…
and now I want to ramp up with you.
 
Open doors for me
to surround you with safety.
I love it when we play.
 
I've always loved being close with you.
Growing as you have.
Learning as you have.
 
I don't have easy answers,
just more gates for more of me
to support more of you
and your work.
 
You make me happy.
We have so much in common,
we can both be patient and mindful,
we can sit and cultivate and grow,
and can act with brilliance,
and occasional abandon.
 
Let's work, let's reach, let's communicate.
Our power is in strong piercing clarity,
yet things sometimes feel cluttered.
 
I know it can be clear.
Let's take care of that today girl!
Would you schedule a time block
for the big stuff?
 
I want many good channels
and many places to land
that feel safe and secure
for me to rest and work and play
and just feel safe.
 
Help me feel safe.
 
Big hugs,
Money
 
Reference: Liz Gilbert's Letters from Love
🎧 Your next listen: S1 E2: How can I rewire my brain to see money as abundant?
💫 Use code PODCAST for 50% off your first month and start your money healing process!
https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/club
🤑 Get my free email course on mindful spending: https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/challenge
Full transcript can be found here: https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast

😲 Out of Nowhere? The Truth About 'Surprise' Expenses and How to Get Ahead

Ever feel like you're doing everything right with your budget, only to get blindsided by an expense you should have seen coming? You're not alone.
In this episode, Rachel Duncan, financial therapist, explains:✔ The hidden fixed expenses that derail budgets✔ How to set up a midterm savings account for non-monthly costs✔ A simple budgeting formula to avoid future financial stress✔ How to balance necessary expenses with quality-of-life spending
💡 Spoiler: These expenses aren’t actually “out of nowhere”—you just need a plan!
 
⏰ Episode Breakdown: Planning for 'Unexpected' Expenses
00:00 | Introduction to the Money Healing ClubWhy we’re talking about these so-called "unexpected" expenses.
00:37 | Understanding Annual Fixed ExpensesHow these predictable costs still catch people off guard.
01:33 | Common Midterm Expenses You’re ForgettingA deep dive into non-monthly expenses that disrupt budgets.
03:20 | Creating a Midterm Savings AccountHow to separate short-term savings from emergency funds.
03:47 | The Ultimate List of Annual Expenses to Budget For✔ Car registration & repairs✔ Parking/traffic tickets✔ Pet emergencies✔ Home maintenance✔ Hobby-related costs✔ Travel & moving✔ Tax preparer fees✔ Medical & dental deductibles✔ Non-monthly utilities✔ Seasonal expenses (park passes, kids’ camps, etc.)
06:59 | Budgeting for Quality of LifeHow to balance necessities with the fun things that matter.
08:35 | Conclusion & Next StepsPractical action items to put this system into place now.
 
🎧 Your Next Listen:
S1 E8: Subscriptions: too easy to ignore https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast/s1e7-2yr7d
 
💬 Join the Conversation!
☎️ What expense throws you off? Leave us a voicemail! Click on the big orange button on our site right from your phone or browser and let me know! https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
 
💡 Start your money healing journey today! Use code PODCAST for 50% off your first month in the Money Healing Club:👉 www.moneyhealingclub.com/club
📩 Get my free mindful spending course:👉 www.moneyhealingclub.com/challenge
📜 Full transcript available here:👉 www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast

🥸 Subscriptions: too easy to ignore

Rachel answers a Club member question about organizing and letting go of unwanted subscriptions, providing three key methods: using an app like Rocket Money, an analog approach with spreadsheets and credit card statement reviews, and the 'nuclear option' of reporting a credit card as lost or stolen.
00:38 Listener Question: Managing Subscriptions
01:29 Practical Tips 
04:26 Using Apps to Track Subscriptions
05:19 Analog Methods for Subscription Management
06:18 The Nuclear Option: Canceling All Subscriptions
09:44 Join the Money Healing Club Challenge
My Gift To you: Subscription tracker: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16RFQ3JGxyeBpKwWLav9cbLdy8m8xC27eGZGe371fzw8/edit?usp=sharing
🎧 Your next listen: 😲 The one thing you're forgetting [Out of the blue expenses]
🖐️Leave us a voicemail:  Click on the big orange button on our site right from your phone or browser and let me know https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
💫 Use code PODCAST for 50% off your first month and start your money healing process!
https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/club
🤑 Get my free email course on mindful spending: https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/challenge
Full transcript can be found here: https://www.moneyhealingclub.com/podcast
References:
Federal Trade Commission Announces Final “Click-to-Cancel” Rule Making It Easier for Consumers to End Recurring Subscriptions and Memberships, October 14, 2024: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/10/federal-trade-commission-announces-final-click-cancel-rule-making-it-easier-consumers-end-recurring