Most women never connect the dots between wanting everyone to be happy and feeling stuck in their financial lives. But they're more connected than you might think.

Have you ever told yourself you're just "not good with money" — even though you're smart, capable, and killing it in every other area of your life? Have you felt a knot in your stomach at the thought of taking the lead on a financial decision, worried about what it might mean for the people around you? Do you spend more energy managing other people's comfort than building your own future?

In this episode, Susan and Sara sit down with licensed psychotherapist Anna Holtzman to follow the thread from people pleasing all the way to your bottom line. Anna spent 15 years editing reality TV under relentless pressure — until her body finally forced her to stop. That turning point led her to the work she does now: helping high-achieving women untangle the patterns that keep them playing small.

In this episode, we cover:

• The physical price of high performance: When you operate under constant pressure without relief, your body starts sending signals — migraines, anxiety, emotional dysregulation — that something has to change.
• Why successful women still get caught in people-pleasing: Even accomplished leaders fall into patterns of rule-following and keeping others comfortable, often at a significant cost to themselves.
• The financial fallback of "I'm not good with numbers": This isn't about intelligence — it's a subconscious way of stepping back from financial decisions that feel like they might create conflict or cost you connection.
• Safety first, strategy second: Anna's insight that feeling relationally and nervous-system safe is 80% of the battle when it comes to finally taking ownership of your money.
• Three tools for getting out of fight-or-flight: Co-regulation, graded exposure, and dialoging with fear — Anna's practical framework for building capacity without overwhelming yourself.
• The Melt Through Method: A daily journaling practice designed to calm your internal fear state so you can make decisions from clarity instead of anxiety.

The "not good with money" story is almost never the truth. More often, it's a protective layer over something much more personal — and much more fixable.

0:00 - Welcome & introducing Anna Holtzman

2:02 - Anna's story: from reality TV to therapy

7:20 - Why high-achieving women still people-please

12:28 - People pleasing & the rise of gray divorce

14:38 - What keeps women stuck: the fear of losing connection

17:22 - How people pleasing shows up in financial life 1

20:03 - "I'm not good with money" as a protective story

26:33 - Three tools to regulate your nervous system

28:04 - The Melt Through Method: journaling with your fear

32:23 - First steps + Anna's free course for listeners

👋 If this episode resonated, we'd love to hear about it — leave a comment, subscribe, and share with a woman who needs this conversation.

📖 More resources and reflection on the Sorelle Journal: https://www.sorellewealthpartners.com/blog

Connect with Anna Holtzman: Visit https://www.annaholtzmantherapy.com/hwu for her free course on the Melt Through Method, listen to her podcast How to Trust Yourself, or find her on Instagram @anna_holtzman.

Her Wealth: Unscripted is hosted by Susan Jones, JD, CFP®, CDFA® and Sara Gelsheimer, MBA, CFP®, co-founders of Sorelle Wealth Partners, a fee-only fiduciary wealth management firm serving women and families navigating divorce, widowhood, retirement, and other major life transitions, with offices in Boca Raton, FL and St. Louis, MO. Learn more at sorellewealthpartners.com.

#WomenAndMoney #PeoplePleasing #HerWealthUnscripted

Financial mistakes happen to everyone — even Certified Financial Planners. In this candid quick-hit episode of Her Wealth: Unscripted, fee-only fiduciary advisors Susan Jones and Sara Gelsheimer pull back the curtain on their own financial lives and the money lessons they’ve learned the hard way.

Have you ever wondered: Am I saving too much and enjoying life too little? Why do I feel guilty spending money I’ve earned? How do I get more involved in my family’s finances when I feel like I don’t know enough? This episode is for you.

We believe financial decisions are most powerful when they’re made with intention and grounded in what matters most to you — and that starts with giving yourself grace. By getting honest about our own hurdles, we hope to create a shame-free zone for women to examine their own financial journeys.

In this episode, we cover:

• The “chronic saver” trap — why a scarcity mindset can hold you back from enjoying your money, even when your retirement plan is solid
• The emotional side of money — how subconscious feelings about finances drive our decisions more than spreadsheets do
• Spending guilt — why it’s easier to give clients permission to spend than to give it to ourselves
• The confidence gap — the silent mistake of assuming you “don’t know enough” to be involved in your own financial life, and why handing over 100% of financial control creates avoidable problems later
• Transitioning from saving to spending — what it really takes to shift from the working years into retirement with confidence
• The moral of the story? Financial mistakes are almost always repairable. It’s more than just the numbers — it’s the life they make possible.

Chapters:

0:00 - Why we’re sharing our own money mistakes

1:09 - Susan’s uninvested cash mistake

2:45 - Sara’s chronic saver confession

11:04 - Purchases we completely regret

16:30 - The “it’s just money” moment

17:50 - The confidence gap holding women back

18:30 - How mistakes make us better advisors

👋 If this conversation resonated, like the video, share your thoughts in the comments, and subscribe for more real conversations about women and wealth.

📖 Read the full transcript and companion article on the Sorelle Journal: https://www.sorellewealthpartners.com/blog

Her Wealth: Unscripted is hosted by Susan Jones, JD, CFP®, CDFA® and Sara Gelsheimer, MBA, CFP®, co-founders of Sorelle Wealth Partners, a fee-only fiduciary wealth management firm serving women and families navigating divorce, widowhood, retirement, and other major life transitions, with offices in Boca Raton, FL and St. Louis, MO. Learn more at [sorellewealth.com].

#HerWealthUnscripted #MoneyMindset #WomenAndWealth

Welcome to Her Wealth: Unscripted, where we believe financial decisions are most powerful when they are grounded in what matters most to you. In this episode, hosts Susan Jones and Sara Gelsheimer are joined by Elisabeth Nyang-Coleman—a licensed speech-language pathologist, executive coach, and founder of Lead Her Dynamics.

Elizabeth draws from over two decades of experience to discuss the "survival mode" many successful women experience during major life transitions. From burnout and career pivots to the emotional and financial pressures of caregiving, we explore how to recognize these patterns and begin building a life that feels sustainable and financially grounded.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What Survival Mode Actually Looks Like: Why successful, dependable women often feel "on edge" and trapped by decision fatigue despite appearing to have it all together.
• The "Juggling Balls" Metaphor: How high-achieving women go from managing three responsibilities to ten, fearing that everything will fall apart if they slow down.
• The Gender and Childhood Connection: How being the "eldest daughter" or the reliable family member leads to internalized pressure to put others' needs first.
• Financial Repercussions of Caregiving: The impact of the "sandwich generation" on retirement savings and why generosity shouldn't come at the cost of your own future.
• Practical Strategies for Relief: Why saying "no," asking for help, and outsourcing tasks like grocery delivery or cleaning are essential for nervous system regulation.
• Using Money as a Tool: How to use your finances to "buy back" time and support your need for rest and alignment.

Her Wealth: Unscripted is dedicated to helping women feel more intentional and less overwhelmed. Because it’s more than numbers; it’s the life they make possible.

✨ Ready to move from survival to alignment?

• Visit Sorelle Wealth Partners: https://www.sorellewealthpartners.com
• Connect with Elisabeth Nyang-Coleman: Find her at LeadHerDynamics.com

If you’re ready to build a life that is both successful and sustainable, our team is here to guide you with clarity and partnership.

#SurvivalMode #BurnoutRecovery #WomenAndMoney #FinancialResilience #SorelleWealthPartners #HerWealthUnscripted #LeadHerDynamics #SelfCareForWomen