Kristy L. Archuleta

Trauma and Couples: Mechanisms in Dyadic Functioning

Research traditionally has focused on the development of symptoms in those who experienced trauma directly but overlooked the impact of trauma on the families of victims. In recent years, researchers and clinicians have begun to examine how individual exposure to traumatic events affects the spouses/partners, children, and professional helpers of trauma survivors. The current study reports data from a larger mixed-methodology study that includes qualitative interview data from 17 individuals, coded to identify the mechanisms that may affect the couples interpersonal functioning when there is a history of trauma exposure in one or both partners. The following primary themes were identified: role in the relationship, boundary issues, intimacy problems, triggers, and coping mechanisms. Areas for future research and clinical implications also are identified.

Financial satisfaction and financial stressors in marital satisfaction.

Using a sample of 310 married respondents from one U.S. Midwestern state, a test was conducted to examine the association of financial satisfaction and financial stressors in a spouses decision to stay married to the same person or leave the relationship. The role of demographic and socioeconomic variables, religiosity, psychological constructs, financial satisfaction, and financial stressors as factors influencing marital satisfaction was tested. Financial stressors were measured using a list of financial stressors adapted from the literature. Financial satisfaction was measured with a one-item scale. The Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale was used as a validation tool to assess whether individuals would marry or not marry again. Religiosity and financial satisfaction were positively associated with marital satisfaction. A negative interaction between financial satisfaction and financial stressors was also noted. Findings suggest that respondents who are financially satisfied tend to be more stable in their marriages.

The Future of Financial Planning and Counseling: An Introduction to Financial Therapy

The purpose of this chapter is fourfold. First, the chapter defines what is generally meant when practitioners and researchers talk about financial planning and counseling as a field of study and practice. Second, the process and theoretical underpinnings of financial planning and counseling are discussed. Third, a review of the historical development of marriage and family therapy is presented. Last, a new emerging field of study, namely, financial therapy is introduced. Specifically, financial therapy is defined and reviewed. An overview of the history and theoretical development of financial therapy is also provided. The chapter concludes with a discussion on how assessment of tools and techniques can be useful to practitioners, researchers, clinicians, and educators in the field of financial therapy, and how assessment can help this new discipline find grounding and gain respect among already established fields.

Solution-Focused Financial Therapy

Solution-focused therapy (SFT) is a clinically proven psychotherapeutic approach that is known to be an effective tool in helping people deal with a variety of issues. SFT is a pragmatic approach based on a theoretical perspective that utilizes helping techniques that focus on client strengths, skills, and attributes rather than past and current problems. This chapter provides an overview of SFT and then presents an adaption of SFT suited specifically for dealing with financial issues: solution-focused financial therapy (SFFT). Applications for clinical and practitioner settings to help clients reduce financial stress and move towards goal accomplishment are discussed.

Financial Enmeshment: Untangling the Web

Children learn through observing and interacting with their parents. Much of what children learn about money comes from these observations and interactions. An area of concern in parent – child relationships is the impact of boundaries and roles. Parents whose boundaries with their children are rigid and inflexible do not prepare their children to effectively deal with stress in their lives. Similarly, parents whose boundaries are too flexible may impede their children’s ability to develop appropriate coping skills. This is true of their development of personal finance, money, consumption, and debt coping skills. Financial enmeshment occurs when parents involve their children in adult financial matters before the children are cognitively and emotionally ready to cope with the information. Financial enmeshment may have a negative effect on the child’s development. Financial enmeshment can be addressed through financial therapy. This paper explores the dynamic of financial enmeshment and discusses tools available to financial professionals to help identify the dynamic and structure interventions.

Alignment with Editors’ Expectations

Library publishing is a growing area of interest for academic libraries as journal editors are increasingly seeking the services offered by libraries to start new journals, revive older journals, or cross over from commercial publishers. The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon how library publishers can align with journal editors’ expectations. Six categories are discussed, and recommendations are proposed relating to: (a) variation in editor expectations; (b) preservation, access, and discoverability; (c) tools and services; (d) training and education; (e) resource sharing; and (f ) library publisher-editor relationships.

Systemic Financial Therapy

This chapter will explore the application of family systems theory to financial therapy. Because relationships are so important and complex, especially when it comes to money, being able to explain the circular nature of family and couple relationships is essential to working effectively with clients. This chapter will provide a theoretical framework rooted in systems theory to help researchers and practitioners better understand relationships and money, especially in regard to couples. A case study is presented to illustrate the application of the theory in financial therapy.

Assessment in Financial Therapy

This chapter overviews why assessment is important in financial therapy and reviews six research-validated financial therapy assessment instruments that have undergone the rigors of peer-review in academic journals. Each instrument is described in detail, including its psychometric properties, and can be useful for practitioners to implement into their practice with clients and scholars to utilize in research studies.

Contemporary Theories and Frameworks for Use in Financial Counseling

Through a case study, this chapter introduces the reader to four theoretically rooted postmodern approaches, including solution-focused brief therapy, motivational interviewing, positive psychology, and appreciative inquiry. The transtheoretical model of change is overviewed as a basis for understanding the client’s readiness for change and how each approach can move the client forward.

Financial Therapy: Establishing an Emerging Field

This chapter outlines the origins of financial therapy—an emerging field interested in the integration of cognitive, emotional, behavioral, relational, and economic aspects with financial health. This chapter differentiates among financial therapy, financial coaching, and financial planning; explores ethical considerations; and discusses the importance of theory and evidence-based practices in the development of the field of financial therapy. The chapter concludes with a rationale of the need for financial therapy, ethical considerations for the field, and future directions.