Counselors and Therapists Can Empower Sustainable Financial Change with the Right Financial Support Group Model

Are you a counselor or therapist wishing to empower effective, sustainable financial change in a group setting? Individuals and families experiencing financial problems, money management challenges and the stress which comes as a byproduct of financial insecurity can benefit greatly from financial support groups based on Financial Social Work’s interactive, introspective behavioral model.

What makes this support group model an effective method for counselors or therapists to engage clients and empower clients to experience personal growth while learning how to improve their financial futures? How can a financial support group utilizing the information, methods, tools and workbooks provided in the FSW Financial Education Support Group Kit empower your clients to make sustainable financial changes in their lives? Let’s address those questions below starting with the second question first.

Long-term, Sustainable Financial Change Education in a Financial Support Group Setting

Therapists and counselors will find that the Financial Social Work model features a unique behavioral approach to financial
change and financial empowerment. Instead of the superficial and temporary financial change that tends to occur with traditional methods which often focus solely on teaching financial skills, the FSW model helps counselors and therapists empower long-term, sustainable change with a behavioral approach to financial change and financial empowerment.

This interactive, introspective and heavily psychosocial behavioral model is built upon the belief that your relationship with your money, drives your financial behavior which determines your financial circumstances. Because of its emphasis on changing behavior, practitioners will find that the Financial Social Work model helps individuals identify and achieve personal financial goals in a way that is both unique and highly effective. That emphasis is also the key to sustaining change over time.

FSW Financial Support Group Benefits for Clients of Therapists and Counselors

Now, let’s address the other question asked above. What makes this support group model an effective method for counselors or therapists to engage clients and empower clients to experience personal growth while learning how to improve their financial futures?

The Financial Social Work support group model provides therapists and counselors everything needed to educate, motivate and support clients in taking greater responsibility for their personal and financial futures is included. The financial knowledge and skills you pass along during these financial support groups will enhance self-esteem, self-confidence and self-awareness.

A Sample of Client Benefits Include:

• Helps clients gain insight into their current financial circumstances and identify where they want to be in the future.
• Helps clients explore their thoughts, feelings and attitudes about money while learning money basics.
• Provides goal setting and awareness along with financial knowledge, skills and tools needed to help clients/members to understand how to become financially successful.
• Educates, motivates, validates and supports clients in taking greater responsibility for their financial futures.

All financial support groups are not created equal. If your goal, as a counselor or therapist, is to empower your clients to take back control of their money and their lives by offering a groups setting which focuses on a positive, hopeful approach to changing financial behaviors, then a financial education support group following the Financial Social Work methodology is the right choice for you. To learn more, make sure to visit our Financial Support Groups page.

Written By Reeta Wolfsohn, CMSW

Counselors and Therapists Can Empower Sustainable Financial Change with the Right Financial Support Group Model was originally published @ Center for Financial Social Work and has been syndicated with permission.

Photo by Alan Cleaver