The Financial Therapy Association: A Brief History

Abstract

The purpose of this brief review is to provide a historical context for the conceptualization, development, and launch of the Financial Therapy Association (FTA). The FTA membership base consists of practicing financial planners, financial counselors, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, social workers, financial coaches, psychotherapists, and researchers from these and other disciplines. From the outset, the Association’s purpose has encompassed five goals:

1. To promote a vision of financial therapy, which is the study of cognitive, emotional, behavioral, relational, economic, and integrative aspects of financial health.
2. To provide a forum for researchers, practitioners, the media, and policy makers to share research and practice methods and models of financial therapy.
3. To promote methods of training for those involved in financial therapy.
4. To inform policy and practice management standards as these relate to financial therapy.
5. To stimulate and disseminate clinical, experimental, and survey research on financial therapy.