Money and Meaning, + URL

The first book of its kind to introduce a model to help you create conversations about money with your clients, Money and Meaning provides a framework and tools to provide a safe environment in which to have conversations and resolve conflicts. Written by a respected expert in business, financial, and relational issues, Money and Meaning is filled with useful case studies and helps you open the door to thoughtful conversations that explore and resolve money’s multiple meanings.

Foreword ix
Peter Steinglass, Ackerman Institute

Preface: Talking about Money and Values xv

Acknowledgments xix

Introduction: The Money and Family Life Project at the Ackerman Institute 1

PART ONE

The Professional’s Toolbox

Chapter 1 Tools for Talking about Money and Values 13

Chapter 2 Using the Tools to Locate Yourself and Your Self-Awareness 29

PART TWO

Conversations about Money in the Relational Context

Chapter 3 Couples 47

Chapter 4 Parents of Children through Age 20 63

Chapter 5 Parents of Children 21 and Older 79

Chapter 6 Single Adults 93

Chapter 7 Life Transitions: Divorce, Illness, and Death 107

Conclusion 119

Epilogue 123

Bibliography 125

Appendix I Content Values Cards 127

Appendix II Process Values Cards 143

Index 155

"Stern Peck tackles an important and often overlooked in the issue in the clinical relationship—money. [The book stresses] the importance of exploring our own beliefs about money…and then leveraging this to assist clients through the same process….an excellent resource for students and professionals alike." (Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy, 2008)

JUDITH STERN PECK, LCSW, is a prominent family therapist and family business consultant based in New York, New York. She heads the Money and Family Life Project at the Ackerman Institute in New York City and has worked with her colleagues there to develop the ideas and interventions presented in this book.

"Judith Stern Peck has broken the last taboo for families and their therapists. With a strong relational and family life-cycle focus, she lifts money from mere pragmatics to a deeper exploration of the meaning and values beneath every financial decision in our lives. Creativity, sound judgment, and compassion for people's dilemmas infuse a work sure to be a resource for trainees and experienced therapists alike."
—Evan Imber-Black, PhD
Director, Center for Families and Health Ackerman Institute for the Family Editor, Family Process

"Judy Peck's insightful book gives families and their advisors a clear, pragmatic framework for discussing the complex, challenging topic of money, values, and family dynamics."
—Melissa A. Berman
President & CEO Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Inc.

A unique guide to help therapists, coaches, and other professionals create conversations with their clients about money

The first book of its kind to introduce a model for helping mental health professionals and coaches create conversations about money with their clients, Money and Meaning provides a framework and tools to create a safe environment in which to have conversations and resolve conflicts.

Written by a respected expert in business, financial, and relational issues, this groundbreaking book is built upon the linkage between money and values through the use of the author's innovative "card sort technique" consisting of two sets of cards (provided in the Appendices of this book and online at www.wiley.com/go/moneyandmeaning)— with one deck representing content values and the other deck representing process values. These practical tools allow clients to sort both sets of cards into an order reflective of his or her value priorities, facilitating what can otherwise be a difficult conversation.

Filled with useful case studies, Money and Meaning helps professionals open the door to thoughtful conversations that explore and resolve money's multiple meanings. "Judy Peck's insightful book gives families and their advisors a clear, pragmatic framework for discussing the complex, challenging topic of money, values and family dynamics."
—Melissa A. Berman, President & CEO, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Inc.

"Judith Stern Peck has broken the last taboo for families and their therapists. With a strong relational and family life cycle focus, she lifts money from mere pragmatics to a deeper exploration of the meaning and values beneath every financial decision in our lives. Creativity, sound judgment and compassion for people’s dilemmas infuse a work sure to be a resource for trainees and experienced therapists alike."
—Evan Imber-Black, Ph.D., Director, Center for Families and Health, Ackerman Institute for the Family; Editor, Family Process