I used to think I was just "bad with money." After my divorce at 23, I walked away from everything and gave my ex-husband all my savings out of guilt, stepping into a money story defined by debt, scarcity, and shame. But now I understand that my problem wasn't a lack of financial literacy—it was financial trauma, and if you've ever felt a tightness in your chest when checking your bank account, or felt anxiety even though you have "enough" on paper, this episode explores how your relationship with money is often actually about safety, identity, and your nervous system trying to protect you.

Rahkim Sabree is a financial therapist, Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®), Trauma of Money Certified Practitioner, TEDx Speaker, and the author of Overcoming Financial Trauma. He has worked with individuals, corporate teams, HR professionals, and financial advisors, and brings deep insight into bridging the gap between financial literacy and trauma-informed care.

► Why financial advice often feels incomplete, and the difference between financial therapy and financial planning.

► Why you're not "bad with money"—and why your perceived "bad decisions" are actually normal nervous system responses to abnormal circumstances.

► How fight, flight, freeze, and fawn show up in your daily money behaviors, from overworking to actively avoiding your bank account.

► The ways jobs, hustle culture, and entrepreneurial ventures can reinforce financial trauma.

► What it sounds like to actually set financial boundaries, talk about money more honestly, and find healing in community rather than isolation.

00:00 Introduction to Financial Therapy

05:05 Understanding Financial Trauma

06:57 The Human Aspect of Money

09:28 Defining Financial Trauma

11:43 The Impact of Wealth on Trauma

13:30 Navigating Financial Systems

14:47 Personal Stories and Financial Decisions

17:14 The Concept of Financial Literacy

20:02 Responses to Financial Threats

22:52 Flight, Fight, Freeze, and Fawn in Financial Contexts

27:30 The Impact of Fawning in Relationships

29:46 Economic Warfare and Workplace Trauma

31:31 The Misconceptions of Entrepreneurship

33:31 Financial Boundaries and Relationships

36:53 Community and Financial Healing

46:34 Shifting Perspectives on Financial Trauma

Learn more about Rahkim Sabree

►Instagram: @rahkimsabree
►Website: Overcomingfinancialtrauma.com
►Substack: Rahkimsabree.substack.com

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Original Music produced by Dalton Grant