Meet Joy
Rewriting the Rules of
I wasn’t supposed to be here.
Born into a large family in a rural community, my childhood was shaped by hard labor, long hours, and suffering, where power and control were the only constants. Education wasn’t a part of my world. I didn’t set foot in a classroom until college. Instead, I worked 50-hour weeks, all while navigating a system designed to keep me small and silent.
But silence
never suited me.
I was curious. Hungry. Determined. The world was my classroom, and I was desperate to learn. Completely new to the world of education, I didn’t understand how to get student loans or apply for FAFSA without a high school diploma. So, I found a path that allowed me to work full-time while studying business. It was during this time that I stumbled into the world of financial planning. Although I loved numbers, what drew me in was the people. The relationships. And how money both liberated and oppressed people, regardless of economic status.
I became a class traveler—moving between worlds, seeing wealth and struggle from both sides. I knew what it was like to feel powerless in a system designed to control.
I also saw what it meant to have immense financial resources and still feel trapped
by expectations, isolation, or the weight of responsibility.
After earning my CFP® and Master’s in Taxation, I built a career managing wealth for some of the world’s most affluent clients. I trained hundreds of advisors at Vanguard, led innovation teams, and advised billions of dollars in assets. But something wasn’t right.
I was helping the wealthy get wealthier, but I could see firsthand that financial success didn’t always bring peace or fulfillment. Advisors wanted deeper relationships with their clients, but they lacked the tools to bridge the emotional and psychological complexities of wealth. Ultra-high-net-worth individuals had built extraordinary success, yet so many wrestled with stress, relational conflicts, and the quiet realization that money alone wasn’t enough.
That’s when
I found therapy.
Studying counseling opened my eyes to something I had always felt but never articulated: money is so much more than numbers. It’s about fear, trauma, relationships, and self-worth. Growing up in an environment of oppression taught me what happens when power is used to control. Now, I saw how wealth could do the same. But I also saw something else: the potential for healing.
When wealth is aligned with values—when it’s used with intention—it creates something far more powerful than financial security. It creates meaning. Legacy. A lasting impact that extends beyond balance sheets and bank accounts.
I became a licensed therapist because I was fascinated by the intersection of two worlds that rarely meet: financial planning and mental health. I wanted to bridge the gap between money and meaning—to help individuals use their wealth in ways that align with their deepest values and to train advisors to move beyond transactions into truly transformational client relationships.
This work is personal.
When I help someone break free from the stress and loneliness that wealth often brings, I know that liberation extends beyond them. It supports better relationships and fosters deeper connection with one’s community.
Because when we align wealth with impact, we don’t just secure financial success—we create a legacy of purpose, connection, and fulfillment.
This is my story. It’s one of resilience, curiosity, and an unshakable belief that even in the most oppressive systems, there is a path to liberation.
Let’s find that path together
Success Stories
What My Clients Say...
I am forever changed from working with you, and from what I learned with you.
This work that we’ve done has helped me recognize what I was doing (for 15 years) and shown me that there’s another way to practice.
Kahlilah Dowe
CFP, Advisor at True Wealth Solutions
I highly recommend Joy for anyone looking to deepen client relationships.
Her expertise in financial planning and therapy helped me develop skills to understand clients’ emotions and uncover their true motivations. Her insights have transformed how I connect with clients, making conversations more effective, empathetic, and impactful.
Scott Walker
CFP, Advisor at Vanguard
This program has transformed how I interact with my most challenging clients—
and, to my surprise, people in all areas of my life. I’m more neutral, deeply connected, and confident in client meetings, which helps me price my services accurately without competing on cost. The calmness and patience I’ve gained allow me to truly hear clients, leading to more meaningful conversations and stronger relationships.
E Cheung
CFP and Financial Coach
Joy seamlessly merges her deep financial expertise with keen therapeutic insight...
She encourages open conversations that reveal the core issues at play... Her laser-focused communication style, combined with genuine warmth, propels individuals toward clearer thinking, healthier money decisions, and a brighter outlook on life.
Joshua Wilson
Advisor and FinTech Growth Partner
Joy is one of the most compassionate people you will ever meet.
Her way of approaching money and teaching financial professionals how to do so is both instructive and kind, and is exactly what the finance industry needs. If you ever have the chance to work with Joy, take it, and thank me later.
Her way of approaching money and teaching financial professionals how to do so is both instructive and kind, and is exactly what the finance industry needs. If you ever have the chance to work with Joy, take it, and thank me later.
Nate Astle
Founder of Financial Therapy Clinical Institute
Joy was an inspiring and wise contributor to our Marriage Toolkit, where she spoke about Internal Family Systems (IFS). Her expertise was of particular importance to our product.
Couples' relationships with money are complex, extending far beyond a budget or financial plan. Her unique wisdom provided insight essential in supporting couples who struggle to manage money in their marriages.
Couples' relationships with money are complex, extending far beyond a budget or financial plan. Her unique wisdom provided insight essential in supporting couples who struggle to manage money in their marriages.
Brian Page
Founder of Modern Husbands
Joy's ability to, and to teach how to, connect with people is unmatched.
In a day of AI, automation and tech - the fundamental ability to connect with clients on an emotional level, build trust, and truly understand another's needs is critical to long-term business success. I cannot recommend Joy enough!
In a day of AI, automation and tech - the fundamental ability to connect with clients on an emotional level, build trust, and truly understand another's needs is critical to long-term business success. I cannot recommend Joy enough!
Brian Talbott
CFP, Advisor at Olio Financial
My Values
Money can be a tool for freedom. I help individuals and advisors dismantle financial stress and fear, creating space for ease, purpose, and impact.
True financial well-being comes from connection. I guide individuals and advisors to build life-changing relationships rooted in trust, empathy, and understanding.
Money can be a tool for freedom. I help individuals and advisors dismantle financial stress and fear, creating space for ease, purpose, and impact.
Curiosity drives growth. My work is grounded in a desire to understand others’ perspectives and calmly witness their reality.
I’m a firm believer that healing one person’s relationship with money creates a ripple effect for society, dismantling financial oppression on a larger scale.
Media Spotlight
