Marriage statistics show money issues as a leading cause of divorce. Analysts predict that the rise in bankruptcies and foreclosures will see a substantial increase in divorce rates within the coming years.
If money were the true culprit, couples with substantial amounts of money would be blissfully happy. More often than not, money problems are a symptom of deeper problems that haven’t been addressed. Issues of power and control can just as easily surface whether an abundance of money is present or not.
Communicating values as they pertain to money is a necessary first step at the start of any relationship. Everyone is brought up in different circumstances, so you cannot expect your partner to have the same attitudes to money as you
right from the beginning of your relationship. They may have always been used to a financial safety net, and so feel less
concerned about money worries than you or it may be the other way around, and these fundamental differences in attitude cancause a lot of underlying tension. Who earns it? Who spends it? how are financial decisions made between you and your friends or partners? In therapy, we will discuss your own unique attitudes to money, and how your lens impacts your current relationships.
A fundamental problem in a relationship is created when communication breaks down because of unexplored feelings surrounding important issues such as money. Concerns are allowed to fester and grow until they reach very serious proportions. If you are pretending you are happy about the way the money issues are dealt with only to harbor concerns or even resentments that can flare up at a later date, it’s time to start exploring your relationships with finances.