Dear Money Adventurer,
When I completed my training as a Somatic Therapist at Naropa University (I received a Masters in Somatic Psychology in 1998), I knew that I wanted to work with people to bring healing and authentic, body-based awareness to their lives. Little did I know that my own discarded bank statements and a fateful student loan bill would lead me down the path that would shape my career – and my life.
Most of us never learn how to manage money, never mind how to talk about money or the emotions that come up around this scary, taboo subject, like…
The anxiety that rises in your chest and sets your heart racing when the subject of household expenses comes up with your sweetie, again.
The thrill of finally paying off your student loan – only to realize that you don’t have a plan for what comes next for your money.
The clench of fear in your gut when you think about how the pandemic has reshaped your financial landscape – and the legacy you hoped to leave behind.
You aren’t alone.
You CAN create an authentic, mindful, and empowered relationship with money in your life.
I’ve been a Financial Therapist for twenty years now, and this intersection of emotional literacy and financial literacy is the foundation of my Financial Therapy work.
These money waters run deeper than daily transactions and bank account balances – from careers to romance, parenting to creativity, spirituality, health, self-worth, and the way that we show up in the world – money touches every part of our lives.
My superpower is helping folks unshame their money story to develop a new awareness and bring a deeper understanding to their money lives.
I think what Bari does more than anything is un-shames us around money. It’s the combination of nuts and bolts financial knowledge and practices, with compassionate attention — not only on the numbers, but past baggage, emotions, and heart. . . . . It was the combination of rigor — and frankly love — that made this work land with me like nothing before.
Private financial therapy is the fastest, most effective way to shift your money relationship – and that is why I am opening my books for a limited offering of single, 75-minute, one-on-one sessions.
Single Private Therapy Sessions are great for individual, couples, and creative entrepreneurs who:
- Have already done some work on your money relationship, and you’re ready to take it to the next level.
- Want to dive deeper into your Money Story to create a new narrative and life-affirming transformation.
- Are navigating a life transition (divorce, career change, loss of an elder) and are overwhelmed by the financial impact
- Are intentionally carving out a life of genuine mindfulness – and it’s time to bring that awareness to your relationship with money.
- Need personal support around business models, pricing, sustainability, and owning your value
We’ll create a safe space for the most tender chapters of your money story – and your soul-deep aspirations.
Wherever you are in your money journey, all of you is welcome here.
My one-time sessions are known to be profound, direct, and nourishing time together that brings clarity, perspective, and direction to your money journey.
How it works:
We’ll connect over Zoom for your 75-minute session. Before we get together, you can send me any details you want me to know about you and your situation so that we can jump right in. After our session, you’ll receive personalized email support, encouragement, and resources to support you as you grow.
This option is perfect for you if:
A particular issue or area of your money relationship is crying out for attention, and you want deep support to help you navigate through it with compassionate intentionality.
You’re a current or past student of my Art of Money program, or you’ve read my book “The Art of Money.”’ You’re already immersed in this work, and you want an extra boost of my undivided love and attention to support your path.
This money journey feels deeply exciting to you – but you’re a little lost about where to start. You want to experience it first-hand, one-on-one.
Investment: $500, includes intake + one 75-minute session + follow up email support
Together, we can move mountains. In our session, here are some examples of what we can work on:
- Get intimate with your own unique money story.
- Uncover and heal unconscious money patterns holding you back.
- Dissolve the shame, anger, and tension when you talk with your honey about money.
- Learn to deepen your relationship through money dates.
- Create customized, playful, and smart real-life money practices
- Learn the language of money (this is so empowering!)
- Establish the financial support team you need right now (bookkeepers, accountants, financial planners, etc.)
- Get mentor coaching on creative entrepreneurship and authentic business models.
- Align your spending and savings with your big life goals, deepest values, and dreams.
- Looking for ongoing support? I have a phenomenal list of financial colleagues who can help you through the next steps and offer long-term support as desired.
Private financial therapy with me brings the very best of my Art of Money method directly to the areas of your money relationship that need the most love by integrating three phases. Our work together in one session can end up focusing on just one of these core areas or a mixture of all three. (We likely won’t be able to cover all of these areas in one session, but I wanted to give you an idea of what to anticipate.)
Money Healing: Together, we’ll bring compassionate curiosity to shine a light on your emotions, patterns, beliefs, and unique money story. We’ll unshame your money with massive doses of honesty, forgiveness, grace, and love.
Money Practices: Here, we learn a new way to interact with money – as a nurturing self-care practice. We empower ourselves by learning money dates, tracking money as it flows in and out and around, and reviewing numbers. We align our money lives with our deepest values, bringing intention and mindfulness to our earning, spending, saving, gifting, and debt.
Money Maps: Zoom out to the larger view of our lives and how money supports our goal setting, dreams, and what phase of life we’re in. Here, we learn how to make good money decisions (and what that even means to each of us) and identify how money can best support our unfolding lives.
Questions, Concerns, and What You Need to Know
I say this with love – this work is not for everyone. It’s for truly motivated people who are ready and willing to show up, trust the process, and commit to a loving, playful exploration of their relationship with money.
While it’s true that I only offer a handful of spots at a time for this deeply intimate work, the whole scarcity-driven, buy-now-or-you’ll-miss-out schtick isn’t what I stand for. I am here for conscious, informed, and loving decisions that feel aligned, not rushed or pressured.
These Private Financial Therapy sessions are a financial investment in personalized support, but if they aren’t financially accessible or right for you right now, that doesn’t mean that our work together ends here!
Please know that wherever you are financially in this moment, I’m so honored to support you and your money journey. That’s why I haven’t raised the price of my flagship program, The Art of Money, in almost a decade. It’s also why I wrote my books, “The Art of Money: A Life-Changing Guide to Financial Happiness” and The Art of Money Workbook – because I genuinely believe that we all benefit when this work, and this deeper conversation around money, is brought into the open.
Because when we speak the truth about money, we empower healing and transformation, and I believe that truth should be shared as widely as possible.
So, is Private Financial Therapy right for you, right now?
We are all on our own personal journey of growth and discovery – you’re the authority here!
Ask yourself – am I ready for this?
Am I prepared to gently, lovingly hold myself accountable for receiving the value of this investment?
Do I feel empowered, trusting, and loving towards myself in making this investment?
Am I prepared to invest not only my money, but my mind, my heart, my time, and my consciousness, as well?
Check-in with yourself and honor the answers you receive.
If the answer is emphatically, wholeheartedly, “YES,” – then I can’t wait to get started!
Investment: $500, includes intake + one 75-minute session + follow up email support
Important Policies:
These private financial therapy sessions are non-refundable. We do offer the option of rescheduling up to 1x but after that you will lose your slot. These sessions are good for up to one year. Also, if you no-show you have lost your nonrefundable slot.
And if the answer is “not right now” or “I’m not sure,” then trust that inner guidance and celebrate the intentional awareness you brought to this decision. With every step you take, you’re forging your money journey in your own unique timing.
And that is a rare and precious gift.
Keep going.
Bari has guided us through a clear and intentional process that moved us from a long held place of fear, neglect and avoidance of our financial landscape, to a place of deep commitment, empowerment and alignment. Her heartFULL support, masterful guidance, solid tools and gentle accountability have helped us to cultivate a thriving financial partnership! One Love...
When I established my business 3 years ago, I didn’t actually realise I was founding a business. As a research scientist of 25 years, I thought of my move more like ‘continuing to give my talks’ about how relationships shape infant brain development.
Two years on, I was in overwhelm – drowning in figuring out how to organize the money, how to look at my bank balance without feeling sick with anxiety, how to feel like the company director I now understood I was. In our very first session, Bari helped me to identify my key problem: I thought I was supposed to already know how to do all this new ‘money stuff’!
I was riddled with embarrassment that I (the high achieving confident girl) didn’t understand how to even think about these new systems, and I had no idea where to go to begin to solve that problem. The biggest gift that Bari Tessler gave me was permission Not To Know. Once I came to understand it was acceptable that I Did Not Know, I was transformed.
Excited curiosity replaced tearful dread. My business became for me the bold adventure I had hoped for. How did Bari do that? What was the key thing she did for me? She offered me gentleness. I love that Bari Tessler lives out the science I am trying to disseminate to the wider world: Compassionate listening is the key to growth for all of us, from babies on up.
I think what Bari does more than anything is un-shames us around money. It’s the combination of nuts and bolts financial knowledge and practices, with compassionate attention — not only on the numbers, but past baggage, emotions, and heart. It was the combination of rigor — and frankly love — that made this work land with me like nothing before.
I loved our session Bari! Just booking our time together created an opportunity for Ash and I to take our conversations about money to a deeper place. I have resisted putting any energy into understanding and creating space for money for so long, but the energy it creates and the opportunities it creates for intimacy in our marriage blows my mind! I am so grateful for the work you do and how beautifully you and Forest show the way.
I said in our first meeting, "I want you to give me a transmission - The Knowing - about money." But little did I know that what I was going to receive from you was much more.
Yes, my relationship with money improved, I feel more comfortable making decisions and speaking to others about it. I've learned to set clear boundaries and within that I've learned to relax more and be more generous.
But the true transformation and transmission I received was the permission, example and inspiration to BE A WOMAN IN A MAN DRIVEN WORLD. To make this seemingly contrived money world into a creative exploration. I learned that I can have MY WAYS... creative, playful, meaningful and full of beauty while also being responsible, effective and successful.
That I did not have to "lose" myself to be successful or effective in the world. I thought I would learn bookkeeping techniques, checks and balances, or set up how to delegate these responsibilities - which are part of the program and important! - But what I came away with was ACCEPTANCE, GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION for who I am and my own unique dialogue and relationship with money.
I learned to trust my INTUITION even when my "mind" says "I should! I should! I should!"... To trust that I am ok just where I am... that I'm not confused, broken or a mess... I AM A WOMAN! for god's sake... passionate, unpredictable, playful and deeply connected to my experience, which is ALWAYS CHANGING! I am not perfect and that's ok. I am good enough.
Bari, I believe that working with you was my initiation into the MODERN FEMININE - seeing through the "story" of the world, whole-fully participating and in the wake create an enlivening experience for all involved! I feel sisterhood, allegiance and community when I think of you... and so it is.
Bari is a wise, loving and incredibly real. Working with her has been a grounding point not only in my relationship to money but also in my life. She naturally creates a safe haven and gently holds the space for you to navigate the wilderness of money and all dances with it.
She wears many hats… a guide, a teacher, mentor, friend, role model and she moves through these hats with the perfect amount of transparency, professionalism and grace. Her worked moved me from a place of fear, shame and isolation around money to a place of having much more confidence, clarity, ease and enjoyment! I never knew that looking at my numbers could actually be exciting.
If you know the time has come for you enter “money adulthood” then Bari is your gal. Her work leads your through a process that is both deep and transformational but also fun, educational and action oriented. Working with her was one of the best decisions I made all year.
Beautiful Bari, thank you for our last session today in the six month financial coaching program that I did with you. It continually amazes me how well you navigate the practical, emotional, physical, mental, and other aspects of the work.
In one moment, you hang with me through the juicy visions of my shamanic mind revealing next steps and clear visions in epic symbolism, dreams, and images and then next you're walking me through the practical and technical subtleties of refining my growing-ever-more-efficient bookkeeping system - now that's adaptability!
I am so looking forward to diving in to greater depth and subtlety and abundance as I embark on your community course and movement, the Art of Money starting this Friday! Heck, I was adding in my head how much I estimate I saved in practical expenses + time saved + abundant income that all directly resulted from your program and I definitely saved and generated more than I spent on it. I estimated our session today probably saved me at least $500 in expenses. (p.s. that's my enginerd mind that thinks that way being very happy with my investment. LOL!)
I've upgraded my mantras and sing a new financial song. Now I can do quickbooks on a mac, I know the difference between financial planner and financial coach, and I can hire a bookkeeper when the time comes with confidence.
And I stepped up because I no longer stumble in my money shoes. Thank you Bari. My healing around that which scares (terrifies) me has blown right off the charts. And she speaks in these low soothing tones that could talk a (financial) jumper off a ledge, uh, like me.
My life will never be the same, and yours won't be either if you are brave and love yourself enough to change that which does not serve, even if its its mad scary. Bari will help you. Trust me.
My husband and I decided to work with Bari because we were stuck in the same, old (ugly) patterns around money. We knew we needed to change, yet the “money talks,” the budgeting, the planning...was keeping us on a merry-go-round of struggle, anger and frustration.
I knew it was our “psychology” and our emotions around money that really needed to shift, while my husband was more focused on the nuts-and-bolts of our finances; and Bari was a perfect fit for both of our needs.
In her kind, soothing and ever-so-compassionate way, she gently helped us see the old patterns and begin to shift them. She reminded us that although we each “held” different stances around money in the relationship, we actually had similar values and wishes for our family. Bari also gave us the courage to “look” at our money in a more nuts-and-bolts, concrete way.
We set up a Mint account, have “money dates” weekly, and budget and plan in a way that doesn’t feel “restrictive” and depriving, but exciting and hopeful. Our conversations hold connection instead of disconnection and anger; and our money relationship is no longer a source of conflict for us. It is a HUGE relief.
In addition – and this feels almost magical – my income has increased. If you struggle with money (and who doesn’t?) and you want a loving, soothing guide to support you with wisdom, intuition and deep psychological awareness, than you will be in great hands with Bari.