What happens when money struggles, relationship patterns, and personal history all collide in the same room? In this wide-ranging and deeply human conversation, Rick Kahler sits down with Dr. Megan Ford to explore how financial therapy grew out of systems thinking, why “fixing one person” rarely fixes anything, and how our earliest money wounds quietly shape our adult lives. Megan shares her journey from marriage and family therapy into financial therapy, including her own money avoidance and the self-work required to become an effective healer. Together, they unpack the importance of therapists and financial professionals doing their own inner work, the role of evidence-based practice in financial therapy, and why lasting financial change almost always requires looking inward—not just at numbers, but at relationships, beliefs, and emotional patterns that drive financial behavior.
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Dr. Megan Ford – The Real Money Problem Isn’t the Money
About Dr. Megan Ford:
Dr. Megan Ford is a leading voice in financial therapy and the driving force behind the Love and Money Center’s mission. Her research explores how couples navigate money conflict, the role of physiological responses in financial discussions, and how interdisciplinary training prepares professionals to address the complex connections between relational and financial wellbeing. As a licensed marriage and family therapist and Certified Financial Therapist™, she brings both clinical expertise and scholarly rigor to advancing the field. Dr. Ford’s leadership extends beyond UGA – she served as President of the Financial Therapy Association (2016-2017) and has shaped national conversations about financial therapy through her publications, including co-authoring The Fundamentals of Writing a Financial Plan and developing the Ford Financial Empowerment Model. Her work exemplifies the Love and Money Center’s commitment to bridging research, practice, and professional training.
About Rick Kahler:
Rick Kahler, MSFP, CFP® , CFT™, CeFT® , Certified Internal Financial Systems™ Financial Therapy Practitioner, president of Kahler Financial Group, is a lifelong resident of Rapid City, SD. He began his professional career in 1973 selling and appraising real estate He founded Kahler Financial Group in 1981. He became the first fee-only Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP ® ) in South Dakota in 1983. In 2020 he became one of the first Certified Financial Therapist (CFT™,) in the nation.
His firm, specializes in the integration of investment advising, financial planning, financial coaching, and financial therapy, serving small business and real estate owners, professionals, and retirees, as well as individuals and families.
He served on and chaired the South Dakota Investment Council and served in leadership capacities with the Financial Planning Association and the National Association of Financial Planning Advisors. Kahler is also a nationally renowned speaker and educator. In 2003, National American University recognized Mr. Kahler with the Alumni Distinguished Service Award.
Interested in working with Rick Kahler, MSFP, CFP®, CFT™, CeFT®, Certified Internal Financial Systems™ Financial Therapy Practitioner? Please go to our website, Book a Financial Therapist Appointment and fill out a request for a 30-minute free consultation.
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A podcast that blends the nuts and bolts of financial advice with the emotions that drive making them.
