TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The University of Arizona (U of A) is launching a new graduate certificate program in financial therapy, designed to help students understand how money and mental health are connected.
If financial conversations feel uncomfortable—whether with yourself, your partner, or your clients—the U of A's new graduate Financial Therapy Certificate program can help you turn tension into understanding and progress.
Financial Therapy is an emerging field and unique. According to Kenneth White, the director of the program at the Norton School of Human Ecology at the U of A, it’s the first of its kind in the western United States.
"So we're one of, I think five or six different universities that actually have a financial therapy certificate program," White said.
So what is financial therapy?
"It is blending financial planning with the psychology that goes behind money and so if you think about feelings that people have about anxiety, feelings that people have about traumas that they might have had about money when they were growing up, financial therapy is designed to get at the heart of those things that impact people's financial behaviors," White said.
Jessica Nelson, an adjunct professor in the Personal and Family Financial Planning Program at the Norton School at the U of A, said the program meets people where they are.
"If you have ever been hesitant to open your app and look at your bank account or have a conversation about something you bought with a partner, or you know, we were talking about family, right? And so if you've ever felt hesitant to do that and wanna understand why that is, beyond just the number can be scary, this program is for you," Nelson said.
Nelson is a licensed marriage and family therapist who will teach the first two of the four courses. She said the program can also benefit professionals already working in related fields.
"We are specifically kind of targeting individuals who are in the therapeutic industries, the behavioral health communities, financial services industry to be able to layer this onto the skill set that they already have and have deeper conversations with their clients," Nelson said.
According to Nelson, slightly more than 50% of Americans say that money and finances are a source of stress.
"Even people in various upper socioeconomic classes are having these experiences and so being able to understand that and as a professional, being able to guide people through understanding what's beneath that is really, really powerful and really deepens relationships with clients," Nelson said.
The program is 100% online and is designed to be completed within two semesters.
"Fall 2026, we are launching the first two courses, an intro to financial therapy and also our love and money course," White said.
Fall 2026:
1. Introduction to Financial Therapy: Covers the psychology of investing, money disorders commonly seen by financial professionals, how to help clients change destructive money behaviors, working with couples and families, and integrating financial psychology tools into personal financial planning.
2. Love & Money: Explores the connection between money and our relationships. Students gain insight into their own relationship with money and learn to help clients reduce financial stress in their personal lives and relationships.
Spring 2027:
3. Decisions, Behavior, and Finances: Examines behavioral finance and how psychological biases influence financial decision-making, both for individual clients and in broader financial markets.
4. Trends in Financial Therapy Theory & Research: A deep dive into the financial therapy literature, conceptual models, and empirical research.
White helped build this program and says he is excited for students to learn and utilize these tools in their personal and professional lives.
"I'm also excited that we are implementing a lot of service learning and experiential learning and just active learning into the curriculum," White said. "So that it's not just book knowledge, but it's also going to be hands on application of the theories and the therapeutic techniques that are applied in financial therapy."
He says this certificate also aligns with their new marriage and family therapy program.
The deadline to apply for the fall semester is Aug. 1.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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