036: Mind Over Money: Overcoming the Limiting Beliefs Driving Financial Anxiety

Money stress isn’t really about money.
It’s about the identity-level beliefs running underneath.

In this episode of The Shift Show, Andrea sits down with Jenae White, Registered Provisional Psychologist at ShiftGrit’s Calgary studio, and Crystal Taylor, Financial Planner and Wealth Management Consultant. Together, they explore why smart, capable people still feel overwhelmed by money—overspending, shutting down, avoiding statements, over-saving, or never feeling “ahead.”

You can’t discipline or budget your way out of a threat response.
Financial knowledge matters, but it doesn’t stick when the nervous system is activated by beliefs like:

“I am falling behind.”
“I am not in control.”
“I am at risk.”
“I do not deserve.”

When these beliefs trigger, the threat system hijacks decision-making. That’s why your logical mind knows the plan, but your behaviour doesn’t follow it. The team explains how early experiences shape these patterns and why money becomes a lightning rod for stress, shame, and avoidance.

You’ll hear examples from therapy and financial planning—Calgarians feeling pressure to “keep up,” families stuck in financial enmeshment, individuals dealing with guilt or underspending, and couples in avoidance cycles.

In This Episode:

• The psychology of financial overwhelm
How freeze, fawn, and over-functioning create repeating patterns.

• Why Calgarians feel “behind.”
How comparison and pressure fuel anxiety.

• Beliefs that drive money behaviours
Why beliefs influence choices more than budgeting.

• Why avoidance gives relief but long-term stress
The brain prioritizes short-term safety.

• How therapy and planning work together
Regulation creates capacity; strategy creates direction.

• Why patterns aren’t about intelligence or willpower
Knowledge isn’t enough when the threat system is active.

Key Quotes

“People think they have money problems. They actually have threat-system problems.” — Andrea
 “The belief ‘I’m falling behind’ is the engine of so many decisions.” — Jenae
 “You can’t budget your way out of a belief.” — Crystal

Identity-Level Therapy for Money Stress

At ShiftGrit, we don’t treat “money issues.” We work with the identity patterns driving emotional reactions to money. Once the belief layer is regulated, clients often report feeling calmer and more grounded.

Identity-Level Therapy helps clients:
 • regulate the nervous system
 • reduce shame and avoidance
 • understand overwhelm
 • recondition beliefs
 • align actions with long-term goals

It’s not about willpower.
It’s about removing the patterns fighting against it.

🔗 Explore the Episode + Watch the Video

Watch the video and play the full episode here:
 👉 https://shiftgrit.com/shift-show/mind-over-money-limiting-beliefs-financial-anxiety/

If You’re in Calgary

Explore how structured, transparent therapy works at the identity level:
 👉 Calgary Therapy: What Most People Don’t Know When Choosing a Psychologist

Jenae White, R. Provisional Psychologist – ShiftGrit Calgary
Profile: https://shiftgrit.com/therapists/jenae-white/

Crystal Taylor – Holden & Taylor Advisory Group
Website: https://holdentaylorfinancial.ca/about/
Instagram: @taylord_advisor