Financial planners are trained to design technically sound recommendations, yet many experience frustration when clients fail to follow through. This presentation reframes so-called “resistance” not as client defiance, but as meaningful data about trust, anxiety, ambivalence, and readiness for change.
Drawing from financial therapy, behavioral science, and counseling psychology, Dr. Megan McCoy introduces practical tools planners can immediately apply in client conversations. Attendees will explore stages of change, cognitive dissonance, financial anxiety, trust formation, and common behavioral traps that undermine follow-through. The session also addresses couple dynamics, identity-based goal setting, and how to translate abstract financial objectives into emotionally compelling motivations.
Participants will leave with concrete strategies, including active listening techniques, anxiety assessment tools, motivational reframing methods, and behavior design principles. The focus is on helping planners reduce conflict, strengthen commitment, and build durable client relationships without abandoning professional boundaries.
Ideal for financial professionals seeking to deepen client engagement, improve retention, and confidently navigate emotionally complex planning situations.
*CE/CPE Eligible: 1.0 CE credit(s) is(are) available to FEN Members with these designations: CFP, CLU, ChFC and RICP. CPA and EA members will earn 1.0 CPE credit(s).
Field of Study: Specialized Knowledge
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for this session.
Advanced Preparation: None
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
NASBA Approved
Financial Experts Network (Sponsor Id#: 145173) is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.
