Healthy Advisor

Carolyn Armitage spent decades building a career in wealth management while privately carrying the emotional effects of childhood trauma. For years, she compartmentalized those experiences, believing she could simply push through them while focusing on work, achievement and daily life. After an emotional breaking point following her mother’s funeral, Carolyn began exploring deeper forms of healing, including somatic therapy and psilocybin, a natural psychedelic compound found in over 200 species of mushrooms. That process helped her better understand how unresolved trauma had shaped her nervous system, relationships and sense of self over the course of her life. In this episode of The Healthy Advisor, host Diana Britton speaks with Carolyn Armitage, founder and CEO of Wealth Management Consulting and RIA Circle, about her experience with trauma recovery, emotional healing, and psychedelic-assisted therapy. Her experience led her to produce a recent documentary, “Journeys,” a two-hour film addressing the ethics behind the use of psilocybin to navigate trauma. She discusses: How childhood trauma shaped Carolyn’s nervous system, relationships and emotional responses for years Why somatic therapy helped her understand the physical effects of unresolved childhood trauma What she experienced during her guided psilocybin journey and emotional healing process How forgiveness, emotional safety and self-worth became possible after years of internal struggle The creation of the documentary “Journeys” and her mission to increase awareness around psychedelic-assisted healing Resources: Listen to The Healthy Advisor on Wealth Management Subscribe and listen to The Healthy Advisor on Apple Podcasts Subscribe and listen to The Healthy Advisor on Spotify Website: Journeys’ Film Connect With Carolyn Armitage: LinkedIn: Carolyn Armitage LinkedIn: Wealth Management Consulting LinkedIn: RIA Circle Website: Wealth Management Consulting Website: RIA Circle Email: carolyn@wealthmanagementconsulting.com Connect with Wealth Management: Wealth Management LinkedIn: Diana Britton diana.britton@informa.com LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: Wealth Management About Our Guest: Carolyn Armitage is a longtime leader in the wealth management industry with experience spanning advisory work, executive leadership, consulting, and investment banking. Having built and led multiple wealth management firms throughout her career, she brings a broad perspective shaped by her work as an advisor, operator, and consultant. Her background includes building high-performing teams, guiding firm growth, and helping organizations create long-term value through strategic leadership and integration. After beginning her career as a financial advisor, Carolyn developed a strong understanding of the challenges advisors face firsthand. Over the years, she expanded her expertise through leadership roles across both large and boutique firms, helping organizations improve operational structure, advisor engagement, and enterprise value. Her experience has made her a trusted consultant to RIA leaders and wealth management executives navigating growth, succession, compensation design, and strategic planning decisions. Carolyn has held leadership positions with several major firms and organizations, including HD Vest, now Avantax, ING Advisors Network, now part of Voya and Cetera Group, and Thrivent Advisor Network. She also led the Large Enterprise Business Management Consulting Team at LPL Financial. Prior to leading Thrivent’s independent RIA platform, TAN, Carolyn worked with ECHELON Partners, where she provided investment banking and consulting services to some of the industry’s largest and most established firms. Her experience across advisory services, consulting, investment banking, and firm leadership gives her a deep understanding of the wealth management value chain and the complex business, family, and legacy decisions firm leaders often face.

When natural disasters hit, your life can turn upside down. Beth Bosworth experienced this firsthand when Hurricane Helene hit her town of Asheville, N.C. on Sept. 27, 2024. The hurricane caused severe damage to the city, including fallen trees, destroyed power lines, and flooded roads. Her neighborhood is still feeling the effects of that storm several months later. In this episode, Diana Britton, WealthManagement.com executive editor, speaks with Bosworth, head of financial planning and wealth advisor at Perigon Wealth Management, who shares how she and her community banded together under immense pressure to restore normalcy after the storm’s devastation. She did all this while continuing to serve clients and run an advisory practice. Beth discusses: The unexpected impact of Hurricane Helene and how it reshaped entire communities Being prepared for natural disasters The emotional rollercoaster of being cut off from communication in a world reliant on connectivity Finding strength in community solidarity amid nature’s chaos What the ordeal taught her about her own resiliency and strength Resources: Listen to The Healthy Advisor on WealthManagement.com Subscribe and listen to The Healthy Advisor on Apple Podcasts Subscribe and listen to The Healthy Advisor on Spotify Connect with WealthManagement.com: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: Diana Britton diana.britton@informa.com LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: WealthManagement Connect With Beth Bosworth: Perigon Wealth LinkedIn: Beth Bosworth LinkedIn: Perigon Wealth About Our Guest: Beth is a Wealth Advisor with Perigon and oversees the firm’s financial planning operations. Her passion is to help clients manage the risks associated with accumulating and preserving wealth. Her favorite part about her career is that she has the privilege of living life alongside her clients. She is an avid advocate of the independent wealth management space and values protecting her fee-only practice. Beth is a CFP® professional and holds a BA from the University of Georgia. She helps manage the Atlanta office and resides in midtown with her wife and two sons. She is an avid tennis player, enjoys golf, and spends the weekends hiking with her family and two dogs in the North Georgia Mountains. Beth is also passionate about dedicating her time to worthy causes, and currently serves as the Treasurer of USTA (United States Tennis Association) Georgia and on multiple Finance Committees for the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities. If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com.

What happens when professional achievement outpaces personal well-being? Dr. Preston Cherry, founder of Concurrent Financial Planning, seemed to have it all—a thriving career and a secure six-figure salary in his late 20s. But beneath the surface, he was stuck in a seven-year fog, struggling to align his personal life with his financial success. In this episode, Diana Britton, executive editor at WealthManagement.com, sits down with Dr. Cherry as he opens up about his challenges—bankruptcy, self-medicating behaviors and racial microaggressions—all while searching for balance, healing and true fulfillment. He discusses: The realization of his “seven years of fog” The concept of life and money misalignment Thoughts on money buying happiness How his experiences inspired his new book “Wealth in the Key of Life” What his journey has taught him about having empathy and compassion for clients Resources: Listen to other inspiring episodes of The Healthy Advisor Wealth in the Key of Life: Finding Your Financial Harmony by Dr. Preston D. Cherry Connect with WealthManagement.com: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: Diana Britton Email: diana.britton@informa.com LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: WealthManagement Connect with Dr. Preston Cherry: LinkedIn: Dr. Preston Cherry Website: Dr. Preston Cherry Website: Concurrent Financial Planning Facebook: Concurrent Financial Planning X: @DrPrestonCherry YouTube: Life Money Balance® About Our Guest: Dr. Preston Cherry, Founder & President of Concurrent Financial Planning, leads the Financial Planning Program and directs the Charles Schwab Center for Personal Financial Planning at UW–Green Bay. With over 15 years of experience, he empowers people to shape their financial stories for wellness and freedom. His research focuses on personality traits and financial risks. Cited by top publications, he’s an Investopedia Top 100 Advisor and Financial Therapy Association President. Preston is also a poetry-writing, vinyl-loving uncle. If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com. The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are found.

Many advisors know Aaron Klein as the super-friendly, charismatic leader of Nitrogen, formerly Riskalyze, the company he founded about 13 years ago as a risk tolerance documentation tool. He’s since stepped down from his role leading the company. What most advisors probably don’t know is Aaron’s personal journey—the challenges he faced balancing running a major fintech company with adopting and raising three children. In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton sits down with Aaron Klein, co-founder and board member of Nitrogen, to delve into the highs and lows of his career and personal life. Aaron discusses: The challenges of international adoption Navigating bureaucratic hurdles and unforeseen changes Balancing professional responsibilities with the demands of adoption The impact of PANS diagnosis on his son and the healing journey How he came to the decision to step down as CEO of Nitrogen What’s next for him Resources: Listen to other inspiring episodes of The Healthy Advisor Connect With Aaron Klein: LinkedIn: Aaron Klein Nitrogen ak@aaronklein.com Connect with WealthManagement.com: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: Diana Britton Email: diana.britton@informa.com LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: WealthManagement About Our Guest: Aaron Klein is the co-founder of Nitrogen, the growth platform for wealth management firms, which started life as Riskalyze in 2011. As its first CEO, he led the company through 42 consecutive quarters of growth, scaling to serve tens of thousands of financial advisors, and twice being named one of the world’s 10 most innovative companies in finance by Fast Company Magazine. He passed the baton to his successor in 2023, and continues to serve on the firm’s Board of Directors. If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com. The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are found.

George Kinder, raised in St. Clairsville, Ohio, was inspired by his passion for freedom and creativity to explore a deeper purpose for his life beyond traditional career paths. His work as a tax preparer revealed a universal longing for fulfillment, leading him to pioneer life planning, a method empowering individuals to pursue their true aspirations. And while he has trained hundreds of advisors to use life planning with their clients, he also hopes advisors will use it inwardly. Kinder recently released his new book, The Three Domains of Freedom: Each Moment is Yours, Your Life is Yours, Civilization is Yours, which he considers to be a health and wellness book for financial advisors. In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton sits down with George Kinder, president and founder of the Kinder Institute of Life Planning. He says advisors can achieve better health and balance by modeling life planning principles, adopting mindfulness practices, and prioritizing their own well-being alongside their clients’. George highlights: The origins of life planning in his personal journey The three domains of freedom and their impact on health and wellness Balancing life planning with career demands Mindfulness practices for financial professionals The role of fiduciary responsibility in today’s world Resources: Listen to other episodes of The Healthy Advisor The Three Domains of Freedom Q&A: George Kinder on His Call for a New Fiduciary Standard The Fiduciary in All Things Movement Connect With George Kinder: Kinder Institute of Life Planning George Kinder Website LinkedIn: George Kinder information@kinderinstitute.com Connect with WealthManagement.com: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: Diana Britton Email: diana.britton@informa.com LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: WealthManagement About Our Guest: Harvard-educated George Kinder revolutionized financial advice for more than 35 years by training over 5,000 professionals in 30 countries in the field of financial life planning. He founded the Kinder Institute of Life Planning in 2003 after 30 years as a practicing financial planner and tax advisor. George Kinder’s latest book, Reflections on Spectacle Pond: The Weekly Edition, is available as a free email subscription through Substack. Inspired by the 30 years he has spent living at the edge of a small New England pond, the book is a meditative guide to living in nature’s cycle, week by week, and moment by moment. Among his seven books, he has written one on mindfulness, Transforming Suffering into Wisdom, and another book of photography and poetry, A Song for Hana. If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com. The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are found.

Having grown up around financial planning, Matthew Newman realized the importance of having everything in place before tragedy strikes. His father’s advice to plan for the negative moments was a lifeline. At age 39, he was diagnosed with Grade 3 Astrocytoma, a form of brain cancer. At the time, he had three children under 5, and his father-in-law was battling pancreatic cancer. All of a sudden, he saw life through a new set of lenses. Throughout his battle, he sought to make his journey a communal one. He began writing and sending emails about his experiences and reflections to friends and family, which unexpectedly grew into an audience of 20,000 people. His journey resonated deeply and offered a beacon of hope to many enduring struggles. In this episode, Managing Editor Diana Britton speaks with Matthew Newman, a wholesaler at Pacific Life and author of “Starting at the Finish Line,” about his journey and the impact it had on his life. Matt discusses: What happened leading up to his diagnosis How he received the diagnosis His treatments Where his strength comes from What became his outlet The importance of revisiting the journey in daily life What his experience can teach advisors Resources: Starting at the Finish Line by Matthew S. Newman Listen to other inspiring episodes of The Healthy Advisor Connect With Matthew Newman: LinkedIn: Matthew Newman Pacific Life Connect with WealthManagement.com: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: Diana Britton Email: diana.britton@informa.com LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: WealthManagement If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com. The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are found.

In her role as head of culture and field experience at RBC Wealth Management U.S., Shareen Luze is responsible for making sure the firm’s 2,200 financial advisors feel supported and have a similar employee experience as those in the home office. One particular area of focus, which has become more acute in the global pandemic, has been mental wellbeing. But Shareen has had her own mental health challenges, having struggled with anxiety for years. She first realized she had the mental health disorder after the birth of her first child, a son. At the time, she wanted to make it look like she had everything together to the outside world. But on the inside, she was dealing with feelings of excessive worry, an inability to relax or sit still, and lack of sleep. She was diagnosed with postpartum anxiety. WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton speaks with Shareen Luze, head of culture and field experience at RBC Wealth Management U.S., who opens up about her mental health and how these experiences have shaped her approach to employee well-being. Shareen discusses: Her journey with postpartum anxiety and her realization about her mental health The impact of perfectionist tendencies and societal pressures on mental well-being Why she initially avoided talking about her mental health at work How her life changed after being more vulnerable at work Her experience with breast cancer and how she dealt with her anxiety during that time The biggest mental health challenges facing financial advisors Resources: Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor Connect With Shareen Luze: LinkedIn: Shareen Luze RBC Management Email: Shareen.luze@rbc.com Connect with WealthManagement.com: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: Diana Britton Email: diana.britton@informa.com LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: WealthManagement About Our Guest: In her role as head of culture and field experience for RBC Wealth Management–U.S., Shareen Luze dedicates herself to ensuring the firm’s purpose-driven culture and strong values are at the core of every business decision. She has built a career around providing compassionate advice and counsel to employees, managers, and leaders. If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com. The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever podcasts are found.

Kimberly Sanders followed a typical path into financial services, gaining an undergrad in finance and working for a series of banks and brokerage firms. When she became pregnant, she made the decision to stay home for eight years to raise her kids. But when it was time to return to work, the path was not so smooth. For Anna Howard, her path into the industry was driven by a desire to earn validation from her father, also an executive in financial services. Later in her career, she realized the path she took and focused on building a more authentic and fulfilling life for herself. She and her husband recently went through a multi-year process to become foster parents, so now they’re managing four kids, two of which have special needs, while working full-time. In this episode, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton explores the balance between work and home life with Anna Howard, head of Private Wealth at LPL Financial, and Kimberly Sanders, head of Strategic Wealth Services at LPL. They touch on: The unique struggles faced by women in the financial services industry, particularly with work-life balance The journey back into the workforce after taking a hiatus and the obstacles encountered along the way The importance of male sponsors Strategies for managing personal well-being and family life while pursuing a demanding career The importance of mentorship, advocacy, and building a support network for women in finance Resources: Listen to the latest episodes of The Healthy Advisor Connect With Anna Howard: LinkedIn: Anna Howard LPL Financial Connect With Kimberly Sanders: LinkedIn: Kimberly Sanders LPL Financial Connect With Wealth Management & NREI: WealthManagement.com LinkedIn: Diana Britton Email: diana.britton@informa.com LinkedIn: Informa LinkedIn: WealthManagement About Our Guests: At LPL Financial, Anna Howard focuses on serving high-net-worth advisors and their clients, launching LPL Private Wealth Management to offer industry-leading benefits and enhanced service. Prior to LPL, she advanced her career at First Republic Bank and Wells Fargo Private Bank, where she developed innovative resources and grew assets under management. Kimberly Sanders, Senior Vice President, Advisor Solutions at LPL Financial, leads LPL Strategic Wealth Services, a modern supported independence solution that enables advisors and business owners to build and grow their firms according to their vision. In this role, Kimberly oversees a seasoned management team that enables advisors to optimize on LPL’s relationships, resources, and services to build equity in their brand and business so advisors can continue to thrive. Prior to LPL, Kimberly served RIA clients and prospects at Schwab Advisor Services, providing business consulting to support the custodian’s existing and potential clients. If you have a struggle and wish to share your experiences and help others in similar situations, please reach out to Diana at diana.britton@informa.com. The Healthy Advisor podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Android, Stitcher, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are found.