About this episode

The episode discusses how growing up low-income affects emotional responses to money in adulthood.

Money is rarely just about numbers. For most of us, it carries shame, fear, and stress. And for those who grew up low-income, early emotions and memories around money can actually continue to come up as triggers in adulthood, even if that’s no longer their reality. On the first episode of Season 2 of "Mind If We Talk?" , host and licensed mental health counselor Sreela Roy-Greene sits down with the founder of OverGenPoverty , Viviana Vazquez, and her husband Xavi. For nearly two years, Viviana hid her financial struggles and low-income background from Xavi—too ashamed to let him in. When she finally opened up, it changed everything. Their conversation with Sreela dives into topics of hyperindependence, being the eldest daughter of immigrant parents, and learning how to accept help from your partner when you’re used to being the one that other people rely on. Then, in the second half of the episode, Sreela is joined by licensed therapist Sarah Close from BetterHelp. Together, they explore how childhood financial stress shapes our nervous system, why money conversations feel so loaded in relationships, and how couples with different money stories can build real trust. If you've…

People in this episode

Host: Sreela Roy-Greene

Guest: Viviana Vazquez

Topics covered

• financial struggles
• mental health
• relationships
• childhood experiences
• money conversations
• trust building

Keywords

• low income
• money triggers
• hyperindependence
• financial stress
• couples therapy
• nervous system
• money conversations

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: OverGenPoverty, BetterHelp

More episodes of Mind If We Talk?

• Happiness in the Age of AI feat. Dr Laurie Santos · July 30, 2026 · 47 min
• How to Help Someone When They're Down · July 16, 2026 · 27 min
• How to Navigate Peri/Menopause · July 2, 2026 · 53 min
• How We Can Help Men Open Up · June 4, 2026 · 55 min
• Keeping A Marriage Strong With Kids · May 21, 2026 · 56 min
• The Truth About Caregiving No One Talks About · May 7, 2026 · 54 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Mind If We Talk? podcast page.