This first phase is all about awareness. Slowing down long enough to see what’s really happening in your money world. Just like morning light reveals the streaks on a window, this step shines a light on the past and present that can make couples vulnerable to financial stress and missed opportunities.

You’ll begin by exploring your money roots and touching on your core money motivations—the deeper feelings we seek from money, like safety, belonging, or freedom. (We’ll dig into these even more in the next phase.) You’ll also start reawakening your dreams, learning to see them not as risky or irresponsible, but as the fuel that helps you build a life you both want.

Because money conversations are the heartbeat of this program, you’ll practice them right away using the WealthTalk Guide, structured around Gottman’s Four Horsemen. In this phase, you’ll focus on recognizing and replacing the first horseman, criticism, with healthier, more respectful ways of talking about money. These weekly conversations aren’t about solving problems, but about building trust, connection, and partnership.

Finally, you’ll take a Financial Snapshot and assess where you stand across 8 key financial milestones—from “Chaos to Control” through “Work Optional.” This framework helps you see not just where you are today, but what the right next steps look like for your unique situation.

By the end of Reflect, you’ll understand yourself and your partner more deeply, have a clearer picture of your financial starting point, and feel steadier about the road ahead. This is the foundation that makes everything else possible.

Once you’ve built awareness, the next step is to clear the roadblocks that keep you stuck. In this phase we identify both the external leaks (like rising costs, debt, or being unprepared for life’s storms) and the internal leaks (like impulsive spending or emotional patterns that quietly drain your progress). You’ll create a Spending Snapshot to begin tracking where money’s actually going, complete a Storm-Proofing Audit, and explore your Money Personality type to see how your habits and beliefs impact your relationship.

You’ll also learn to set financial boundaries—guardrails that protect your relationship, your goals, and your peace of mind. Boundaries help prevent overwhelm, reduce conflict, and keep outside expectations from pulling you off course.

In this phase we also introduce the second horseman, contempt. Through guided WealthTalk conversations, you’ll learn how subtle forms of criticism, sarcasm, or eye-rolling can damage trust, and you’ll practice antidotes that build respect and appreciation instead. These short, structured conversations help you shift away from destructive patterns and strengthen your partnership as you talk about money.

Finally, we’ll begin the work of aligning your spending with your values. You’ll explore your “Money Loves” (the things you most enjoy spending on) and reflect on how well your time and money choices line up with what matters most. This is the key to making money feel purposeful instead of burdensome.

By the end of Interrupt, you’ll have confronted both the outside pressures and the inside patterns that keep you stuck. With clearer boundaries, healthier habits, and values-based alignment, you’ll feel equipped to move forward with with more hope.

This is where we launch into the MoneyOps System—your framework for creating order, protection, and flow in your financial life. Half of the MoneyOps process happens here, as you learn to simplify and organize your money so it works with you, not against you.

You’ll start with MoneyOps Tracking, building the foundational habit of monthly tracking. Instead of only looking back with confusion, you’ll plan ahead—giving every dollar a purpose, spotting leaks, and freeing up money for your goals.

Next, we’ll build MoneyOps Safeguards—your emergency fund and planned funds (for irregular expenses). Think of this as insulation for your financial house, protecting you from life’s inevitable storms so you don’t feel like every surprise derails your progress.

Then comes MoneyOps Streamlining. Together, you’ll declutter, organize, and batch the “to-dos” of money management: deciding which financial tasks to keep, how often they need to be done, who will handle them, and where automation could lighten the load. The goal is a household system that runs smoothly without constant stress or friction.

Throughout this phase, you’ll also practice WealthTalk conversations focused on the third horseman—defensiveness. Instead of shutting down or self-protecting, you’ll learn to acknowledge and express your limits, and strengthen your teamwork.

By the end of Streamline, you’ll have resilient buffers, a clear system for managing money together, and the daily and monthly habits that create steadiness. Your financial “house” will feel lighter, stronger, and ready for growth.

The final phase of the R.I.S.E. journey is about confidence, direction, and growth. With the MoneyOps foundation in place, you’ll design a money system that carries you forward and keeps working long after the program ends.

You’ll begin with MoneyOps Flow—setting up the right accounts, mapping how money moves between them, and automating transfers. This is where your financial “plumbing” clicks into place, so your money flows smoothly toward bills, savings, and goals without constant effort.

Next comes MoneyOps Balance. Here you’ll learn my Bucket Spending Plan (60–20–20): 60% for needs, 20% for loves (the things that matter most to you), and 20% for savings and investments. This tool helps you check whether your money is in balance today and serves as a guardrail for the future—so when new wants or needs come up, you can decide with confidence whether they fit your bigger picture.

Then we move into MoneyOps Growth. You’ll explore your three “superpowers” for wealth-building—time, contributions, and returns—using a compound interest calculator to see how money multiplies over the years. You’ll also get an overview of the levels of financial freedom and what it means to eventually have your investments working harder than you do. (If you’d like to go deeper into investing and retirement planning, my Nest Egg Playbook is the perfect next step.)

Throughout this phase, your WealthTalk conversations focus on the fourth horseman—stonewalling. You’ll practice shifting from withdrawal and shutting down, to staying present and growing connection, even through the difficult money moments.

By the end of Empower, you’ll have a living system, balanced guardrails, and a vision for long-term growth. And just as importantly, you’ll have built a new way of talking about money together, replacing the Four Horsemen with healthier patterns, and strengthening the partnership that makes all of this possible.