December 2019 – The Healthy Advisor Podcast

Transparency With Diana B.: An Advisor’s Battle With Stomach Cancer, Addiction and Himself

By healthy advisor | December 17, 2019

About 12 years ago, Steve Melen had just started a new job as an advisor at Morgan Stanley, was remodeling his house and had a new baby girl when he got the shock of his life; he was diagnosed with stage III stomach cancer. Not long after, he went through a very serious surgery, with doctors removing several of his organs, including his stomach. But the real problems started after he left the hospital.

In this episode of Transparency, WealthManagement.com Managing Editor Diana Britton is joined by Melen, who shares the intimate details of his battle with cancer. He would later come out of a complicated treatment with an addiction to pain medication and later on, alcohol. Listen to Steve’s story about how he found the strength to change his life for the better.

In this episode, you will learn:

The story of Steve’s diagnosis and battle with cancer

What lead to his addiction to pain meds and how he eventually kicked them
How Steve’s fears, insecurities and broken relationships lead him to self-medicate with alcohol
What his “rock-bottom” moment was
What kind of psychological toll health issues could have on one’s family and caregivers
How Steve got past the addiction and started being open and honest with others about what he went through
About Steve’s new beginning
And more.

Tune in now to hear Steve’s very personal and emotional story about overcoming cancer and addiction.

Resources: WealthManagement.com | Diana Britton | Contact Diana | Debbie’s Dream Foundation

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Transparency With Diana B.: Advisors and Mental Health

By healthy advisor | December 11, 2019

As a graduate student, Dr. Alden Cass conducted a clinical survey on the mental health of Wall Street’s advisors. Conducted in 1999, the study, titled “Casualties of Wall Street,” examined nearly 50 reps, and found that 23 percent of them exhibited significant signs of clinical depression, while another 36 percent showed mild to moderate symptoms. Interestingly, million-dollar producers were the most dysfunctional when it came to mental health, as they were most prone to burnout.

Financial advisors may even be more prone to stress and burnout today than 20 years ago. These feelings are all too common for today’s advisor, who not only has to manage their own emotions but serve as financial therapists to anxious clients.

In this episode of Transparency with Diana B., your host Diana Britton, managing editor of WealthManagement.com, is joined by Dr. Cass, a licensed clinical psychologist and performance coach who specializes in treating advisors and helping them improve their job performance.

Dr. Cass uncovers the surprising reality of what it’s like to be an advisor, what contributes most to their mental health issues, and actions you can take to help yourself.

In this episode, you will learn:

How advisors’ stress levels compare to non-advisors
Results from Dr. Cass’ study, “Casualties of Wall Street”
Which mental health issues today’s advisors are experiencing
Which negative and positive coping mechanisms advisors use
How to avoid falling into the trap of depersonalization
And more.

Tune in now to learn how to cope with mental health issues in positive ways, where to turn to for support, and how to overcome the stigma associated with seeking therapy.

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Transparency With Diana B.: The Ups and Downs of Living on the Spectrum

By healthy advisor | December 4, 2019

Welcome to the first episode of Transparency with Diana B., a podcast that explores the deepest struggles and hardships that many advisors face. Our mandate is to bring these issues out into the open so that others may find healing.

Today your host Diana Britton, managing editor of WealthManagement.com, is joined by Andrew Komarow, the founder of Planning Across the Spectrum, a financial planning firm that specializes in special-needs individuals and their families. The firm has a specific focus on folks with autism spectrum disorder, a neurological and developmental disorder. Andrew is actually on the spectrum himself, so he knows the disorder first-hand. This conversation about Andrew’s adult diagnosis of autism peels away layers of misconceptions about the disorder and encourages others to cast down their masks.

In this episode, you will learn:

The definition of ASD and typical behaviors and symptoms
Why Andrew believes there is almost too much awareness of ASD and a need for more acceptance and understanding
About one person’s struggle with autism
What helped Andrew to become successful in the financial industry
The truth about common ASD misconceptions
How Andrew overcame the struggles with the disorder
His advice for folks who may be different
And more.

Tune in now to hear a candid conversation with Andrew that unravels the many misconceptions about ASD and offers a practical path to healing.

Resources: WealthManagement.com | Diana Britton | Planning Across The Spectrum | Andrew Komarow | Contact Diana

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