This Is Uncomfortable The Emotionally Awkward Cost of Money, from “Alive with Steve Burns”
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Dec 2, 2025 
Reema Khrais, a journalist and host who delves into the emotional aspects of money, joins Steve Burns to explore the often awkward relationship we have with finances. They discuss how money embodies feelings of security and belonging, and reveal the emotional scripts that drive our financial behaviors. Reema shares personal stories of avoidance and the cultural influences shaping our money narratives. They emphasize the importance of emotional literacy in managing finances and suggest strategies to ease the discomfort of talking about money.
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Money Carries Emotional Weight
- Money always represents something beyond dollars, like security, dignity, or belonging.
- That emotional weight makes financial decisions driven by meaning, not just math.
Money As A Placeholder For Desire
- Money often stands in for deeper desires like freedom, safety, belonging, or worthiness.
- Understanding those underlying desires is more important than chasing numbers alone.
Past Financial Betrayal Shapes Control
- A woman who'd been lied to about finances in a past marriage became controlling about money in later relationships.
- Her fear of repeating betrayal caused conflict until partners understood her history.
