About our Guest: Shannon Thomas, LCSW is a survivor of childhood trauma. She turned her life around, earned a Master’s degree, and empowered herself to become a certified trauma therapist. Shannon focuses on helping others recover from the abuse that they have suffered and creating a process for moving forward.   Episode Summary Shannon Thomas, LCSW recently released a book with stories from people who have survived financial abuse. Covering 2000 stories from 455 survivors, she has brought awareness to the prevalence of financial abuse. The often overlooked form of abuse can be devastating, with the effects lasting throughout a person’s life. As an expert on hidden abuse, she provides her thoughts on financial abuse and shares some of the stories in the book. Shannon also gives advice for identifying financial abuse and how a survivor can create a healthy life after escaping a financially abusive relationship.   Download this episode today to learn how you can identify financial abuse that might be holding you back.   CLIFF NOTES The importance of addressing childhood trauma. How to find inner peace. Why financial abuse can be so covert. Secrets to recognizing an economic abuser. How people become financially abusive. Strategies for identifying financial abuse.p How spiritual abuse can lead to financial abuse. Steps to take to heal from financial abuse.   Quotes from the show: “But if we do that work (building wealth) without going back and having any sort of restoration, we’re really putting a bandaid.” - Shannon Thomas, LCSW   “Because there’s actually, from the psychology behind it, there’s reasons why we continue to return to similar environments. Because we are trying to work out a new way of doing it.” - Shannon Thomas, LCSW   “There are so many folks who don’t even realize that what they’re experiencing is abuse.” - Shannon Thomas, LCSW   “It’s that rapid fire of confusion and brainwashing, almost, that makes the victim feel like they’re the abuser.” - Patrice Washington   “Because economic abusers, I read in the book, are great about lying about their future plans.” - Patrice Washington   “Even when the abuse ends, the financial damage keeps going.” - Patrice Washington   “People are not sure what to do with the topic of financial abuse, because it happens so much. But yet the devastation is such a marathon to repair, that it’s almost too overwhelming to even look at it. But it shouldn’t be.” - Shannon Thomas, LCSW   “However we define wealth. It’s in the small details, on top of one another building. I don’t think we live a mountain top experience at all. I think that we live in those daily moments that are so great. And I think it’s the compound effect of all of them together.“ - Shannon Thomas, LCSW Redefining Wealth Rapid Wisdom Questions Define Success: “I define success by doing work that I enjoy during the day. That leaves me with a feeling of peace and accomplishment. And spending time with my family at the end of the day.” - Shannon Thomas, LCSW Define Wealth in 3 Words or Less: “A satisfying life.” One Book that Has Redefined How You See Wealth: The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy   Fill-in the Blanks... “My name is ___ and the truth about wealth is ___”: “My name is Shannon and the truth about wealth is it comes in many different forms you wouldn’t expect.” Links: Exposing Financial Abuse: When Money is a Weapon by Shannon Thomas, LCSW   Healing from Hidden Abuse: A Journey Through the Stages of Recovery from Psychological Abuse by Shannon Thomas, LCSW   Become an Official Purpose Chaser: http://www.iamapurposechaser.com   Join Patrice’s Pod Club: http://www.patricespodclub.com   To check out ALL of our past guests + episodes: www.patricewashington.com/Listen   If you have questions about booking Patrice or sponsoring the podcast, email us at info@seekwisdomfindwealth.com.   Find me in Social Media: Our podcast hashtag is #Redefini