It’s Not Just the Budget: The Emotional Math Behind Money Dysmorphia

Everyone's Talkin' Money

Shari Rash

Mental Health, Self-improvement, Education, Health & Fitness, Business

4.2 • 648 Ratings

🗓️ 5 August 2025

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We don’t just have money problems—we have money perception problems. In Part 2 of our three-part Money Dysmorphia series with Backbone, I’m joined by Melissa Burleson, a certified financial counselor at Tarrant County’s Credit Union, who brings nearly 20 years of wisdom, service, and heart to this conversation. Melissa knows firsthand how money dysmorphia—our distorted view of our financial reality—can sabotage even the smartest budgeter or most determined saver. We talk about how money dysmorphia can swing both ways—from feeling constantly behind despite doing all the right things, to overspending and living beyond your means to project financial success. And Melissa shares powerful personal stories, real-life coaching moments, and practical tools to start shifting from emotional chaos to financial clarity. You’ll walk away with: A deeper understanding of the emotional triggers behind overspending and avoidance How generational money beliefs and social media comparison fuel money dysmorphia Why many people tie their self-worth to a credit score—and how to break that cycle How to recognize when emotional thinking is clouding financial decisions What it takes to move from “I’m bad with money” to “I trust myself with money” Keep up with all things Everyone's Talkin' Money by following us on Instagram. If you loved what you heard, rate us 5 stars and like and follow us on your favorite podcast app! Thank you to our sponsors! Policygenius - Head to policygenius.com to compare free life insurance quotes from top companies and see how much you could save. Ava - Help build your credit score with Meetava.com. Use promo code: Money Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Big news, Tieri-on-Ree has joined Betway.
0:04.6	Kick off the season with up to £30-pound matched free bet if your first stacker loses.
0:09.3	18-plus decencies apply.
0:11.2	Bet the responsible way, gamblerware.org.
0:14.8	You're listening to Everyone's Talking Money, the show that's all about making life richer,
0:20.5	from your bank account to your
0:22.6	mindset and everything in between. Whether you're here to crush debt, grow wealth, or
0:29.6	finally feel in control of your cash, you are in the right place. Let's dive in and get you
0:36.6	living life on your terms. You are one conversation
0:40.2	closer to financial freedom. So now we know what money dysmorphia is, that distorted lens that makes us feel like we're failing financially, even when the math tells us a different story.
1:08.4	But here's the thing. This isn't just a mindset problem. It turns into
1:13.5	a behavior problem. It keeps us stuck. It leads us to overspend, undersave, and quietly beat
1:21.1	ourselves up for not being further along. Welcome to part two of our three-part series on Money Dismorphia in partnership with Backbone,
1:30.2	a national coalition of credit unions working to help people break free from their distorted
1:35.5	money beliefs. In this episode, I'm joined by Melissa Burleson, a certified financial counselor
1:42.4	at Tarrant County's credit union Union and someone who has seen it all,
1:46.6	from people who believe they're broke when they're not, to those that think they're rich
1:51.4	when they're dangerously close to the edge.
1:54.5	Melissa breaks down how money dysmorphia can show up in your daily habits,
1:59.2	like that paycheck that banishes by Wednesday, the Amazon
2:02.9	cart that magically refills itself, or the idea that a better FICO score will solve your whole
2:09.0	life. We also talk about how family patterns, childhood messaging, and social media all fuel
	...

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