Money Demons

Are you and your partner having financial problems? Bad news, says Dr. Susan Forward, who believes that money conflicts between men and women can seriously jeopardize relationships, and often stem from deep-seated issues. Forward, who has counseled financially distraught patients for years, has found that women who spend compulsively may be compensating for lost dreams: "Many women who played music, painted, danced, wrote, acted, or showed promise in some other art form when they were younger, or who once had professional aspirations, have had to give up their art or aspirations for marriage, family, or financial reasons." Although she doesn't believe that compulsive spending is a substitute for their dreams, "it is a way for these women to act out some of the frustration and resentment they feel." And such actions may lead to other symptoms, as women deprive themselves of their just worth, sabotage their success, and live in debt. Filled with insightful, if somewhat quirky, anecdotes, this book could be the answer many couples living under the stress of financial difficulties are looking for. --Cate Bick