Our mission is to support relational and financial well-being for all.
Money and relationships are two of the most powerful forces shaping our lives — and they're deeply connected. Financial stress affects mental health. Relationship dynamics influence financial decisions. Yet these dimensions are rarely addressed together in clinical practice, research, or professional training.
The field of financial therapy has been growing since 2009, and its relevance has never been greater. Economic pressures, rising costs of living, and increased awareness of mental health have made these connections impossible to ignore. People need professionals who understand them.
The Love and Money Center sits at the intersection of top-tier programs in couple and family therapy and financial planning — a rare combination that positions us to meet this moment.
Whether you're seeking services, exploring training opportunities, or interested in our research and outreach, we invite you to join us as we continue our story...
-
Our Story Begins
The Love and Money Center began as the ASPIRE Clinic, providing interdisciplinary support services to the Athens community. For over a decade, we offered a range of services reflecting a holistic vision of wellbeing.
-
Refining Our Vision
In 2024, we refined our focus to where we could make the deepest impact: the intersection of relational and financial health. This wasn't about doing less - it was about doing what we do best, with greater intention and expertise. We became the Love and Money Center for Relational and Financial Well-Being.
-
Expanding Our Capacity
In 2025, the launch of a new Master's in Couple and Family Therapy program expanded our training capacity, bringing more student therapists to serve the community.
-
Session Recording System Upgrade
We are hoping to upgrade our professional-grade session recording system. Check out the section below for how you can support this project and be part of our story!
Join Our Mission
Help Us Upgrade Our Session Recording System
The Love and Money Center uses professional-grade videorecording technology to securely capture therapy and financial planning sessions for expert supervision and review. This industry-leading system allows students to get the most out of their practicum experience by accelerating their learning through detailed session analysis and real-time feedback.
In 2025 alone, 50 students provided over 750 sessions to 100+ clients, saving our community over $100,000 in mental health and financial planning services. Students work with clients across multiple appointments, developing strong relationships that build trust and help clients achieve their goals. The video system elevates this high-quality, supervised care, transforming good clinical experience into exceptional preparation for professional practice.
When challenging situations arise, supervisors can observe sessions live from another room and step in immediately to support students. Students and supervisors review recordings together or independently, adding timestamped feedback at critical moments and documenting skill development over time to support accreditation standards. This iterative cycle—observe, analyze, adjust, practice—accelerates learning while ensuring clients receive progressively better care. Students build the skills that will serve thousands of families throughout their careers. This level of sophisticated, video-based supervision is the gold standard in experiential education.
This upgrade will:
- Add intuitive recording buttons in each therapy room—a simple on/off switch with an indicator light that ensures students never miss capturing a session
- Replace aging camera equipment to ensure every student has equal access to high-quality video supervision across all seven clinic rooms
- Streamline the recording process so students can focus entirely on client care rather than managing technology
Or scan this QR code:
Questions? Contact Dr. Megan Ford