27. 3 Essential Skills Every Financial Advisor Needs to Master Client Psychology Artwork

Planning & Beyond®

Planning & Beyond® transforms how financial advisors approach client relationships by bridging psychological insights with practical planning strategies. Hosted by Ashley Quamme, a licensed therapist and financial behavior specialist, each episode delivers actionable techniques you can implement in your next client meeting.

Unlike traditional financial planning podcasts that focus primarily on technical aspects, Planning & Beyond® explores the behavioral and psychological elements that shape client relationships. Through in-depth conversations with leading experts in behavioral finance, financial psychology, and financial therapy, you'll gain evidence-based strategies to navigate emotional client situations, build lasting trust, and create more meaningful relationships.

Whether you're preparing for discovery meetings, helping clients through major life transitions, or looking to deepen client connections, you'll walk away from each episode with practical tools and confident approaches to enhance your practice. Join a community of advisors who understand that exceptional financial planning goes beyond the numbers.

Topics include:

Mastering discovery and prospect meetings
Navigating difficult money conversations
Understanding client psychology
Building trust and deepening relationships
Managing emotional client situations
Enhancing communication skills
Developing behavioral finance strategies
Supporting clients through life transitions

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Planning & Beyond®

27. 3 Essential Skills Every Financial Advisor Needs to Master Client Psychology

June 19, 2025 • Ashley Quamme

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Season 2 is officially here! In this Season 2 kickoff, host Ashley Quamme, licensed therapist and financial behavior specialist reveals the three essential psychological skills that separate good advisors from great ones. Drawing from behavioral finance research, therapeutic communication techniques, and real client scenarios, Ashley demonstrates how mastering strategic listening, identifying emotional triggers, and creating psychological safety transforms not just client relationships, but business outcomes. Whether you're navigating emotional client meetings or looking to deepen discovery conversations, this episode provides the foundational framework for everything we'll explore throughout Season 2.

Key Takeaways:

Move beyond traditional active listening to "strategic listening"—observing body language, energy shifts, tone changes, and what clients aren't saying. Research shows professionals trained in nonverbal sensitivity have significantly better client relationships. Start with whole-body check-ins and resist the "righting reflex" to gather complete information about your client's true experience.
Learn to identify when clients shift from analytical to emotional decision-making mode. Watch for sudden decision pattern changes, disproportionate responses, and topic avoidance. Use "decision temperature checks" and develop pause phrases to help clients integrate feelings with rational analysis for better outcomes.
Establish conditions where clients feel safe sharing real financial fears, mistakes, and dreams. Use collaborative language, normalize struggles, and validate concerns before offering solutions. When clients feel psychologically safe, they become more open, follow through on recommendations, and stay engaged during difficult conversations.

Resources and Host Information:

Take Action:

Implement Strategic Listening This Week: In your next 2-3 client meetings, practice whole-body check-ins and look for moments when words don't match body language or tone.
Case Consultation Interest: Email hello@beyondthefp.com with "Case Consultation Interest" in the subject line to discuss participating in upcoming episodes.
Help Fellow Advisors Grow: Leave us a review and share this episode with colleagues who want to deepen their client relationships beyond the numbers.

Connect with Host Ashley Quamme: