67: Money Talks: Follow the Same Path

Money fights are one of the most common breaking points for couples, but they do not have to be. In this episode of Conversations for Couples, Julie and David Bulitt sit down with Dee Zimmerman, a financial relationship coach and money communication expert who blends Gottman informed communication tools with practical financial strategies to help couples manage money together, and manage it peacefully. Dee walks through why money is so hard to talk about in the first place (hint: it starts with the different families we grew up in), how the Four Horsemen of criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling show up in money conversations, and how her Wealth Partnership Pathway helps couples build emotional safety before they ever look at a spreadsheet. Julie and David also open up about their own early struggles with debt and how working through it together made their marriage stronger. What You'll Learn: - Why couples so often have completely different "money wiring" and what to do about it - How the Gottman Four Horsemen (criticism, contempt, defensiveness, stonewalling) show up specifically in financial conversations - What the Wealth Partnership Pathway looks like and why emotional safety has to come before numbers and systems - How to reignite honest conversations about money dreams without judgment - Julie and David's personal story of digging out of debt together early in their marriage - Dee's top two takeaways for couples who want to change how they talk about money About Dee Zimmerman:  Dee Zimmerman is a Financial Relationship Coach and Money Communication Expert, and the founder of Freedom Lab, where she helps couples lower the tension around money and build wealth as a team. Website: https://www.dzimmermanfinance.com Money Talks Quiz: https://www.dzimmermanfinance.com/quiz 7 Financial Blind Spots Guide: https://www.dzimmermanfinance.com/blind-spots Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dzimmermanfinance/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dzimmermanfinance LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dzimmermanfinance/ Email: [dee@dzimmermanfinance.com](mailto:dee@dzimmermanfinance.com) About Your Hosts:  Julie Bulitt is a licensed clinical social worker and family therapist. David Bulitt is a divorce and family lawyer. Together they host Conversations for Couples, the podcast. Website: https://thebulitts.com/ Follow The Bulitts: @TheBulitts on all major social media platforms Julie is not your therapist and David is not your lawyer. This podcast is meant for educational and entertainment purposes only.