Mark Fellin specializes in financial therapy that helps individuals, couples and families to increase financial competency, challenge and build awareness of their beliefs, values and attitudes towards money. Mark is a Registered Social Worker who holds a Master of Social Work and Master of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Mark has over 20 years’ experience working in the field of mental health and addictions with children, adults and families. He is currently a Program Manager for outpatient mental health programs at St. Joseph’s Health Care Hamilton. Mark has expertise in the areas of financial investment and planning. Mark works at the intersection of the practical and the emotional areas of finance. On the practical side, this includes developing strategies and systems to help individuals and couples grow their savings, improve their investment portfolio and/or plan for their retirement or children’s future. On the emotional side, Mark explores the ways finances impact the individual’s emotional well-being, mental health and relationships.
Mark believes that early experiences shape the way we deal with money in our adult lives, including our relationships. He helps people recognize their self-defeating patterns of thinking and replace them with healthier ones. There is a clear mental health link between finances and mental health. Mark believes money can be very stressful, but that it is possible for people to have a healthy and positive relationship with money.
Mark is especially interested in working couples who are living beyond their means, have different beliefs and attitudes towards how money should be spent, experience conflict over whether to merge finances, hold differing views of child-related expenses and/or live with anxiety or confusion about money. Mark works with couples to identify one another’s strengths and learn how to have regular financial dialogue. He focuses on each person’s emotional relationship with money to understand how their attitudes and perceptions about money lead to conflict in the relationship. Mark is also interested in working with individuals who are looking for support regarding inherited wealth, retirement and financial planning for children or future generations. He enjoys providing both financial education and psychoeducation.
Mark also works with individuals who have money disorders including financial infidelity, compulsive shopping, and other dysfunctional relationships with money. He helps with both the emotional and behavioural aspects of money. Mark’s approach to financial therapy is holistic and strengths-based. He draws from evidence-based practice to tailor treatment for clients using narrative, cognitive behavioural, interpersonal and client-centered therapies.
Many Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and extended health care plans will cover services rendered by a Registered Social Worker.
