28. When Plans Fall Apart: Navigating Client Disappointment and Your Own Emotional Response

Planning & Beyond®

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In this case consultation episode, Ashley teams up with fellow advisor and podcast host Yohance Harrison to tackle a challenge many financial advisors face: when carefully crafted plans fall apart due to circumstances beyond anyone's control. Yohance brings a real scenario involving clients whose homebuying dreams were derailed by skyrocketing interest rates and housing prices, creating emotional challenges for both advisor and clients.

This vulnerable conversation explores the often-overlooked emotional landscape advisors navigate when plans don't work out as expected. Ashley guides Yohance through a framework for understanding the three critical components of difficult client scenarios: the advisor's emotional response, the client's experience, and the relational dynamics between them.

Through honest discussion, you'll discover how to manage your own feelings of defeat and self-doubt when plans fall short, while learning practical strategies for supporting disappointed clients. The episode demonstrates how vulnerability and transparency can actually strengthen advisor-client relationships, even in challenging circumstances.

Whether you're dealing with market volatility, unexpected life changes, or external factors that derail client goals, this episode provides a roadmap for navigating these situations with emotional intelligence and professional confidence.

Key Takeaways:

1. Recognize the Three Components: Every difficult client scenario involves your emotional response, the client's experience, and the relational dynamics between you—address all three for effective resolution.
2. Validation Before Information: Clients need emotional validation before they're ready to receive technical solutions or alternative strategies.
3. Ask Permission to Share Perspective: Pause and gain permission before jumping into advisor mode—this prevents wasted energy and creates space for clients to process emotions.

Resources and Guest Information:

• Yohance Harrison LinkedIn
• MoneyScript Wealth Management
• MoneyScript Podcast - available on all platforms
• Only Human Podcast - AI in financial services
• Becoming an Attending Podcast - for physicians in training

Connect with Host Ashley Quamme:

• Podcast Website: Planning & Beyond
• LinkedIn: Ashley Quamme - Licensed Therapist & Financial Behavior Specialist
• Beyond the Plan®: Financial psychology integration for advisory practices