Ep 177 – Money, Mindset, and Meaning: Natalie Angeloni on Financial Confidence

Ep 177 – Money, Mindset, and Meaning: Natalie Angeloni on Financial Confidence

Patti: Hi everybody. Welcome to the Patti Brennan Show. Whether you have $20 or $20 million, this show is for those of you who want to protect, grow, and use your assets to live your very best lives. I am so excited for today’s podcast. Joining me today is Natalie Angeloni. Natalie is a nurse like I am, but she has a great practice—and I’ll tell you the story about how we met in a moment. Natalie is an embodiment coach. So let’s start off, Natalie—do you mind explaining what exactly that is? You know, there are so many different types of coaching. Everybody wants to be a coach, but what I found about what you do is so unique and so helpful because you get to the root of things, don’t you?

Natalie: Yes, thank you for having me, Patti. Sure. So, a general coach asks powerful questions to spark new awareness. But an embodiment coach takes it a step further and asks not what you think about things, but how you feel about them. We believe that feeling—feeling the emotions associated with your goal, what you’re currently feeling, and what you want to feel—is really the key to moving forward and taking aligned action. Otherwise, we’re just thinking our way through and abandoning everything from the neck down. Our bodies hold a lot of story.

Patti: That’s what I find so interesting. It sounds kind of foo foo, but—and I’ll share my own story—I learned from someone you know. I was asked about the way I grew up. I’m one of seven kids, and when my parents fought, they always fought about money. And the person I was talking to asked, “Well, how did that make you feel?” That person was you, by the way. And I said, “It made me feel insecure. I was always worried we were going to lose our house.” That’s really hard for a little kid. And then you asked, “Is there any question as to why you became a financial planner?” For me, that was a mic drop moment. It feels good for me to understand and have power over what we do financially—because I didn’t feel that power at seven years old. Why don’t you tell the story of what happened and how we met?

Natalie: Yeah. I came into your office because I had been going through a transition in my life and started asking myself the hard questions. I began noticing how I had been avoidant around money and felt a lot of shame. Shame is a big, core wound emotion.

Patti: It is. It’s the worst. It’s not a four-letter word, but it is the worst emotion because it’s not helpful.

Natalie: Yeah. It can keep us in a shame spiral, and we get stuck. We can’t take the action we truly want to take. I think it’s important to notice when that comes up. I felt stuck, kind of frozen for a while—feeling insecure, scarce, scared about my future. I blamed myself for how I’d allowed myself to be disempowered. But instead of blaming others, I looked at my own role in my suffering. That’s important to me. Because if we just point fingers, we stay stuck. So I started asking: What do I know right now? What are my goals and desires for my future? What can I do to move myself forward? Then I received a random mailer with your beautiful face on it and said, “I’m going to meet this woman.” I felt a connection right away—knowing you’d been a nurse and understanding the grit that takes. I’m a nurse practitioner by trade, and I love that we share that. I got the mailer and knew I wanted to meet you—but I waited. I procrastinated. I was frozen. Making the appointment took a while, and gathering the documents was daunting. I cried. I felt that shame again. “How did I let this happen? Why don’t I know these passwords?” I had to ask for help. I was overwhelmed by all the jobs I’d had over the years—where were those 401(k)s? Companies merged, names changed, and I was stress-snacking and zoning out. I know people can relate: scrolling social media, checking emails—avoiding the task. Finally, I gathered enough to sit in front of you. Then the discomfort returned: “Oh Patti, I’m in trouble.” Or, “Am I going to be okay?”

Patti: And for what it’s worth, Natalie—I said it to you that day and I’ll say it again—you’re not alone. So many people go through that. Here at Key Financial, we’ve developed a process that works. That meeting we had? It’s a free consultation. I had one just this morning. There are so many people who don’t know what to do or where to go. If I can see your tax return, your statements, right then and there—we can hit the ground running. Like this morning, I told a couple: “If you do these four things, you’re good. You don’t need to pay us or anyone else—just keep in touch.” They were shocked—and liberated. It takes courage to realize you don’t have all the answers. Nobody does. And I think the fact that I used to be a nurse is actually an advantage. I had to learn all this stuff, and I understand how people feel walking down that hallway—or tuning into the Zoom. It’s hard to admit it, but important to feel the fear and do it anyway. There are people out there who want to help. Like you—what you do is fascinating. The goal isn’t a five-year coaching relationship. It’s to self soothe, to increase awareness. Stress releases cortisol—it’s like acid in your veins. Over time, it can kill you. The tools you teach help reduce stress so people can make better decisions.

Natalie: Yeah. It always comes down to safety—the safety we feel inside. Clients come to you because they want financial safety. But there isn’t a dollar amount that makes you inherently feel safe because of past patterns, family stories, and conditioning. These play out unconsciously. Even with support around us, if we can’t meet ourselves with compassion, we can’t take aligned action. In embodiment coaching, we prioritize feeling safe within the body. A client might come in with a goal, but by the end, it’s usually something else. I guide them through a 10-minute meditation. If someone is feeling anxious gathering financial documents, I suggest: feet on the floor, hands on your body somewhere soothing—heart, legs—feel the support beneath you. Become present. Notice your breath, your heartbeat. I talk them into their heart space—the part of you that was there the day you were born, before the world told you that you weren’t enough. That unstoried self. Then we go deeper—into the belly, the gut, where intuition lives. When you quiet the mind and remember the 90% of you below the head, there’s so much wisdom there. We’ve disconnected from it over time, ignored red flags, defaulted to logic. This process brings people back to the power and safety within themselves. From there, we work. We pause. We stay with emotions as they rise.

Patti: It’s fascinating how you frame things. That “unstoried” part—that’s so cool. Getting rid of the noise and stories we’ve taken as truth—when maybe they’re not.

Natalie: Exactly. It’s about questioning. Maybe the adults around us didn’t say it directly, but they had stories too. And they placed their misunderstandings on us. “Don’t worry about it.” “Mommy and Daddy got it.” A child feels something but is told to ignore it.

Patti: Empowerment is so important. You don’t have to do everything perfectly. Most people won’t die from making the wrong financial decision. Safety helps you move through tough times—and learn from them. I’ve been through rough times myself. Now, I know I’ll learn something—and help someone else. That’s the value. Once people can let go, delegate, and feel that release—it’s liberating. They don’t need to know all the tax or estate plan details. It’s a collaborative process. We explain things in a way they can understand. That’s where the nursing background really helps—clear communication. So to get to that place of safety—getting through that overwhelm—what was that like for you?

Natalie: Well, I definitely got stuck in inaction. I felt frozen.

Patti: What stories were you telling yourself? Were you saying, “I’m stupid, I don’t know this stuff?” I’m curious because I never get to ask people these questions.

Natalie: It’s vulnerable, yeah. But vulnerability is our superpower. We put on a mask like we have it all together. “I’ll figure it out.” “I’ve got time.” Or we default to our partner. We assume someone else will handle it—our boss, our spouse. But that keeps us from being accountable.

Patti: You told me a story about a couple you worked with who were always bailed out. Can you share that?

Natalie: Sure. This conversation is relevant for everyone—whether you come from privilege or not. Some people from modest backgrounds are thriving, while some who had “everything” have dug a deep hole. One partner might overspend, feel unworthy, and hide credit card debt, while the other is financially responsible. If someone’s parents bailed them out at 21, at 41 they may still look to mom and dad. There’s financial trauma—overs

Patti: I mean, it’s interesting, because I think when we talk about scarcity and abundance, we have an idea in our minds—like, there are people who’ve struggled in their lives, and there are people who have had more privilege. But this is such a relevant conversation for both groups. There are wealthy people, or people of privilege, who have really dug themselves into a deep hole. And there are people with more modest backgrounds who are absolutely killing it. You know—they have a savings account, a thriving relationship, they’ve planned for college, they take their vacation every year. Even though it’s tight, they make it happen. So it’s interesting to really open up your mind to both sides. And when you’ve defaulted to something outside of yourself to feel safe—say your parents or your spouse’s parents have bailed you out over the years—you’ve had a privileged background. You’ve gone to college, you have a successful career, you and your spouse both earn money, and from the outside, everything looks great. But maybe one partner doesn’t have a healthy relationship with money. They carry a deep core wound of unworthiness, they overspend, they rob Peter to pay Paul, they have multiple credit cards. The other partner has one—and they’re not communicating. And because that partner was bailed out at 21 by their parents, now they’re 41 and they’re calling mom and dad again, saying, “I’m in trouble.” Maybe they’re keeping it from their spouse. Or maybe both are wondering, “We were supposed to save for a house. What happened?” It all goes back to that money story. Even if someone has had a lot and hasn’t wanted for much, they can still carry financial trauma—whether it’s overspending, hoarding, underspending, financial abuse, or just a lack of integrity around money. And there are all kinds of reasons for that.

Natalie: Sure. Sure. It’s very interesting. A lot of people don’t recognize those patterns—like Amazon packages coming every day. That’s such a destructive habit. And unfortunately, these companies know exactly how to work with our brains. There’s that dopamine hit every time the package arrives. It’s retail therapy—call it whatever you want—but it’s so destructive. And your point about couples is spot on. Often one person takes care of the kids, and the other handles the money. But the communication isn’t happening. Then they turn around at 55 or 60, the kids are out of the house, and they’re asking, “Why are we still married?” The person who wasn’t involved in the decision-making is now unempowered, scared to death, and maybe staying in a relationship they shouldn’t be in—just because they’re afraid.

Patti: Yeah, there’s a lot of fear there. And that person might feel like they don’t have any way to make their life different. So, if people listening or watching want to learn more, I’d love to share what it’s like working with an embodiment coach and what they can expect. What I’ve heard from clients is this: we live in a world of instant gratification—like you said, the Amazon effect—but what’s the return on the investment? That’s the question. If you invest about eight weeks of your time and energy with me, it starts slow. We begin by exploring what’s going on for you. It’s an evolving conversation, because the initial goal is never the final destination. There’s always something deeper under the hood.

Natalie: Right? There’s always that “thing behind the thing.” What clients often experience around the six to eight-week mark is a deep shift. They begin to feel safer, more at peace. They make intuitive decisions instead of reactive ones. They let go of the urgency to do everything yesterday. They start acting from a place of alignment— reconnecting with their values and what really matters. And because we meet weekly, it becomes a practice. Some clients say it’s not about a million questions—it’s just one or two profound ones that linger all week. They’ll be pouring their coffee thinking, “How do I feel about X, Y, Z?” And that lingering sense of peace they feel after our sessions—that means the world to me. Because who doesn’t want to feel more peaceful? And to make decisions not from urgency, but from grounding. They’re not thinking their way through—they’re feeling their way through.

Patti: Wow. Eight weeks isn’t that long. It’s not a huge commitment, and it sounds life-changing for people. So how would someone get in touch with you?

Natalie: Yeah! I’m on Instagram: @natalieangeloni (all one word). There’s a link there to book with me, and you can always DM me as well.

Patti: That’s fantastic. Thank you so much for joining us, Natalie. I’ve learned so much today. I already have a few people I might send your way!

Natalie: My pleasure! And thank you for having me.

Patti: We all have our “stuff,” right? And there’s no judgment here. That’s what I love about your approach—there’s no shame. It just is. The goal is to identify it, so we can make more proactive and healthier decisions.

Natalie: Exactly. And I’d invite anyone preparing to meet with you or me to just notice what’s coming up for them somatically—in their body—as they gather the financial documents. Jot it down. Then, put your hand on your heart and say: I am not these numbers. I have power and agency over my financial future. I am learning a new way of being. Because when they sit in front of you, Patti, they’re going to learn that new way. They’re going to feel empowered.

Patti: I love that. You know, I say this all the time: you’re not a pie chart. You’re not your money. You’re a person—a couple—a family. You have dreams, values, things you care about. Let’s figure out what’s possible. And that’s a lot of fun.

Natalie: Exactly. And on the other side of that fear, it’s beautiful. But the only way through is through. You have to feel the feelings to reach that other side. And when you do—you’re a better version of yourself.

Patti: You know, I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately. All the “top 100” stuff, “number one in Pennsylvania,” sure—it’s great. But what’s really cool for me is watching the people here at Key Financial evolve. We’ve got brilliant people—like Evan, who’s here with us in the studio—but we’ve also got folks who came in with no financial experience. Former nursery school teachers, people from totally different backgrounds. And they’ve grown. That’s the most amazing part: we’re all learning and evolving. And we get to share that with others—just like you did today.

Natalie: Thank you so much, Patti.

Patti: Thank you, Natalie. And thank you to all of you for listening. I hope today’s conversation was as helpful for you as it was for me. Seriously—call Natalie. She’s incredible. I wish you could be here in the studio with us. It’s just pure love in here. Unconditional love. And that’s what it’s all about, right? Have a great day, a great weekend, or whenever you’re hearing this. And if you have any questions, go to our website at www.keyfinancialinc.com. Take care. Bye for now.