I’m Lindsey!
I’m Lindsey Konchar, a licensed mental health professional and certified financial coach, focused on shame-free living. I’m here to help you cope with money – shame free.
As a licensed social worker specializing in financial therapy, and a wife and mom of two, I bring unique experience, both personally and professionally, to understanding how to live a life full of health and wealth.
I started Coping with Lindsey as a creative way to share resources and provide helpful information. And I’m honored to be part of your journey!
My Journey and Credentials
After receiving my undergraduate degree in psychology, I went on to earn my Master’s in Social Work. I’m currently licensed in Minnesota as a Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW) and am a Certified Financial Social Worker and Coach.
My main area of focus was Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), until becoming a stay-at-home mama in 2020. A mere 9-months into motherhood, I missed my profession and decided to put my clinical skills to use.
I wrote a friggin’ book! In June of 2022, I became a published author.
The ultimate guide to bettering mental health, I Got 99 Coping Skills and Being a B*tch Ain’t One, is a quippy, sarcastic, yet informative starter pack to improving mental health!
After having my second baby, it was time for a something new. Again, I embarked on a new (and more specific) type of social work: Financial Social Work.
In May of 2023, I became a Certified Financial Social Worker to provide shame-free financial coaching. I want everyone to know:
Money isn’t just a math problem; there is always so much more to the equation!
Trusted By:
My Why: Normalizing SHAME-FREE Living Matters
Life is hard enough without perpetually feeling shame and guilt for every decision we make.
Now, it’s my mission to openly talk about taboo topics and normalize the ups and downs of life. Here, we will discuss money, mental health, motherhood, and marriage – the good, the bad, and the ugly.
I’ll share how I navigated an ectopic pregnancy. I’ll be blunt about how sh*tty it is when Kinsley won’t stop pooping in the bath tub (pun very much intended). And I’ll be a total sap about how much I love and adore my babies.
Here you’ll learn how to transform your relationship with money, use money as a tool to accomplish all your goals, and ensure you’re prioritize yourself (that includes financial self-care). And you can do all of this without feeling shame or guilt.
These posts are made to inspire, educate, and empower you. I’m so glad you’re here, joining me on the journey!
5 Things to Know About Me:
- My kids, Kinsley and Dakota, are incredible tiny humans, and I’m basically obsessed with them.
- The first date with my husband was super lame, and I thought I’d never talk to him again. Then, two and a half years later, I married him.
- I wrote a book titled I Got 99 Coping Skills and Being a B*tch Ain’t One, and it’s awesome.
- I reference the show, FRIENDS, way too much. (Peep the shirt in photo below.)
- I encompass a basic bitch starter pack. Starbucks, Fall, Juicy tracksuits; all of it.
My Money Story
The earliest memory I have about money was buying my first stuffed animal, Morgan the Brittany Spaniel, with my own, hard-earned allowance at the ripe old age of 6.
While my first money memory was a happy one, I can’t say that’s true for most of my money experiences throughout my childhood and adolescent years.
My parents hardly talked about money. And if money was talked about, it was fought about. Money constantly felt scarce and was a source of contention for the majority of my life.
During my parents’ divorce, money became an even bigger issue. With both my mom and dad stressing and fighting about finances, I perceived money as the problem. It seemed evil, greedy, and evasive.
But the things is, money wasn’t the problem. In fact, it never is. People’s relationship with money is the problem.
Fast forward 15 years, and I’m proud to say my relationship with money has transformed. It’s healthy, steady, and simple.
I’ve put the hard work into understanding that money is never just a simple math problem. Rather, it has an unavoidable emotional component to it.
I appreciate that good money habits are a form of financial self-care, which is just as important at eating well, staying hydrated, getting sunlight, and prioritizing exercise.
Finally, I know that all the goals and dreams I want to achieve in life have a financial component. And in order to reach my full potential, I need to have a positive relationship with money including spending, saving, giving, and investing.
Now, as a Financial Therapist, I get to educate people about personal finance and help others transform their relationship with money, too!
My Motherhood Journey
My husband, AJ, and I were married on September 14th, 2019. We immediately started trying for kids, and it took 5 months for us to get pregnant.
It’s a weird phenomenon. We spend our entire lives trying to prevent pregnancy, and then one day, we’re just ready.
Living in an instant gratification culture means we want everything now. But the journey to motherhood isn’t always in our control. In the grand scheme of things, 5 months isn’t a long wait. But when you’re in it, it feels agonizing.
We found out I was pregnant on February 6th, 2020, while on our honeymoon in Oahu, Hawaii, and we were elated.
My (First) Birth Story
On October 6th at 2:30 in the afternoon, my contractions started. They were high intensity; coming every 2 minutes and lasting 1-1.5 minutes. I labored at that rate for just over three hours with no progress; I was only dilated 1cm.
I opted for the epidural. After administering Pitocin and artificially breaking my water, I finally started to make progress. I was fully dilated at 10:00pm.
Unfortunately, we experienced some complications. I spiked a fever and the care team momentarily lost our baby’s heartbeat, among other things. We needed the NICU team.
After pushing for two hours (and starting to beg for a c-section), the doctor recommended I try a few more pushes with the assistance of forceps. 7 pushes later, she was here.
Our healthy baby girl, Kinsley Louise was born on October 7th, 2020 at 4:08am.
Fourth Trimester and Beyond
The first 28 days of motherhood felt like pure bliss. I couldn’t believe I was a mom to the most beautiful baby. AJ was incredibly helpful. He picked up around the house, made meals, changed diapers, and catered to my every need.
But soon the bliss turned into blues. Then the blues turned into full on bleakness. I was experiencing the trifecta of postpartum mental illness: postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, and postpartum rage.
I didn’t understand it. I was a clinical social worker with every resource at my disposal. I had studied perinatal mental health. I had counseled postpartum moms. How could this be happening to me?
Despite my mental downturn, I was still a present and engaged mom. Kinsley was the absolute light of my life, yet I felt broken inside. After sitting in the depths of despair for months, I decided to take back control of my life.
In addition to Kinsley being my priority, I started to make myself a priority. I did things like integrate her into my life by taking her on solo hikes. I asked my village for help.
Start reading: Maternity Hiking Pants: What to Wear on the Trail
And I started writing my book, I Got 99 Coping Skills and Being a B*tch Ain’t One. I realized that when I became a stay-at-home mama, I had lost a big part of my identity – Social Worker.
I’m happy to report, the fog lifted. When I started to make those necessary lifestyle changes, I started to feel so. much. better. I became a better wife, a better friend, a better mom, and ultimately, a better person.
My (Second) Birth Story
On December 2nd, two days past my due date, we had a clinic appointment. Dakota hadn’t been moving around quite as much as usual, so we chose to do a non-stress test.
While in triage, the midwife noticed my blood pressure was elevated. That, in combination with a few other factors (headaches, dizzy spells, and protein in my urine), they promptly admitted me for induction.
I was officially admitted at 8:30pm. Already dilated to 2cm have having irregular contractions, we started Pitocin in hopes my labor would move along quickly. I labored until 3am and made it to 4cm, before the care team decided I wasn’t making progress fast enough.
I received my epidural and they artificially broke my water at 3am. Two and a half hours later, I was fully dilated. 35 minutes of pushing and Dakota “Koko” was born at 6:11am on December 3rd, 2022.
All in all, it was an uneventful labor – much different than my experience with Kinsley – and exactly what a mama could hope for.
Kinsley is still the light of my life, and now, Koko is, too. The transition from mom-of-one to mom-of-two isn’t easy, but I’m here to keep it real with you every step of the way.
Let’s Get To Know Each Other
That’s me, but I’m curious to know you. Pop in to my email and tell me a thing or two about what you like to do! 🎶 I’ll be here for you 🎶
Features
Being featured in various prints and podcasts is something I feel great pride in! Here are some other places you can find me:
Article Features
Today – How to get over a heartbreak: 10 ways to heal your heart and move forward
The Atlantic – Should Friends Offer Honesty or Unconditional Support?
UpJourney – How to Check In With Yourself (According to Therapists)
UpJourney – Why Is Failure Important in Life? (30+ Reasons Why)
Emotional Intelligence Magazine – Strategies to Manage Your Well-Being During the Holiday Season
Affordable Colleges – Expert Q&A Section with Lindsey Konchar
Podcast Features
