Feminist Perspectives on Women, Money, and Psychology

Feminist Perspectives on Women, Money, and Psychology lays the groundwork for an integrative and well-rounded understanding of how history and oppression have shaped women’s financial experiences, and offers a path forward for scholars, clinicians, and others seeking more informed, equitable approaches to money.

The book presents an expansive view of various aspects of the intersection of women, money, and psychology, aiming to be useful both personally and professionally. In doing so, it addresses a critical gap in scholarship, exploring how historical and systemic forces have influenced women’s relationships with money. Each chapter focuses on a different theme, including historical background, relationships, work, motherhood, identity, clinical practice, and action and advocacy. Drawing from feminist psychology, developmental psychology, and sociology, it provides an intersectional analysis that highlights the unique experiences of women of color and LGBTQIA+ women. A lifespan perspective offers insight into how financial attitudes and challenges evolve from childhood through older adulthood.

Many chapters thoughtfully incorporate research and information from fields including history, economics, sociology, social psychology, gender studies, law and public policy, and cultural anthropology. Throughout the book, vignettes woven into the text highlight the power of storytelling, making this academic volume accessible to wide audiences seeking meaningful change.

Series Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction: The Psychology of Women's Financial Lives

• Chapter 1. From Legal Exclusion to Financial Agency: A History of Women and Money
• Chapter 2. Women, Partnership, and Money: A Look Inside Marriage and Dating
• Chapter 3. Women, Work, and Money: Pay Gaps, Worth, and the Psychology of Earning
• Chapter 4. Motherhood and Money: Care, Value, and the Economics of Motherhood
• Chapter 5. Women and Money Throughout the Lifespan: Developmental, Social, and Economic Shifts Over Time
• Chapter 6. Integrating Financial Psychology into Clinical Practice: Assessing and Treating Money-Related Distress in Women
• Chapter 7. Clinical, Policy, and Cultural Pathways Forward: An Invitation to Action and Advocacy

References

Index

About the Author

Courtney Crisp, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, writer, and speaker specializing in the intersection of mental health, money, and identity. Her work is grounded in a trauma-informed, antioppressive, and neurodiversity-affirming approach, with expertise in financial psychology, eating disorders, and severe mental health. She teaches multicultural counseling at Pepperdine University, emphasizing intersectionality and culturally responsive care. Dr. Crisp is the author of the Psychology Today blog Your Emotions and Money and former editor of The Feminist Psychologist. She also wrote the children’s book How Kingston Got His Stripes. She lives in Long Beach, California, with her family.