Welcome to another episode of the XYZ Podcast! This week, I sat down with my daughter and Gen Z co-host, Faith, to talk about financial literacy from our two very different generational perspectives.

It feels like everything is incredibly expensive all the time lately. We decided to sit down and discuss the stark differences in how we learned about personal finance, credit cards, and staying afloat. From my memories of surviving on tight paychecks to Faith navigating her gig income and dealing with tax season surprises, we are covering the realities of personal wealth without the shame. Plus, if you are one of our New Jersey listeners dealing with those wild temperature swings, grab a warm drink, get comfortable, and tune in.

Key Topics We Discuss

* The Generational Wealth Gap: Exploring the differences between entering the workforce as a Gen X graduate versus a Gen Z adult in today’s gig economy.

* Overcoming Financial Taboos: Why talking openly about your income with friends is an act of rebellion that builds stronger relationships.

* Budgeting Without the Guilt: Finding a system that works for your brain, whether that is a complex spreadsheet or a simple notebook and pen.

* Comparison Culture: How the internet makes us feel like everyone else has their finances figured out, and why that is usually a carefully curated illusion.

* Tax Season Lessons: The importance of understanding your pay stubs and what to look for before tax day arrives.

Episode Chapters

* Welcome to the Episode

* Learning Financial Literacy: Self-Taught vs. School

* Credit Cards, Debt, and Gen Z Fears

* Managing Irregular Income as a Creative

* Social Media and the Trap of Comparing Finances

* Taxes, W-2s, and Understanding Your Paycheck

* Why Simple Notebook Budgets Work

* Breaking the Taboo: Talking About Your Income

Resources Mentioned

* Faith’s current playlist favorites: “Click Clack Symphony” and “Where Is My Husband?” by Raye.

Leave a comment below and tell us about your own financial wins or struggles. Remember, you will always think of something!

Nearly a year after sending my daughter Faith off to college, we're finally sitting down to talk about what that transition really looked like — the messy, uncomfortable, growth-filled truth of it.

In this episode, Faith and I dig into what we're calling the "weeds of the week": growing pains. From both sides — me as a mom and a parenting professional, and Faith as the one who actually lived through it.

We cover:

- Why I drove six hours alone on Labor Day weekend — and why I'd do it again

- The isolation Faith felt as an out-of-state acting major navigating COVID anxiety on a relaxed-policy campus

- How that one visit helped her claim the campus as *her* place, not just a place she was surviving

- The sophomore housing decision I disagreed with (and never said "I told you so" about — until she figured it out herself)

- Why setting honest, low expectations for freshman year might be the best thing I did

- The car breakdown that proved Faith could handle real life without us

- Why parents who tailgate are actually doing their kids a favor (you're welcome)

- My one parenting tip: **ask questions instead of giving answers** — it's how you help them see without telling them what to see

Wonders this week:

- Family group chats — from Bruce Springsteen to March Madness, our core five is just *good*

- The Artemis 2 mission — I cannot talk about it without tearing up

Read/Watch/Listen:

- 📚 *Husbands and Lovers* by Beatrice Williams — a dual-timeline novel that doesn't feel fluffy

- 🎧 *Good Hang* with Amy Poehler — women my age being delightful

- 📚 *Sea of Tranquility* by Emily St. John Mandel — time travel you don't see coming (Faith)

- 🎧 Olivia Rodrigo's back catalog — Faith's deep dive ahead of the new album

**Moving to Substack!** Come find us there for community, full episodes, and everything in between. If you're on YouTube, subscribe. If you're on a podcast app, we'd love a review — it helps us reach more ears.

Until next time — take care of yourself, and keep looking for the wonder.

Are tech companies paying therapists to train their automated replacements?

In this episode of Wonder and the Weeds, I expose the troubling reality of artificial intelligence infiltrating the mental health space.

From electronic health records pushing AI note-taking to the alarming rise of social media self-diagnosis, I examine why human connection cannot be automated. Discover the critical difference between true therapeutic pattern recognition and the echo chamber of chatbot advice. I also discuss how normal trauma responses are frequently mislabeled as major personality disorders online.

In this episode, I cover:

• The AI Replacement Threat: Why tech companies are recruiting therapists to train language models.
• Privacy Concerns in Therapy: The risks of using AI software for patient notes and sensitive data.
• The TikTok Diagnosis Epidemic: Why you should stop letting the internet convince you that you have ADD, bipolar disorder, or narcissistic traits.
• Trauma vs. Red Flags: How to tell the difference between a trauma response and an actual toxic situation.
• My Weekly Recommendations: I share my current favorites, including a review of Abby Jimenez's book The Night We Met, the movie Is This Thing On, and live music highlights from Bruce Springsteen.

Connect with the Community: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Join the Women of Wonder community and get full episodes delivered straight to your inbox by subscribing to my new Substack!