Clare Dubé lives by a simple principle: saving money while preserving relationships. Her mission is to open conversations about a subject that remains taboo for many — money.
Dubé is the co-founder and Chief Financial Officer of the Financial Social Work Collaborative, established in January 2024. At the collaborative, she teaches financial self-care to social workers, caregivers, and other helping professionals, facilitating discussions around money thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. She also founded Clare Dubé Financial Therapy in 2004, specialising in guiding individuals and couples through money conflicts to improve communication, behaviours, and relationships surrounding finances.
A Personal Journey into Financial Therapy
Originally from Connecticut, Dubé now divides her time between her home in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and her native state. She admits she was “terrible with money” in her youth, but her perspective changed while working with clients in her family’s custom home-building business. Here, she experienced her first encounters with financial conflict over change orders and the added expenses they created.
“I saw and heard a lot of battles over money, and at first I was taken aback by them,” she said. “But then I became fascinated by it.”
Dubé earned a degree in finance from Nichols College, followed by further studies in social sciences at Albert Magnus College.
“When I went to school for social sciences, I got more of the human side of the money aspect,” she explained. “That’s how I fell into financial social work. I never thought this would be a career path. It just came about by my being curious about it.”
Today, her focus is largely on the Financial Social Work Collaborative, training certified financial social workers to build their practices, work with clients, and manage their own finances effectively.
“I’m helping to build new financial social workers, to help them build their practices, work with clients, and handle their own money aspects, so they can better support their clients,” she said.
Social Workers on the Front Line
The discipline of financial social work was founded by Reeta Wolfson, who also popularised the concept of “femonomics” — exploring how the “gender of money” affects women, men, children, and families. Dubé explains that femonomics evolved into financial social work, with social workers themselves becoming the first beneficiaries of the practice.
“Social workers are on the front lines of people needing help,” she said. “They often struggle with money, yet it’s somewhat taboo to talk about it. But money touches everything social workers work with. Wolfson had this brilliant insight — it’s about discussing the human side of money. It goes beyond spreadsheets and budgets; it’s about emotional and financial trauma behind money.”
Dubé notes that money often symbolises an individual’s belief system, making “personal finance” deeply personal.
“Social work encompasses so many skills,” she added. “Those skill sets are so broad and in demand that there’s no need to cling to outdated beliefs that you work for outcomes, not income. You can do good and still make money — there’s no shame in taking a paycheck.”
Couples, Conflict, and the Fascination of Money
Dubé describes her work with couples experiencing money conflict as “a fascinating dynamic.” While money often brings couples to her for help, underlying issues frequently emerge.
“It’s really about the money messages they received or interpreted growing up and the culture they brought into the relationship,” she said.
Dubé draws on her own experience as the youngest of four children, noting that her siblings experienced a different financial environment due to their parents’ improved circumstances by the time she was born. She and her husband also came from differing financial backgrounds, learning to reconcile their experiences to achieve shared financial goals.
Many conflicts arise from the adage that “opposites attract,” she said:
“Often, someone is attracted to the opposite because it’s something they don’t have themselves. Frequently, one partner is a spender and the other a saver. These differences create both attraction and friction.”
Initially, Dubé required both partners to attend sessions together, but she later adapted the approach:
“We meet together first to get acquainted, then work individually. Often, someone won’t share fully in the other’s presence. I saw better growth, faster connections, and less conflict when we started together and then met separately.”
SMARTchats: A Structured Approach
Dubé uses her SMARTchats process (Saving Money And Relationships Together) to guide conversations around money thoughts, beliefs, and emotions. This method addresses financial stress, shame, and anxiety, fostering healthier behaviours.
“It’s a three-step process: first, clarity — because you can’t make decisions without data. Then, action on discussed items. Finally, review and tweak to ensure progress continues. SMARTchats aren’t just for couples — they apply to relationships with friends, colleagues, and bosses. Money touches every aspect of life, and these conversations foster healthier behaviours.”
Triggers prompting people to seek Dubé’s guidance often include life events such as children going to university, divorce, forced early retirement, caregiving responsibilities, or financially supporting adult children.
“The ‘sandwich generation’ is becoming the ‘panini generation,’ pressed harder than previous generations,” she said. “Conversations about long-term care and financial planning are increasingly necessary.”
Addressing Complex Financial Relationships
Dubé also works with business partners, noting the unique challenges involved:
“Life partners are easier to guide, as family dynamics are more straightforward. Business partners often involve other partners who may interfere, adding extra layers of complexity.”
A common mistake she sees is ignoring financial issues entirely:
“When you avoid financial realities, you create distorted perceptions. For example, couples often underestimate expenses like groceries or utilities. Avoidance magnifies fear. Facing facts is the only way to resolve financial conflicts.”
Conclusion
Clare Dubé’s work demonstrates that financial well-being and healthy relationships are inseparable. Through her innovative approaches, she guides clients in addressing money conflicts, improving communication, and fostering both personal and professional growth. Her SMARTchats, financial therapy, and educational efforts with social workers exemplify the power of understanding the human side of money — proving that it is possible to save money and strengthen relationships at the same time.