I make $250K a year but still have financial anxiety and debt. A financial therapist is helping me let go of my shame — and set myself up for the future.

• I make a good living as a freelance writer, but I still have debt and financial anxiety.
• There are some emotional reasons behind my financial habits and I recently sought help for both.
• Now, through therapy-informed financial counseling, I'm changing my patterns and getting on track.

Last year, I made $250,000 before taxes as a self-employed writer, yet I'm still in debt. While I could justify my financial situation easily — living in an expensive city like New York makes my $250,000 pre-tax income feel like about $90,000 after taxes — I also realized this spring that I have underlying emotional reasons that keep me stuck in negative financial patterns, and I'm ready to change them.