Trauma Counselling
Financial Abuse — Counselling for Survivors of Economic Control
Financial abuse is a recognised form of domestic abuse and coercive control. If someone has used money to control, isolate, or diminish you, the psychological effects are real — and specialist support is available online across the UK.
NCPS Organisational Member
Professionally registered therapists
Free 15-minute consultation
★ ★ ★ ★ ★“I thought financial abuse was something that happened to other people. Therapy helped me see that what had happened to me had a name — and that the shame wasn’t mine to carry.”
Hope Therapy client, financial abuse recovery
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This page is part of our trauma therapy hub — visit for a full overview of our trauma therapy services.
What is financial abuse?
Financial abuse — sometimes called economic abuse — is the use of money and financial resources as a mechanism of power and control within a relationship. It is a recognised form of domestic abuse under the UK Domestic Abuse Act 2021, and a form of coercive control under the Serious Crime Act 2015.
Financial abuse can be difficult to identify, partly because it is rarely discussed as clearly as other forms of abuse, and partly because it is often framed by the perpetrator as practical common sense — keeping finances “organised”, managing money because one partner is “not good with it”, or making financial decisions “for the family’s benefit”. Over time, this framing can become internalised by the person being controlled.
Financial abuse does not require poverty or financial hardship to be real. It occurs across all income levels and relationship types. What defines it is not the amount of money involved but the use of financial control to create dependency, limit freedom, and exercise power over another person.
For broader context on coercive control and domestic abuse, see our pages on domestic abuse counselling and narcissistic abuse counselling.
Signs of financial abuse in a relationship
Financial abuse can take many forms. Some are overt; others are subtle and easy to mistake for normal relationship dynamics. Signs include:
Control of finances
Your partner controls all household finances, manages all accounts, and gives you an allowance — without transparency or shared decision-making.
Monitoring and scrutiny
Being required to account for every purchase, having spending monitored or questioned, or feeling that you need to justify ordinary expenses.
Employment sabotage
Being prevented from working, having work repeatedly disrupted, or being criticised for working in ways that create financial dependency on your partner.
Debt and credit abuse
Debt being accumulated in your name without your knowledge or consent, credit being used against you, or being forced to sign financial agreements under pressure.
Withholding money
Access to funds being withheld as punishment or control, being denied money for food, healthcare, clothing, or other basic needs.
Taking money or assets
Wages, benefits, savings, or inherited assets being taken, redirected, or controlled by the other person without genuine consent.
If several of these feel familiar, you do not need to be certain before reaching out. Counselling is available whether you are still in the relationship or out of it.
Economic abuse — the broader impact on independence
Economic abuse is a term sometimes used alongside or interchangeably with financial abuse. Where financial abuse focuses on direct control of money, economic abuse captures the broader restriction of economic autonomy — including limiting access to education or training, preventing career development, and creating conditions in which genuine financial independence becomes increasingly difficult to achieve or sustain.
The deliberate nature of economic abuse is important: it is not an accident of circumstance but a strategy. By creating financial dependency, the perpetrator makes it harder — sometimes practically impossible — for the other person to leave. This is the function of financial control in the context of domestic abuse: not merely to restrict spending, but to restrict freedom.
Under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, economic abuse is explicitly recognised as a form of abusive behaviour. This means financial abuse is not simply a relationship difficulty to manage — it is a form of harm that has legal recognition and that warrants real support.
The psychological impact of financial abuse
The psychological effects of financial abuse are significant and often persist long after the relationship has ended. They can be harder to identify than the effects of physical abuse — but they are no less real.
Common psychological effects include:
- Persistent anxiety around money — fear, hypervigilance, and distress relating to finances that continues even when the financial situation has improved
- Shame and self-blame — a belief that the financial situation was your fault, or that you should have been more capable of managing it
- Loss of confidence in independent decision-making — particularly around finances, but often extending to other areas of life
- Helplessness and dependency — a learned sense that you cannot manage independently, produced by years of being denied the opportunity to do so
- PTSD and trauma responses — financial abuse, particularly when combined with other forms of control, can produce trauma symptoms including intrusive memories, hypervigilance, and emotional numbing
- Difficulty rebuilding financial independence — both the practical challenges of recovering from financial damage and the psychological barriers to doing so
These effects are not evidence of weakness or poor judgement. They are the predictable consequences of sustained control and deliberate undermining. Counselling can help address both the psychological effects and the patterns of thinking and relating that financial abuse often produces.
How We Can Help
How therapy can help
Recovery from domestic abuse is a process — and the right therapeutic approach depends on where you are and what you need.
EMDR
Where financial abuse has been part of a broader pattern of coercive control or domestic abuse that has produced trauma responses — including hypervigilance, intrusive memories, or emotional numbing — EMDR can help process those experiences without requiring detailed retelling.
Learn more about EMDR →
For specialist trauma support, see our trauma therapy service page. For support with related forms of domestic abuse, see our domestic abuse counselling page.
What our clients say
Real experiences
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I hadn’t realised the anxiety I had about money — even years later — was connected to what had happened. Making that link in therapy changed everything.
Hope Therapy client, financial abuse recovery
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Being heard without judgement — and by someone who understood that it wasn’t my fault — was what I needed before I could do anything else.
Hope Therapy client
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The online sessions were ideal. Private, accessible, and I could work with a specialist without having to explain everything from scratch.
Hope Therapy client, coercive control recovery
Client experiences are unique. Results vary between individuals.
Getting Started
What to expect
Starting counselling for financial abuse is a significant step. Here is how the process works — simply and clearly.
1
Free consultation
Our free 15-minute consultation is a brief, confidential conversation — you do not need to share your full story, and there is no obligation to book sessions afterwards. We simply want to understand what kind of support you are looking for and whether we are the right fit.
2
Matched with a specialist
Based on your situation and preferences, we match you carefully with one of our 90+ qualified therapists — someone whose experience and approach suit your specific needs. If the match does not feel right, we will find someone else at no extra cost.
3
Begin at your own pace
Sessions are available online or face-to-face, which means you can access support privately and safely from wherever you are in the UK. All enquiries are treated in the strictest confidence.
Most clients hear back from us the same working day, and typically begin sessions within a week of the free consultation — depending on your preferences and therapist availability.
Standards you can trust
Our approach at Hope Therapy
Specialist matching, confidential, online nationwide — for adults (18+).
Non-judgemental, specialist support
We match you carefully with a therapist who has experience supporting people affected by financial abuse, coercive control, and relationship trauma. All sessions are online across the UK — privately, from wherever you are, without needing to travel.
The free 15-minute consultation is a brief, relaxed conversation. We simply want to understand what kind of support you are looking for and confirm whether we can provide it — no pressure, no obligation.
A careful match, not a long list
Therapist availability changes from week to week, so rather than asking you to choose from a directory, we take time during your free 15-minute consultation to understand what you are looking for — and then match you with a therapist suited to your needs.
During the consultation, we will ask about:
- What you would like the work to focus on, and any specific concerns you would like support with
- Whether you would prefer face-to-face counselling, online sessions, or a combination of the two
- Any preferences around therapy approach (counselling, CBT, EMDR, hypnotherapy, mindfulness, ACT, compassion focused therapy and others)
- Day and time availability that works around your life
- Any specialisms that matter to you — for example LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy, neurodiversity-affirming support, or particular life experiences
- Practical preferences — for example therapist gender, age range, or shared lived experience where that matters to you
All therapists we work with are qualified and registered with appropriate UK professional bodies, and we will confirm the most suitable options with you before any sessions begin.
Professional standards across our team
Hope Therapy & Counselling Services has been operating since 2014, and we hold Organisational Membership with the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS). We work in line with the NCPS Code of Ethics and BACP Good Practice, and our wider clinical standards include:
- Qualified, professionally registered therapists across the team — registrations vary per therapist and are confirmed before matching
- Ongoing clinical supervision in line with professional body requirements
- Continuing professional development to maintain and develop practice
- Clear confidentiality standards, with limits explained before sessions begin
- Client-centred, non-judgemental and inclusive practice across all areas of identity and experience
- Founder-led clinical oversight from Ian Stockbridge — MBACP (Senior Accredited) – who continues to lead the practice and oversee its standards
Whether you choose face-to-face counselling near you or online therapy from anywhere in the UK, you can expect to be matched with a therapist who is appropriately qualified and suited to the support you are looking for.
Transparent Pricing
Our fees
No hidden costs. Your therapist and fees are discussed during your free consultation.
Counselling
From £65
per 50-minute session
- Trauma-informed counselling
- Online via Zoom or telephone
- Face-to-face where available
EMDR
From £95
per 50-minute session
- Specialist trauma processing
- Available online across the UK
- No detailed retelling required
CBT
From £85
per 50-minute session
- Rebuilding confidence and agency
- Practical, structured support
- Online or face-to-face
Looking for a more affordable option? We may be able to offer sessions at a reduced rate — just ask during your free consultation.
London clients: Location-adjusted rates may apply. Please ask during your free consultation and we will confirm the exact fee before you commit to anything.
A printable overview of our trauma & PTSD counselling — useful to keep or share.
Common Questions
Frequently asked questions
What are the signs of financial abuse?
Signs of financial abuse include: your partner controlling all household finances and giving you an allowance; being denied access to bank accounts or financial information; having to account for every purchase; being prevented from working or having your employment disrupted; debt accumulated in your name without your knowledge; being forced to hand over wages or benefits; and having savings or assets taken without genuine consent. Financial abuse often accompanies other forms of domestic abuse.
Is financial abuse a form of domestic abuse?
Yes. Under the UK Domestic Abuse Act 2021, financial abuse is explicitly recognised as a form of domestic abuse. It is also a form of coercive control — a criminal offence under the Serious Crime Act 2015. It does not require physical violence to be serious, harmful, or legally significant.
What is the psychological impact of financial abuse?
Financial abuse causes significant psychological harm, including persistent anxiety around money (even after the relationship has ended), shame and self-blame, loss of confidence in independent decision-making, helplessness and learned dependency, and PTSD symptoms where the financial control was part of broader coercive abuse. These effects are not signs of weakness — they are the predictable consequences of deliberate, sustained control.
Can I get counselling if I am still in a financially abusive relationship?
Yes. You do not need to have left before seeking support. Counselling is a confidential space that is entirely yours — there is no agenda around decisions about your relationship, and the pace is led by you.
What is economic abuse?
Economic abuse is a term used interchangeably with financial abuse. It describes the use of financial and economic resources as a mechanism of control — including restricting access to money, preventing employment, creating financial dependency, and accumulating debt in a partner’s name. It is recognised under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 as a specific form of abusive behaviour.
How does therapy help after financial abuse?
Therapy helps by addressing the psychological effects of financial abuse — shame, anxiety, hypervigilance, loss of confidence, and learned helplessness — alongside the broader trauma of having been in a controlling relationship. It does not provide financial or legal advice, but it can help you develop the internal resources to make decisions about your future from a stronger foundation.
Still have questions? The free consultation is the easiest way to ask them — no pressure to book sessions.
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Meet Our Founder
Built by someone who saw the need from the inside
★
SCoPEd Band C
MBACP & SNCPS Senior Accredited
“Having worked for more than 25 years in senior management, I saw the same thing repeatedly — people struggling with mental health and relationship challenges, and so often struggling to access the right support when it was needed. It was out of this recognition of human need that Hope was born.”
Ian Stockbridge founded Hope Therapy after 25+ years leading large commercial teams – watching colleagues carry stress, anxiety, and personal difficulty with nowhere to turn. He retrained rigorously, now holding Senior Accredited status with both the BACP and NCPS, alongside SCoPEd Band C — the highest independent competence verification in the UK counselling profession.
He remains a practising therapist, clinical supervisor, published author of PMDD Uncovered, and co-presenter of The Talk Room Podcast. Hope Therapy was built on the things he saw were most broken – and designed, from the ground up, to do better.
MBACP (Senior Accredited)
SNCPS (Acc)
SCoPEd Band C
BSc (Hons) CBT
PGCert Supervision L7
Quality Award 2024 — 95%+
The shame is not yours to carry
A free, no-obligation 15-minute conversation. No pressure, no script — just a chance to be heard, ask questions, and see whether we feel like the right fit.
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Start your enquiry
Not sure where to start? Send us a message and a member of our team will get back to you. All enquiries are treated in the strictest confidence.
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“From the very first phone call, I felt heard. They didn’t rush me — they helped me work out what I needed.”
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NCPS Organisational Member
Est 2014
90+ Qualified Therapists
National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies
Individual registrations vary per therapist. Last reviewed: May 2026.