I’m Emma Boardwell, Founder of Emotional Finance
Drawing on my background in both psychotherapy and financial services, I support firms to build stronger, more trusted relationships through relationally intelligent advice.
“Having spent 20+ years in finance, I can say first hand that Emotional Finance has the power to revolutionise the industry. Emma can support a much needed change in the way we meet and work with each other and our clients as financial advisors and coaches.”
— Sara, Wealth Coach
Before founding Emotional Finance, I ran a successful private psychotherapy practice and training consultancy for over 12 years. I was widely recognised for my expertise in Gestalt psychotherapy, and especially group work—contributing to the SAGE Handbook of Counselling and Psychotherapy (5th ed), hosting national conferences, and consulting for training programmes across the field.
Now, I bring that same depth of relational insight to financial services—working with business owners, senior managers, and leadership teams to strengthen trust, deepen client relationships, and develop the soft skills that drive performance.
My work is insightful, incisive, and infused with warmth. I help firms—and the professionals within them—notice more, understand more, and do more with the human dynamics at play in client relationships.
This isn’t about box ticking or scripts. It’s about going deeper—changing how your team shows up with clients so they become the trusted go-to advisers your business needs. It’s a powerful shift. I’d love to help you make it.
How I got here
My journey into financial services began when I bought a book on personal finance for my teenage son. He never read it, because like many teenagers, he was luckily an expert in everything invented in the history of the world already. But I did. And it changed my life.
That book gave me a sense of clarity and empowerment I hadn’t expected. I wanted to understand more—so much more that I went on to independently study for, and gain, a DipFA in financial advice. At that point, I made the leap and decided to career shift.
I was naive. But still, I was surprised to find that the profession felt one-dimensional, transactional, product-led, and dominated by technical expertise. What I saw was missing was a deeper understanding of clients’ stories, and a more collaborative approach to finding recommendations that truly fit. The kind clients connect with, believe in, and act on—not just the most rational or optimised solution on the table.
So I founded Emotional Finance to pick up where technical training and expertise leaves off. To offer the kind of consultancy, training and support that builds trust, relational intelligence, and soft skills—not just for individuals, but for entire firms. Because that’s where the real value lies: in helping your people become more confident, more connected, and more effective in the moments that matter.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
