I’m Emma Boardwell, Founder of Emotional Finance
As a former psychotherapist now working within financial services, I translate relational intelligence into the heart of the profession.
I support financial professionals and firms to lead the industry’s shift toward more human, connected, trust-centred financial advice; strengthening client relationships and driving better outcomes for clients and businesses alike.
“Having spent 20+ years in finance, I can say first hand that Emotional Finance has the power to revolutionise the industry.”
— Sara Maxwell, Wealth Coach
“Emma is uniquely placed to help financial professionals become truly trusted allies to their clients.”
— Greg Morris, Director, Western Pension Solutions
“Emma is EXACTLY what the financial advice profession needs”
— Hayley Rabbets, Head of the Verve Foundation
My background
Before founding Emotional Finance, I spent many years as a UKCP registered psychotherapist, trainer and facilitator, working with individuals, couples and groups. That work sharpened my ability to notice the subtle relational dynamics that shape communication, trust and decision-making - the kinds of things people often feel long before they can name.
Alongside my therapeutic experience, I hold financial qualifications (DipFA and Wise Monkey Financial Coach certification) and spent time working inside financial services. Seeing both worlds from within showed me something unmistakable: it’s often the human qualities - presence, curiosity, empathy and emotional steadiness - that determine whether advice lands, clients act, good outcomes are achieved, and relationships last.
In 2025, I was honoured to receive the Verve Rising Star of the Year Award, recognising my pioneering approach, the growing impact of this work and my advocacy for a shift away from transactional, product-led models toward a more benevolent, empowering helping profession.
My particular interest in vulnerability has shaped much of my work. I now sit on the Board of the Financial Vulnerability Taskforce, supporting efforts to help the profession respond to vulnerability with greater relational intelligence and emotional insight.
At the heart of my work is a simple philosophy: softness is strength. Qualities like presence, open-mindedness, and compassion are not optional extras - they’re essential capabilities for advisers and firms who want to deliver meaningful results.
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.
Our Emotional Finance Model
A framework for trust, connection and collaboration in financial advice
The Emotional Finance Model sits at the heart of everything we do.
It translates key principles and skills from psychotherapy into the world of financial services - offering financial professionals and firms a clear, practical framework for building stronger, more human client relationships.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
