Money and the Mother Wound with Michelle Atlas

Money and the Mother Wound with Michelle Atlas

Author: Leisa Peterson January 8, 2026 Duration: 37:14

Your relationship with money isn't just about budgets and strategies—it's deeply connected to your earliest attachment patterns, particularly with your mother.

In this conversation, transformational coach Michelle Atlas reveals how the mother-daughter relationship shapes everything from our sense of worthiness to our capacity to receive, and how these early patterns become our money attachment styles.

Michelle, who lived in an ashram for 12 years and has been on a spiritual path for over four decades, shares the surprising connection between anxious, avoidant, and disorganized attachment styles and our financial behaviors. She opens up about her own journey from shopping to fill a void to experiencing a spontaneous moment of self-forgiveness that completely transformed her relationship with money—and herself.

In this episode, you'll discover:

  • How mother wounds show up in your bank account
  • Why attachment styles and money styles are one and the same
  • The somatic sensations that drive your money decisions
  • Why decades of spiritual practice matter in transformation work
  • How to befriend money the way you'd befriend a trusted companion
  • The path from "I need this to feel whole" to "I am enough"

Whether you've been working on your money relationship for years or you're just beginning to sense there's something deeper beneath your financial patterns, this conversation offers a portal to profound healing.

Resources mentioned:


Leisa Peterson has spent years as a business coach and financial expert, and she’s noticed something profound: the journey to wealth is often blocked not by a lack of opportunity, but by our own internal landscapes. That’s the space where Mindful Millionaire with Leisa Peterson lives. This isn't a typical finance podcast focused solely on spreadsheets and market trends. Instead, Leisa guides conversations that sit at the unique intersection of practical money wisdom and deep personal growth. You’ll hear from a variety of voices-entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and everyday people-who share stories about aligning their financial ambitions with their core values and mental well-being. Episodes delve into how our beliefs about money are formed, how to lead with vision without burning out, and how cultivating mindfulness can directly impact our financial decisions and business success. It’s about building a prosperous life that feels authentic and sustainable, where self-mastery informs every dollar earned and invested. Tune in for a blend of actionable advice and heart-centered commentary designed to transform your relationship with abundance from the inside out.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Mindful Millionaire with Leisa Peterson
Podcast Episodes
Strategies for Financial Success with Dr. Darnyelle Jervey Harmon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:49
Today, I'm interviewing Dr. Darnyelle Jervey Harmon who is a growth specialist for entrepreneurs. We're talking about the blocks that entrepreneurs run into as they're building their businesses. We discussed how you can…
What's Your Sparketype with Jonathan Fields [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:49
Today, I am interviewing my friend, Jonathan Fields. Jonathan has been an incredible source of inspiration and support over the years along with his wife Stephanie. I'm really excited to be sharing his latest book with y…
Humane Selling with Sarah Santacroce [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:04
Today, I'm interviewing my good friend, Sarah Santacroce. Sarah is a coach and an author, who wrote about selling like we're human. It is filled with so much good information for those of us coaches, consultants, who reg…
Presence in Business Ownership with Debbie Allen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:25
Today, I'm speaking with Debbie Allen who is an incredible coach and a long-time speaker who teaches people about developing their expert status and being able to speak on stages and coach their clients in a more effecti…
Building a Real Estate Investor Community with Dustin Heiner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:49
Today's conversation is with Dustin Heiner who is the founder of Master Passive Income. When you're running a real estate business, whether it's one property that you rent out on Airbnb, or you run a commercial building,…
Stacking Your Money with Joe Saul-Sehy and Emily Guy Birken [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:00
Today, I have the honor of interviewing my friends, Joe Saul Sehy, and Emily Guy. Birken. They've written a new book called Stacked, Your Super Serious Guide To Modern Money Management. And if you've heard Joe before he…
The Art of Customer Feedback with Dr. Matt Champagne [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:36
Today, I am interviewing Matt Champagne, PhD. We're discussing client and prospect surveys and the pioneering research that he's done over 25 years on maximizing the uses of customer feedback to grow your business and yo…
Niching Your Way to Wealth with Stephanie Breedlove [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:14
Today, I am interviewing Stephanie Breedlove of Breedlove Capital. Stephanie co-founded Home Pay, a full-service company that helps families process, payroll, and taxes related to their household employees. I heard from…
The Art of Business with Steven Morris [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:38
Today, I'm interviewing my good friend Steven Morris. We're talking about art, business, new paradigms, and ways to think differently about business. Steven's new book, The Beautiful Business recently came out and I coul…

«1...678910