Abstract
According to financial planner, super trend expert, and futurist Dennis Stearns, the financial planner of the future will need high emotional intelligence and will also need to be "really good at the human element." This recognition has given rise to a demand for more holistic financial planning approaches and increased focus on client experience, well-being, and creating consistency between the client's beliefs, values, and behaviors. This demand is evidenced by a growing number of academic programs and educational initiatives in financial therapy, financial psychology, and behavioral finance at institutions including Kansas State University, University of Georgia, Texas Tech University, and Creighton University, as well as the client psychology program developed by CFP Board in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania. Client satisfaction and retention will likely become increasingly dependent on a planner's ability to increase their own self-awareness, foster deeper interpersonal relationships, and understand how clients make decisions.