Mentoring
“My finances used to give me a huge amount of anxiety. But with Silvia’s patient, non-judgmental, and fully holistic approach, I no longer have an antagonistic relationship with my money. With Silvia’s guidance, I’ve analyzed and modified my spending habits and am now planning for the future with concrete, sustainable steps.
I am grateful for Silvia’s wisdom and kindness and would highly recommend her mentorship to anyone who struggles with taking ownership of their finances. It has been a deeply empowering and illuminating experience.”
J.P., Writer/Artist, Los Angeles, CA
“Working with Silvia has been a process of intimate and organic unfolding. Her approach, rooted in Buddhist practice and wisdom paired with down-to-earth, ‘real life’-context, single-mom reality, has been a key component in my path to self-actualization and agency as a young woman. It’s not really only the actual ‘nuts and bolts’ of the approach, but what has been most meaningful, is the non-judgement of her meeting me where I am – over and over again. It built a trust in our relationship but also in myself. This has allowed a great shift in my perspective not only to my personal finances but also to my relationship as a whole to how I engage in life’s “transactions”. What a blessing she has been in my process of coming of age.”
Teal George, Yoga Teacher and Mediator / Conflict Coach, Berlin, Germany
“As a graduate student, Silvia has immensely helped me structure my loan schedule, payoffs, budgeting, and credit card debt – all the while supporting the emotional roller coaster of being an adult in school. Silvia always met me where I was at, and always, without judgment. Whether it was because I was drained and couldn’t commit to my weekly budgeting homework, or weekly goals, Silvia created a safe space to process my emotions which usually explained or complemented my spending habits. As a student, I have been incredibly grateful for Silvia’s sliding scale, and being held accountable to a budgeting process to reduce the amount of debt I graduate with.
I highly recommend her mentoring!”
H. Justice, UCLA MSW & MPH Graduate Student, Los Angeles, CA
“Working with Silvia has completely changed my awareness and handling of my finances. Her approach of viewing not only the numbers but also the attached emotions has really given me the tools to make the changes I want to make and to be fully aware and in control of not only my financial situation but also my sense of safety and security. It is empowering work.
I cannot recommend working with her enough!”
Leah Morano, Yoga Teacher, Berlin, DE
“Navigating through my separation/divorce has been so much more manageable with the guidance of my mentor. Her input is invaluable. The platform we work on is a space where I feel and know, wholeheartedly that I am supported.
Words cannot express how grateful I am for all of our sessions.”
JC, LMT, NJ
“Working with Silvia has helped me significantly with my finances. Before working with her, I tended to not be realistic with my finances or neglect financial responsibilities, because finances stressed me out. With her financial counseling, I am able to confront my finances better, save up for near-future big expenses, and create a long-term financial plan.
Most importantly, I have been able to learn how to address all the confusing emotions surrounding finances, such as fear, sadness, anxiety, and feel better about my finances.”
KZ, Event Planner, NY
Classes & Workshops
“I really appreciated Silvia coming in. Finances are something that is not really talked about on a more intimate level, and so outing my frustrations and concerns about how I feel towards this sensitive topic was really helpful. Silvia helped me keep track of my spending habits, and how I can be more mindful of what I purchase, and if it’s truly necessary or not. Silvia helped me, a college student, keep track of what it is to be wary of and prepare for the future.”
Bradley, Student, Purchase College
“I really enjoyed the financial workshop with Silvia for our LiveWell@Purchase event! Her energy was incredibly calm and warm, and it felt easy to express my frustrations around finances and money to her. I really appreciated her giving us tips on how to budget by hand, and for the recommendation of the Mint app! I had never really tuned in to the emotional side of spending money (or not spending it) until this workshop. Now, I find myself being a little more conscious than before. Thanks so much for visiting with us, Silvia!”
Abbey, Student, Purchase College
“I found Silvia’s Wise Finances Workshop quite enlightening. Often times one is not aware of how their finances and emotions bounce off of each other. Through mindful exploration, we dove into the process of understanding how interwoven the two are. I began to connect what emotions lead me to impulsively make a purchase. Silvia has an incredible ability to create a safe, non-judgmental space for all to explore these, sometimes uncomfortable, feelings. There is such a need for a program like this everywhere!”
Gaby, Post-Graduate Clinical Intern, Purchase College
“Silvia’s workshop raised my awareness of my approach to my finances. I felt very much in tune with her overall approach, content, and the different exercises we did to get us into a frame of mind that is proactive rather than reactive. I look forward to taking Silvia’s workshops in the future.”
Elise W., Bookkeeper, NYC
“I am so glad my spouse and I took this class! It was an eye opener for us and surprisingly showed us that while we shared the same concerns there were other concerns that were new to the both of us. Since taking the class, I do think how much do I really need this? Is this a want or a need? It changed my perspective on purchases and helped me look at finances in a less stressful manner. Finances whether good or bad can be stressful and this gentle approach took the edge off and made the impossible feel possible. No matter what your financial standing is I believe you will walk away with something useful from attending this workshop. “
Linda R, Real Estate Agent, NJ
“Wise Finances is powerful and truly effective from a holistic standpoint. Silvia does a wonderful job of incorporating mind-body connections with planning and integrating financial strategies. I highly recommend this workshop!”
Nikki S, Personal Trainer, NYC
“This experience with you has been nothing short of enlightening. I consider you a true guru; your knowledge and wisdom about the practice have definitely made me open a new chapter in my life. It is really energizing to work with an individual who is truly interested in her client’s needs and preferences. I gladly recommend your services whenever possible.”
Barbara R., Police Officer, NJ
“Silvia’s workshop was an eye-opener for me. I was a bit hesitant to introspect on my financial condition. Basically, I was afraid of the numbers that were going to come up. However, I realized that I had to do that at some point in order to mitigate my financial condition from blowing up and bursting one day. I knew the sooner I did the easier it will be to keep myself on track. I have now implemented the teachings from this workshop and actually broken down and analyzed my expenses to see where to improve on unnecessary spending and diverting it into savings.”
Ashok P, Web Developer Consultant, India