Season 2 Episode 5: A No Guilt Guide to Holiday Spending with Dr. Severine Bryan

The Holiday Survival Podcast Season 2 Episode 5: A No Guilt Guide to Holiday Spending with Dr. Severine Bryan is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

About the Episode

In this episode of The Holiday Survival Podcast, Erin chats with Accredited Financial Counselor Dr. Severine Bryan to break down one of the biggest stressors of the season: money. Whether you’re feeling stretched thin, overwhelmed by expectations, or trying to recover from years of financial strain, this conversation brings clarity, compassion, and practical tools you can actually use.

Dr. Sev shares her own powerful story of rebuilding after financial hardship and offers guidance for approaching holiday spending with intention instead of pressure. Together, she and Erin explore what generosity really means, how to set boundaries around money, and why emotional spending shows up so strongly this time of year.

In this episode, we explore:

  • How to build a realistic holiday budget you can stick to

  • Strategies to avoid emotional or guilt-based spending

  • Ways to cut costs without cutting meaning

  • What to do if you’re already financially stretched—or in recovery mode

  • How to set expectations with family (and yourself)

  • Tools like spreadsheets, apps, and simple systems to track spending

  • Creating a post-holiday financial reset plan

  • Why the heart behind a gift matters more than the price tag

This episode is a practical, shame-free guide for anyone who wants to feel more grounded, empowered, and in control of their finances this season.

If this episode resonates with you, follow The Holiday Survival Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and leave a rating or review — it helps more people find hope, healing, and a little peace this season.

Connect with Dr. Severine at sevtalksmoney.com or on LinkedIN

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Season 2 Episode 4: Healthy(ish) Holidays: Practical Wellness Strategies with Tess Cheng