The Hidden Cost of Being the Strong One: Money, Stress & Mental Health with Mandi Woodruff-Santos

Feeling overwhelmed by stress, financial pressure, or the demands of everyday life? Explore hol+ mental health services to learn about personalized support for your emotional well-being. She built a successful career, started her own business, and became a mother. So why did everything start to feel overwhelming? Dr. Taz welcomes award-winning financial journalist, career coach, and Brown Ambition podcast host Mandi Woodruff-Santos to explore how financial stress, career pressure, and the expectation to hold everything together can affect women's mental and physical health. Mandi shares what she's learned from helping women navigate money challenges, career transitions, and the pressure to succeed. Together, they discuss why women often struggle to ask for what they need, how financial shame can undermine confidence, and the additional challenges women of color face when advocating for themselves at work. Dr. Taz reflects on the stress she sees among women who carry financial responsibility for their families, as well as her own experience growing up around money anxiety. Their conversation explores the pressure to be the strong one, the connection between financial security and emotional well-being, and why success doesn't always protect us from burnout. Mandi also opens up about her personal experience with postpartum depression and anxiety, the challenges of building a business while raising young children, and the circumstances that led her to seek inpatient mental health treatment. She introduces the idea of a mental health emergency fund, explaining why having trusted people and professional support in place matters before a crisis occurs. Drawing from her upcoming book, Brown Ambition: How to Reboot Your Money and Career When Life Throws You Off Track, Mandi shares how women can move beyond shame, navigate unexpected setbacks, and pursue financial success without losing sight of their health and happiness. IN THIS EPISODE How financial stress affects mental and physical well-being The hidden pressure of being the family breadwinner Money shame and the expectations placed on women of color Three common thought patterns that hold women back in their careers Asking for raises, negotiating, and advocating for yourself Recognizing when it's time to make a career change Financial transparency and independence in relationships Mandi's experience with postpartum depression and anxiety Recognizing when old coping mechanisms stop working Building a mental health emergency fund The importance of rest, community, and asking for help Redefining ambition and finding fulfillment beyond financial success EXPLORE HOL+ SERVICES Learn about hol+'s approach to mental health and emotional well-being: https://holplus.co/services/mental-health/ ABOUT MANDI WOODRUFF-SANTOS Mandi Woodruff-Santos is an award-winning financial journalist, career and negotiation coach, and host of the Brown Ambition podcast. She is the founder of MandiMoney Makers, a coaching community helping women of color advance their careers and build wealth. Her debut book, Brown Ambition: How to Reboot Your Money and Career When Life Throws You Off Track, is scheduled for release on June 15, 2027. CONNECT WITH MANDI Check out the Brown Ambition Book: https://brownambitionbook.com Website and career coaching: https://www.mandimoney.com/ Brown Ambition podcast: https://brownambitionpodcast.com/ Book information and preorders: https://www.mandimoney.com/book CONNECT WITH HOL+ Follow the podcast for new episodes, and leave a review to help others discover the conversation. This episode is for educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical, mental health, or financial advice. Dr. Taz: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ Hol+: https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Hol+ Show: https://www.instagram.com/holplushow/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@HolPlusShow/podcasts Get your copy of ➡️ The Hormone Shift: https://amzn.to/44yYhZd Produced by https://ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)