Therapy for Sudden Wealth and Inheritance

Blackburn Clinical Services offers one-on-one therapy in West Los Angeles for people whose lives changed quickly because of money: an inheritance, a trust distribution at a milestone age, the sale of a company, a settlement, equity that vested or a creative windfall. Money solves some problems and creates others, including guilt, isolation, strained family relationships, a loss of direction and drinking or spending that gets out of hand. Therapy gives you a private place to sort that out. Call (888) 870 7405 or email info@blackburnclinical.com.

At a glance

Who we see: adults and young adults who recently received or expect to receive significant money, and family members affected by it.
What we help with: anxiety, depression, grief after an inheritance, identity and purpose, relationship and family strain, and alcohol or other substance use.
What we do not do: we do not give financial, tax or legal advice. Those questions belong with your own advisors and attorney.
Where: Therapy takes place in our office at 12326 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066, in Mar Vista near Culver City, Venice and Santa Monica, or by secure video for clients located in California.
Psychiatry: Psychiatric evaluation and medication management are provided by our board certified psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. When you call, we explain how psychiatry appointments are arranged.
Privacy: one-on-one care. Anything we share with anyone outside your care team happens only with your written permission.
Fees: We are an out-of-network practice and provide superbills. See Fees and Insurance.
First step: call (888) 870 7405 or email info@blackburnclinical.com to schedule an assessment.

What the research says about money and well-being

One of the strongest studies of sudden wealth followed Swedish lottery players for more than a decade. Researchers compared people who won large prizes with people who won small prizes or nothing, which lets them separate the effect of money from everything else. Large winners reported higher overall life satisfaction that lasted more than ten years, mostly through satisfaction with their finances. The estimated effects on happiness and on mental health were much smaller and were not statistically distinguishable from zero (Lindqvist, Ostling and Cesarini, 2020; summary from the Swedish Institute for Social Research).

In plain terms: more money can make life feel more secure without making anxiety, low mood or a difficult family go away. Research on affluent families points the same way. Discussing her research for the American Psychological Association, psychologist Suniya Luthar describes teens in upper middle class communities as more likely to have higher rates of depression, anxiety and substance abuse, with pressure to achieve as one driver (American Psychological Association). Wealth is not a shield, and struggling with it is not ingratitude.

What people facing sudden wealth often bring to therapy

Grief mixed with money. An inheritance usually arrives because someone died. People feel guilty about relief, conflicted about spending, or unable to touch the money at all. See grief counseling.
Guilt and secrecy. Not knowing what to tell friends, a partner or coworkers, and feeling that you no longer fit where you used to.
Loss of structure and purpose. When work becomes optional, days can lose their shape. Drifting, sleeping late and isolation can set in slowly.
Family conflict. Unequal shares, a sibling who feels cheated, parents or relatives who ask for money, or a trust that keeps a family tied together. See family services.
Relationships and trust. Wondering whether people want you or your money, and how to talk about a prenuptial agreement or shared finances with a partner. See relationship counseling.
Spending, drinking or other use that escalates. When there is no financial brake, a problem can grow before anyone names it. We treat substance use and mental health together through dual diagnosis treatment.

Young adults and trust distributions at 18, 21, 25 or 30

Many trusts pay out in stages tied to birthdays. A young adult can go from an allowance to control of real money in one day, often at the same age when mental health problems most often appear: the National Institute of Mental Health reports that adults aged 18 to 25 have the highest rate of mental illness of any adult age group (NIMH). If a distribution is coming and the young person is already struggling, it is reasonable to get support in place first. Families and trustees can read helping a young adult trust beneficiary start mental health care, and trustees can see our page for trustees and fiduciaries.

When the question is less about mental health and more about building routines, work and follow-through around a distribution, Blackburn Mentoring, a sister organization, works with young adult trust beneficiaries.

How therapy works here

Care starts with an assessment. Your therapist works with you one-on-one in our office or by secure video for clients located in California, with a plan built around your goals, which might be calmer decision making, repairing a family relationship, rebuilding a daily structure or cutting back on drinking. If anxiety, depression, ADHD or another condition needs medication, our psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners can evaluate you. For more support without a traditional program, the Concierge Outpatient Program offers several hours a week of one-on-one care scheduled around your life. Your advisors, attorney or family hear nothing from us unless you give written permission.

Questions

Is it normal to feel worse after receiving money?

Yes, for some people. Relief can come with guilt, grief, fear of losing the money, pressure from others or a sudden loss of purpose. Research on lottery winners found that money raised life satisfaction but had little measurable effect on mental health, so emotional struggles after a windfall are common and worth addressing.

Will you give me financial or legal advice?

No. Therapy focuses on how you are feeling, thinking and relating to others. Financial, tax and legal questions belong with your own advisors and attorney. Therapy can help you make those decisions from a calmer place.

Will my family, trustee or advisor know I am in therapy?

Not from us. Anything we share with anyone outside your care team happens only with your written permission, and a trustee would receive only attendance and general progress, nothing more detailed.

Can you help a young adult before a trust distribution?

Yes. An adult chooses whether to start care, and many families find it helps to have support in place before a large distribution. See our page on helping a young adult trust beneficiary start mental health care.

Do you take insurance?

We are an out-of-network practice and provide superbills for out-of-network reimbursement. See Fees and Insurance.

Get started

Call (888) 870 7405 (Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM), email info@blackburnclinical.com or contact us. Blackburn Clinical Services is at 12326 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

If you or someone you love is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or call 911 in an emergency.

Therapy for Sudden Wealth and Inheritance in Los Angeles